Hi guys.

I know it's more a Vador place here (and some troopers fans too) but what about C 3PO?

I guess that for many collectors, a C 3PO helmet is simply a C 3PO helmet.... but if I tell you that it could be like the screen used stormtroopers helmets, with all these variant, would you trust me?

Off course, it's not exactly like stormtrooper (Hero, stunt, ESB, ROTJ, MKII, etc... you know the thing)

First, an old post from the RPF I wrote some years ago:

"Hi C 3PO fans!

It have been a long sime since I wanted to start a topic like this one.

Indeed, being persuaded that there are differences between the diverse helmets of C 3PO (mainly an ANH and a ESB lineage), I made some observations with screen captures, photos of original props and comparison with helmets replicas.

Certainly that this subject only interest me, but maybe that I'll find some readers and peoples to participate to the discussion.

Initially, I thought there was two main "shape": The ANH lineage, re-used for ROTJ and the ESB lineage, re used for AOTC and ROTS.

From what I read here and on starwarshelmets.com, new suit (and probably helmets) were made for ESB and they re painted/ re chromed some of these for AOTC and ROTS.

It was the start of my observations.

The Antenna:



From what we see, the ESB, ROTJ and AOTC helmets seems to have the same type of antenna.
At the beginning I thought that the ANH style was different. Because I have two brass replicas which are supposed to be create with the help of an original ANH antenna (see the last pic). The shape is clearly not the same.
But on some screen captures, the antenna looks similar to the others movies (Im in hurry to have the blueray in order to make HQ captures).
So what's the true? It's a very common replica, but is it the real deal???

You can notice that one of the antenna pictured doesn't have the little hole at the end. As already evoked, it's probably a resin copy for the needs of the exhibition.

The lenses:



I guess that the picture speaks itself!

The grids



It seems there is a difference between the ANH style (brass parts, slot-in lens) and the ESB style (just the grid) present on AOTC and ROTS helmets.

Back of the head detailed part



As stated before, the ANH helmet looks to have a "removable" detailed part made out of brass or aluminium (maybe machined custom part). We can also find it on (some) ROTJ helmets.
But on (some) ESB helmets and AOTC helmet (I don't know for the ROTS helmet), it seems that this detail is a part of the casting (thus made out of fiberglass) and appears to be less detailed.

The right notch



Sorry for the poor assembly of the pictures. It will not be easy to see on these, but I noticed that some helmelt (again, mainly ANH and ROTJ) have a right notch very pronounced.

Sharp and less sharp

Why I had a theory of an ANH lineage and ESB lineage? (which is stupid since ESB helmets were copied from ANH helmets if new suits were indeed made)



If you make a comparison between K3PO and C3PO, you can notice that the helmets aren't similar. To me, the K3PO is way more sharp. Especially the "notches" on the "arch" around the head (sorry, I don't know the exact word to name this part) and all the sharp lines of the helmet.
Look at the notches of the K3PO helmet, and his neck bolt.... isn't it a gold color that we can distinguish??? Re painted ANH helmet???

The position of the face



Some helmets looks to have the face plate way more advanced.

Moreover it seems to be slid inside the back part, where other helmet looks to have the face which stops in front of the arc (as put above).

The assembly



The AOTC and ROTS faceplate have a notch on the exgrowth just behind the antenna ring fixation. It doesn't appear on the ANH faceplate (black and white shot).

The exgrowth of the prelogy helmet appear to be not aligned with the rest of the faceplate (just lie many actual replicas).
But on the ANH helmet, it seems to be the continuity of the faceplate (but it's hard to see with this only poor quality picture).

I don't know if I'm really clear in what I try to explain and show (sorry, english isn't my usual language) thus all my apologies for the headache."

And the last observations, posted one week ago:

"Hi guys!

3 years after my last post, sorry for this lack of news. But I still keep my eyes on my computer screen and many screen cap and photos of C 3PO (am I crazy??)

I made new observations (and read again what members posted here).

We know that concerning the back of the helmet, two styles exist.

Detailled part and less detailled part with a different orientation. (the red lines illustrate how this part fit on the back part of the helmet)

Anthony Daniels original helmet:



Screen used helmet (not sure if it's identified as ESB or ROTJ)



Steve Sansweet screen used helmet (ESB if I remember well)



ROTS




Now the other style (that we all know since it appears on Zorg lineage replicas and Don Post statue lineage replicas).

AOTC screen used helmet



Visual dictionnary (ANH mixed parts?)



Dented rechromed head



Disney's animatronic



Vos replica





Don Post statue copy



We can notice the exception of this ANH helmet since the part is probably the machined one (thus removable). Note the same orientation:




You will notice that I made a red line on some pictures (neck area).
It seems that some helmets are rounder than other which looks "crushed"

. I don't know if I'm really clear. But for those who hold a Zorg helmet and a Don Post cast, you probably noticed that this area isn't similar. The neck of the Don Post is rounded where the Zork helmet have the neck "crushed".

It's something that we can see on some ANH helmet (which could confirm that the Vos helmet is derived from a screen used ANH helmet...or molds, even if it was in bad condition and then reworked).
Same thing for the fact that the Don Post statue is derived from ESB."

Cool info.

Wasn't it mentioned previously on perhaps the RPF that the white ESB droid was an ANH suit? I think I've heard mention of that before. Though... if you posted about this on the RPF long ago... maybe that was the thread I read it in... hmm...

Exactly ^^

It's what I think ( we can see gold paint on the notches of the horse shoe)

Great pic's and infos.
Thanks for sharing.

Concerning TFA C 3PO:



New way to attach the faceplate to the back??

Left neck bolt seems to be attached to the back of the helmet.

Smooth inside...vacuum formed? 3D printed? Looks like metal but certainly due to chroming process.

Thanks for putting together such a rich and informative post, Nairod! It's really an eye opener to see all the subtle structural features.

Perhaps one day I'll be brave enough and find time to tackle this as a sculpting project.

If i look to that TFA picture the whole 3PO suit looks new.
More smooth and cleaned up surface. A bit to clean for my taste.
To be canon how old is 3PO now? 60 years? Than he should look more worn as in RotJ.

A refreshing thread..many thanks for the pictures. Just uncovered three starbukcylon c3p0 kits..this will be invaluable in the builds....

He is continually kept up to snuff, just like vintage cars occasionally are, so I'm not seeing anything objectionable in his new look. Even the sharpness and cleanness of the surface details speaks of a droid that's well taken care of.

Hi guys.

Some news. I discovered some pictures of original prop of the Denver Art Museum Exhibition(and thanks to Dan H. and Jay D. for their photos!!) that confirmed what I thought.

We know that news suits were made for ESB and then re-used for the other episodes (according to Don Bies. Informations reported by Jez of StarWarsHelmets.com).

So the ANH C 3PO is a little bit different (I only focus on the helmet).

To me, the ANH helmet is narrower (and could explain why it was umcomfortable and improved for ESB....thus wider....only speculation, I don't have official measurements).

The way the faceplate fit to the back is different. Were the ESB style have this offset to fix it (you certainly all have this on your replica)
, the ANH faceplate is totally smooth and slide inside the back. Plus the bottom of the faceplate doesn't fit well and you can see and screen grab, a space between each elements.

Finally, the ANH can be identified due to his very sharp line on the right side, from the eyes to the end of the faceplate (more limited on ESB faceplate). Plus the top is a little bit curved. And thus the back have a kind of notche on the horseshoe to allow face to slide inside

I'm really sorry about my poor explanations due my poor english (lack of vocabulary). So I made this medley pictures (and yes there is a K 3PO because I assume it's an ANH helmet repainted).

Click on the link for a full sized picture:



https://imgur.com/fB9OzAz

Cool. Thanks for the explanation. It really is interesting to hear about the details that set one movie piece apart from the other movies.