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Vader Full Of Hot Air Posted By Carol on April 18, 2007
From StarWars.com:
When the Belgian 501st Legion FanWars Garrison first suggested that one of its members, Beno?t Lambert, create a Death Star-shaped PVC helium balloon, he was not only thrilled but already envisioning a chance to show off his artistic talents as well as his love for Star Wars--and his skills as a hot-air balloonist.
Ironically, Lambert had already been thinking of building a Darth Vader hot air balloon when FanWars leader Nicolas Lelong (TK-2054) first brought up the idea. "For me, it was more of a joke and a fantasy, but Nicolas took it seriously and found the idea wonderful," Lambert says. "He made contact with Lucasfilm in order to try to get their agreement."
Lucasfilm gave its approval for Lambert to have the balloon built with his own funds, using one of the most recognizable characters in cinema, as long as the balloon was not used for commercial pursuits. "We contacted Cameron -- the world's largest manufacturer of hot air balloons -- and a Darth Vader helmet replica was sent to their engineers to help them recreate every detail," Lambert recalls. "A vector file representing the Vader helmet in 3-D was also sent to the engineers. Once the first draft was in our hands, several shape and color modifications were discussed and made in order to be sure that the balloon would look as much as possible like the real Darth Vader helmet. Colors were chosen to optimize 3-D effects once the balloon is in flight. For aesthetic reasons, grey shades around the face are slightly different from the official shape."
To read the entire story, and check out pictures of this amazing item, please visit The Official Site.
Rebelscum Breast Cancer Awareness Charity Patch Posted By Philip on November 25, 2014: Thanks to everybody that ordered patches. I sent a check for $1,600.00 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation on Monday. While it's not as much as I hoped for, it's still very much appreciated. They will remain for sale in the store for anybody that still wishes to purchase them. Details after the jump.