Well, since my Ecto-1 project appears to be a hit, I figured I would share my other ill-advised venture. Aliens has always been my second favorite movie behind Ghostbusters, and I remember wanting to be a colonial marine so badly because of their awesome weapons. Vasquez was my favorite marine, and the M56 smartgun that she carries around until all chaos breaks loose was an obsession since I was 12 years old. Well, I decided that it was time. Instead of settling for a resin copy, I wanted to be the first to build an all-real prop. For accuracy, I sourced a real German MG42 machine gun (100% de-activated so it's legal per US Government regulations), the correct vintage motorcycle parts that were used, the correct vintage steadicam vest, and all of the super rare components to make the smartgun headset (camera flash unit parts and vintage Transformers Mega-tron toy M1 scope included) and the shoulder lamp (an intruder alarm, Italian dive torch handle, and German flash unit). I also managed to track down the guy who built the screen-used steadicam arms that attached the guns to the vests for floating movement! He sourced all accurate long-discontinued parts from all over the world to construct me an exact replica of Vasquez's arm (it is different than Drake's arm). Parts came from here, Brazil, Europe, and New Zealand mostly.

The project is being finished off with all custom pieces fabricated to fit the gun specifically by a very talented gunsmith. The prop weighs a ton and will be horrible to wear for long periods, but it was absolutely necessary and I can't wait to have it all on someday. Sadly, there will be very few conventions that would allow me, but so what?

I will update this when I get more progress pictures. This is so remarkably simplified for this forum. It's taken years to ID various small pieces of the gun as it is extremely difficult to see the gun in the film and there is very little reference available.

VasquezWiring4_zpse8s0xwjt (resized).JPGSmartgunReference5Steadicam_zps2e36c707 (resized).JPGSmartgunReferenceA_zpsaa9e42fa (resized).JPGArmComparison_zpse99e879d (resized).JPGMG42Complete1_zps4458c895 (resized).JPGFront%20Grip%20Mount_zpsyyl7ineo (resized).JPG20150710_120222_zpso8bmkoqc (resized).JPGVasquezWiring1_zpshjeers1j (resized).JPGVasquez%20Chest%20Plate%20Weathered%202_zpsa1nwifj8 (resized).JPEGVasquezBandana_zps882b9882 (resized).JPGAdamBDUs_zpsxf63ik3y (resized).JPGNeutrikPlugDrake_zpse28b57a0 (resized).JPG151e19d6-1163-4439-81b3-627b90da3c55_zpsxxphayq4 (resized).JPG

Well, at least the Ecto sparked some interest, haha. I figured there'd be more Alien/Aliens fans here too when it was all said and done.