Vader, Darth Vader

An easy tutorial on how to install the Darth Vader flight suit.

You’ll need:

• Black Series Second Release Darth Vader
• A sharp knife
• Pliers 
• Boiled water
• Contact / impact glue.

Firstly start by soaking Vader in hot boiled water. This will soften the plastic and glue.
Next, remove the head, soft goods and make a small cut into the back of the belt to remove.
It should look like this.

Return the Body to the hot water. Reboiled if needed. Then carefully pull off the armour plates on his arms and shoulders. Dry off Vader, and he’s ready for the next step.

Take the flight suit and pull it on feet first. Then, using a small tool like a cocktail stick, apply a tiny amount of glue around the three outer sides of the chest box. The glue needs to contact/impact glue or super glue gel (as it has a long working time), as you don’t want the glue to run around the figure. Next, line the edge of the suit to the chest box and press it in place.
Once in place, move on to repeat the process with the arms and knees, being careful not to get glue into the joints. DON’T glue at the shoulders.

When complete, you can move on to attaching the armour. I found starting with the arms was easier. Apply a small amount of glue to the pegs, then feel for the groove in the arm through the suit and try to align them.

The chest armour is attached, but coating glue to the centre of the front chest piece (yellowish/green area on the pic), you don’t want to glue the armour to the suit here.

Darth Vader should be looking something like this now.
The neck steps are straightforward.
Redress the tunic layer. Remember; A New Hope version has the tunic over the top, and Empire Strikes back has it sitting underneath the chest armour. Now see why we didn’t glue the chest plate to the suit?
Now taking the small black ribbon, glue one side to the inside of the belt, where the cut was made. Once dry, put the belt on Vader, Now using the baking paper, slide this between the suit and belt. Then carefully glue the open end of the belt to the ribbon. Once dry, remove the paper protection.

Final Steps. Heat the peg hole in Vader’s neck, lay the cape over the top and reattach the head. Then he should look like this.