“He’s done it with paper and cardboard, now Canberra’s own Iron Man is closer than ever to emulating the comic book-turned Hollywood hero.
It’s yet to get the distinctive red paint, but Barry Armstead has crafted his own steel suit which he hopes will bring a smile to sick children across the capital.
“It’s an evolvement, going from the pepakura [paper craft] and fibreglass to the cardboard, and ultimately the steel, to get something that’s worthy of the movie suit that the kids will love,” he said.
Standing next to the cardboard prototype, Barry Armstead puts on one of the steel suit’s legs over his wetsuit. Photo: Jay Cronan
“[To] get it into their hospitals, so that as you walk into the wards it’s a big surprise and they all sit up in their beds and start screaming and carrying on.”
Unlike Tony Stark’s instant ability to summon his suit in the high-raking movies, the equally powerfully built Mr Armstead has to wiggle his way into separate boot, leg and arm coverings, then have a helper drill in the dozen or so screws.
It took about half an hour on Thursday, but patience is one of the former soldier’s virtues, judged by the 18 months it’s taken to get this third and ultimate Iron Man suit to its current stage.
Barry Armstead in his steel Iron Man suit. Behind him is the painted cardboard prototype which he made to ensure the right measurements for the latest version. Photo Jay Cronan
And despite having brightly shining eyes and a glowing arc reactor on its breastplate, the custom-made steel suit, weighing about 35 kilograms, was not close to finished yet.
Mr Armstead, now a parks field officer with the ACT Parks & Conservation Service, said there was still lighting, electronic and camera features to install. A custom built undersuit – think a red wetsuit with special breathing patches – and the painting was also still to occur.
So far it hasn’t cost much more than the pepakura, fibreglass-reinforced suit reported early last year (and now sold), no more than $500, with several generous donations of goods. But Mr Armstead said the biggest cost was time.
With his pregnant wife expecting any day, there would be less chance to tinker away on the sturdy, sophisticated suit.
“It could be one to two years before it’s finished; with twin girls on the way who knows how that might blow out,” he said.
When the suit is ready to be revealed his now three-year-old son will also see his father in it directly for the first time, as he was now restricted to viewing photographs to maintain the surprise.
“I’ll probably have to make a little one for him,” Mr Armstead said.”
Source: CanberraTimes
