"OBERON" - CLONE  TROOPER   TC124

                                "The Old Man of the Outfit"

        ASSIGNED   TO  THE  501ST  "Vader's Fist"  LEGION

                    ATTACHED   TO  GARRISON  CARIDA

                                   (Formerly the Eastern Squad of the Empire City Garrison)

                               George Metz  -  13 Post  -  Newtown Square, PA  -  19073-3014

                                                 e-mail   Trooper TC124   -    610-353-4982 

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          Oberon TC124  on Duty      Dogtag                     Oberon TC124  "Bucket Off" 

Clone Trooper TC-0124 is thought to be the oldest active clone trooper in the 501st Legion, being cloned in 1941, in Batch 12, Chamber 4, hence "0124". He was nurtured and given basic orientation at the Great Kaminoan Cloning Facility, in Tipoca City, the Kaminoan Capitol, stilt-mounted above the churning seas of the storm swept watery world, Planet "Kamino". He was a member of the initial order for the Clone Army commissioned by Jedi Master Sifo Dyas (later Darth Sidius) of the Republic. He completed advanced training at the Imperial Trooper Training Center on Planet Carida and went into service as Clone Trooper "Oberon" with the operating number of TC-0124 and served with valor during the "Clone" Wars.  

The Clone Trooper's basic characteristics were derived from the genetic material of the Bounty Hunter, Jango Fett, to develop a fighting force more independent and more intelligent than the Battle Droids than in use. Color coding on the helmet and shoulder pauldrens denoted the rank of a Clonetrooper; with green denoting Sergeants, blue representing Lieutenants, red for Captains and yellow being Commanders. The Clones designated for "command" duty were specifically trained for such service.  Some "regular duty" clonetroopers, including Trooper Oberon, were later selected, trained and promoted for Command duty service. 

The Clone Troopers of the Galactic Republic were created with uniformity in skill and appearance, but a few were further enhanced to stand apart from the general class of trooper Clones.  These enhanced Clones were hand-trained by Jango Fett and designated as Advanced Recon Commandos "ARC".  Although they underwent the same accelerated growth of standard clones, their capability for independent thought and action was preserved.   Only a limited number of these elite infantry soldiers were bred and trained prior to Jango Fett's death during the Battle of Geonosis and they saw little service during the Clone Wars.  Employing an advanced version of clone armor, ARC troopers with their independent thought and reasoning, were assigned only to the most dangerous of missions.  During the Battle of Kamino the ARC troopers, including Oberon, were activated by Prime Minister Lama Su to defend Tipoc City from Separatist attack.  They have also served in the campaigns on Jabium, Muuninst and Pengalan IV.  

For more on Clone Trooper Oberon's later career - consult  Stormtrooper Oberon

  

TC124, 501st Legion Trading Card Proof by Jeff Will, TS408, Florida Garrison

 

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Toys for Tots at Toys R Us, Dover, DE, 11-22-2003       Clone Trooper selecting carefully

TC124 points the way to the Ep-III Toy Release.

 

OBERON's  SERVICE  HISTORY  as  CLONETROOPER  TC-124 

501=501st "Vader's Fist Legion"  **  GC=Garrison Carida  **  ECG=Empire City Garrison 

C2 = Episode-2 Clone  **  C3 = Episode-3 Clone  **  CB = Commander Bacara 

Marine Corps "Toys for Tots" Collection, Toys R Us Store, Dover, DE  - Nov-22, 2003  -  GC / C2

A.I. Dupont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE - February 14, 2004  -  GC / C2

Farpoint SciFi Con, Hunt Valley, Baltimore, MD - February 14, 2004  -  GC / C2

ComicCon-2004, Pittsburgh-Monroeville, May 1, 2004  -  GC / C2 

DragonCon 2004, Atlanta, GA, September 4, 2004  -  501, GC / C2

Hospital Toy Collection, Toy Cave Store, Carlisle, PA, with PSWCS, Dec 11, 2004 - GC / C2 

Episode-3 Toy Release, K-B Toy Store, South Park Mall, Allentown, PA, April 2, 2005 - GC / C2  

Celebration-III, Indianapolis, IN, as Episode-3 Clone, April 21 & 24, 2005  -  501, GC / C3

Meet, Greet & Reading for Kids, Library, Mountville, PA  Nov. 14, 2005  -  GC / C3

Pittsburgh Toy Show, Monroeville, PA  July 29-30, 2006  -  GC / CB

DragonCon 2006, Atlanta, GA  September 1, 2, 2006  -  501, GC / CB,C3 

Mardi Gras Parade with Krewe of Napoleon, Metairie (New Orleans, 5 mile troop) - Feb. 18  - Bast-Alpha Squad, Star Garrison / C3 

DragonCon 2007, Atlanta, GA  Aug. 31, Sept 1, 2007  -  501, GC / CB,C3 

Meet & Greet, Bubble House Family Fest, Phila  Aug. 10, 2008  -  GC / C2

       

          The Old Sarge shopping at Toys R Us and Pittsburgh ComicCon 2004 

  

Carida, Obi-Wan, Chewie and future recruit  -  at Ep-III  KB Toy Release, April 2, 2005   

               

What else would a clonetrooper buy at the Ep-III toy release event?    

 

                  

Clone TC124, joining with other Troopers of "Carida", poses with Bill Cable for his traditional "Creature Cantina .Com Sucks" photo at ComicCon 2004 on April 1, 2004.  Bill's  http://creaturecantina.com  is a Star Wars parody themed "Fun Site".  Bill also does illustration and web design. 

          

        Oberon checks into getting an "Ear Job".     

         

EP-3 clone TC124 with an Imperial Officer and ARC Troopers at Celebration-III 

 

Commander Bacara "Oberon" with   ???  at the Pittsburgh Toy Show in Monroeville PA on July 29 & 30, 2006.  Old Sarge Oberon celebrated the 65th Anniversary of his "Cloning" on the 29th at the Carida Dinner on Saturday Evening.       

 

"Bacara Oberon" at the Pittsburgh Toy Show - 7-29-06 - flanked by two sets of experimental clone armor, which were rejected for adoption and use by the Clone Army.  

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ARMOR  MODIFICATIONS 

The "Casters" produced Clone Trooper Armor set proved to be too short for "Old Sarge's" 6 foot height, as well as having other short-comings.  However, with some work and re-engineering, it can be made into an acceptable set of clone armor until something better comes along.   

    

General view of modifications to the lower torso sections.  The sections are connected with 1.75 inch leather "garrison" uniform style belts for suspension over the shoulders.  The two large boxes on the waist belt are Radio Shack 4 x 6 inch "project" boxes which open downward to hold car keys, wallet or camera, etc.  The lid of the box is secured to the belt and box is  hinged with velcro at the bottom edge and is held closed by cabinet door magnet closures.  Other items to note:  the large boxes pivot downward so items are not as likely to spill out, the cod piece is hinged, velcro at closure points on belt and section sides, 8 inches of extra styrene sheet added to the top edges of both front and back pieces to fill a 3 inch gap between chest and torso sections, due to body sections being too short.  The filler sheet is secured with contact cement and double-headed rivets.  The gap at the top of center front sculpting was filled with a piece of heavy leather and glue and painted white to blend in.  Not all of the supplied cold-cast belt boxes were used.  There was much difficulty in getting paint to adhere to the cold-cast.  A primer-cleaner was applied followed by regular gray paint.  Krylon "Fusion" spray paint was used on the Radio Shack boxes (they come black) and other painted plastic parts.  

 

    

Bottom view showing the cod piece and belt box hinged with white velcro "loop".  The other belt pieces are attached with velcro as well.  This attachment has worked well and does not require the drilling of the smaller, brittle, cold-cast detail boxes and the strength of the belt plastic is not compromised with stress points created by having excessive holes drilled through it.   The large boxes are secured with velcro and two rivets through the box's lid with the box proper being hinged with velcro loop at the bottom.  Note the shape of the cod piece narrowed at the hinge area so it will pivot up between the belt boxes and the angled cuts help to  make the cod piece edges less obvious.  The black velcro tabs below the boxes are used to suspend the thigh sections with attached floating knee plates.  See Below.     

  

The floating knee plates were permanently attached to the thigh sections to keep them in place and prevent them from slipping under the thigh section.  A piece of leather (or spandex) secured with velcro and rivets, is used to keep the knee plate in the proper orientation.  The original spandex strip to go around the knee is not being used as it is a bit difficult to get your leg through it and the knee plate seems to float in the proper position without it. 

 

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COMMANDER  BACARA  "OBERON"  TC-124   NOVEMBER  2008

                           

 

                                      

 

                             

 

 

    

Star Fortress Episode-3  Commander Bacara Outfit   temp/bacarastarfort05  Aug-2008  670h x 644w

 

              

     temp/bacarastarfort01,02   Aug-2008   600h

 

                   

          temp/bacarastarfort03,04   Aug-2008   600h