The Rocketeer Pack Replica

Hand Made hero prop Replica
from the motion Picture "the rocketeer"

” The Rocketeer ” flew into theaters in 1991. The Disney produced film based on the Dave Stevens graphic novels was a fanciful period film directed by Joe Johnston. With a terrific cast, award winning effects, cinematography and soundtrack, the film left an indelible impression on me.

At the time of the film’s release, I was graduating college with a film degree. Already working in theatre and film I knew one day I would have to construct a replica.

Decades before the Monsters in Motion Rocketeer pack kits were made available , I had fabricated this scratch built replica.

Disney made a few family-friendly changes to the story and one major change to the Rocketeer’s main piece of equipment, the pack itself. Dave Stevens’ original version appeared as a single tube rocket . Production designers at Disney quickly realized that the practical effects of a live action version were problematic. The fin on the Rocketeers helmet would strike the single rocket design as the actor moved his head .

This forced the design team to reimagine the pack into the duel rocket design seen in the film. This allowed the helmet’s fin to move freely without striking the pack prop.

Like most prop makers, I utilized any materials I could get my hands on to create this prop. PVC tubes wrapped with aluminum and riveted into place. Carved foam and fiberglass formed the cooling unit , with resin cast details, plastic, aluminum, MDF and more came together to make this prop.

In the galleries below, I have placed a handful of photos detailing its fabrication in hopes that it may inspire others to give their own projects a shot.

As for me, well… I gotta fly