I know there have been threads before about trying to identify the piece of equipment used for Dietrich's med kit (as well as the bag it was stored in), but what about one dedicated to fabricating one from scratch?

Well that's what I'm planning to do. We'll start with the really ugly basics. The med kit shows up at about the 100 minute mark in the director's cut, and has only a few seconds of screen time. Nevertheless we know it beeps, has lights, and is giving Cpl. Dietrich information about her patient. So after watching it about a dozen times and checking out screen grabs I've started making my version.

First, a rough mockup of the device, with a screen grab inset showing the device:



This is what I can make out at least. On the right is an oscilloscope, and on the left (where I've placed the screen grab) appears to be a paper read-out from a heart monitor or somesuch. Just below the oscilloscope is a square yellow light, and then there are a number of round and rectangular knobs and buttons.

Next we have the roughest of rough cardboard approximations:



So here we have the paper readout on the left and the "oscilloscope" (i.e. backlit laminated printout) on the right. This was mostly to test the fit in the Finnish gasmask bag I'm using. I am of the belief that the original prop bag was fabricated along with the pouches the Marines wear, but not out of the same material. In any case, this bag is a close enough match to meet my needs.

The next step will be to gather the parts I need to replicate the knobs and buttons, find or make a yellow square light cover, and then decide if I want to build this out of sheet plastic or metal. My plan for the oscilloscope is to have a static display (similar to what I mocked up already), with the ability to swap it out for small a device that can play a movie file of an oscilloscope. I found a pretty good .mov on Pond5.com for pretty cheap. Whether this ends up being a small video camera, smart phone, or something else entirely I don't know. Any ideas?

Do folks think the paper readout should move?

In the film Dietrich is stuffing a white cord into the bag in the space above the device (see second photo above). We never see it clearly, but she was obviously using it to examine Newt. Any thoughts of what this might be? I'm thinking of something like the circular tabs the Marines have on is hypersleep. It might be a nice nod anyway.

But this brings up the question of what else might be stored in that cavernous bag? Any ideas? Thanks!

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

The white cord may have been attached to a blood pressure cuff, or maybe an electrode of some sort?

As for what else may be in the kit, entebation tube, tournequette, various bandages, a pen light for checking dialation of the eyes, maybe a syringe or two and a few bottles of morphine, some of that white powder used to clot open wounds?

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"Awww, someone tell me that's a boot!

It's a boot!"

III drops

Looking forward to how you progress with this. Good luck!

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Pfc. Wells, Brandon. W
"I am the ultimate bad-ass. State of the bad-ass art."

Pouch looks like a 60s-80s radio satchel, or a canvas version of the ones for a battery-powered field telephone.

Thanks! I realize right now it looks like hot mess, but the finished product *should* look okay. Since it is so plain I am trying to at least have all the buttons and knobs move as opposed to just gluing on plastic in the right shapes.

Dropshipbob: great suggestions for things to go in the kit. If I have the chance to troop it would be useful to have some actual medical supplies in there in case they were needed.

As for what Dietrich is folding up, I wandered about a blood pressure cuff too, but there's no sign of anything that large in her hand as she stuffs the cord into the bag. One of those finger cuffs though is a possibility. Did they have those in the 80's?
This is what I meant by "circular tabs" by the way, I couldn't think of a better description:
download/file.php?id=6716&mode=view

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Here's a closeup of Dietrich's bag. It is longer than the radio satchels I've seen on Google (and longer than the bag I'm using to be honest). Also the material is shiny which is interesting. It is clearly different from the pouches, so maybe it wasn't made specifically for the production. Who knows though...

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

I've never seen a Military bag like that, but I'll keep an eye out. It looks like it's an early LC-1 or LC-2 specialized carry bag.

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BANNED USER

It is a Simrad LP7 Range finder bag.



If you check out the PX this weekend....

Oh Noble, what have you done now?

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751