Halo Fan Builds Life Size Warthog

Halo Fan Builds Life-Size Warthog

Peter Walczak, a retired Navy test pilot, has poured his heart and soul into building a life-size, functional Warthog jeep from the Halo games. The project, which he hopes to feature in Halo fan films, has been a labor of love for Walczak, who didn’t consider himself a “car guy” until this project.

From Obscure Xbox Exclusive to Halo Fandom

Walczak’s journey into the world of Halo began with an obscure Xbox exclusive called Steel Battalion. However, it was Halo that truly reignited his love for video games. He was stationed in Hawaii when Halo 2 came out and spent most of his time playing the game on a washed-out 12-inch television. “It was the peak of that gaming era for me,” he says.

Building the Warthog

Walczak’s inspiration for building the Warthog came from Weta Workshop’s take on the vehicle in the live-action series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. He started working on the project in earnest in 2014, teaching himself various skills, including welding and 3D printing. Despite the scale of the vehicle, he has done almost all of the design and work by himself, with a few exceptions.

Walczak has documented his process on social media, garnering positive responses from the Halo fan community. Many have asked for the plans or blueprint for the Warthog, but Walczak has none to offer. Some have even offered to buy the vehicle, but it’s not for sale.

Words of Wisdom for Fellow Fans

For those who want to follow in Walczak’s footsteps, he has some advice: “Stop talking about it and just do it.” He recommends starting small and building from there. “People always say, ‘It’s too hard.’ Look, nobody said it was ever going to be easy,” he says. “Spend less time talking about it and more time learning.”