Han Solo DL-44 blaster: ESB Bespin, Hoth , ANH Hero & Greedo Killer

[JBReplicas]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Looks real nice man, I have a spare set of real V8 pistons from the kit, if you'd like them shoot me a PM

JB

 

[Jedifather]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

That looks great. I really like the finish, definitely stick with that.
It's funny, because out of the three Han Solo blasters, the ESB was my least favorite......until I put one together. I like that it has a real scope. I had built one from a Denix with a resin scope & flash hider that looked great. It's amazing what some paint and weathering can do on resin.
I had painted a brass color base coat, top coated with satin black, then rubbed off some of the black in the right places to let the brass color show through. You would almost never know it was resin. I wish I had saved some pics of it before it went to eBay.

 

[scottjua]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Looks great! What scope mount knob is that? Looks spot on to me.

 

[Country Paul]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Thanks, I got the scope mount knob from Odiwan72 it was a spare he had so I'm not sure where's it's from originally,

The threaded rod is just a screw that I cut down.

I've put the blast tech pistons on for now but I may swap them for some v8 piston halves I have (just need to fill them in to stop them from deforming when screwed on) to be honest the dimensions of the 2 are nearly identical

One thing still left to find is a replacement sight adjustment slider for the mauser sight, not having much luck so far

 

[Country Paul]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Decided to have a go at weathering the flash hider,

using the Han & Luke Bespin Blaster pics as a guide, again I'm not going for exact

I think it's close enough for me for now, can always rub down & redo

Just saw that evolution props are now doing a Luke flash hider too

 

[Country Paul]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Ok, so with the flash hider weathered I think that this is done for now,

I haven't added the side greeblies yet, I might see if CE does his run but I quite like it without them

 

[scottjua]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

oh yeah that is awesome! Loving it!

Just saw that evolution props are now doing a Luke flash hider too

That was all my doing I'm afraid. I contacted him with an order of a Han, but I wanted to know if he could do a Luke too. So I provided all my research and photo evidence, and now we have that option. I should get it in a couple of weeks. ^_^

 

[Country Paul]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

& while I'm at it just for fun here's one of my 3 metal Blasters & Doopydoos Resin Greedo Killer together

not a big collection but it's a good start :lol

maybe one day I'll get to replace the GK with a metal one

 

[scottjua]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Nice! I guess you posted right after me.

Man... I am so resisting the ROTJ Han.... I was going to do a MerSonn instead... but I've got this weird illness causing me to need them all.

 

[Country Paul]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

I always used to think of the ROTJ as the poor relation but it has really really grown on me

I can take no credit for mine though as I got it in the Junkyard here :lol (off topic pics)

I think I have the same illness :lol

The Luke flash hider looks good thanks for suggesting it, I actually thought of using it on this build,

maybe one day I'll do a Luke (after a GK) if I ever manage to get another denix here in the UK

 

[JetSetWilly]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Great set of blasters there, certainly wouldn't be able to tell the resin ones from the pics!
I love the ESB & ROTJ, something nice and chunky about them.

Congrats!

& while I'm at it just for fun here's one of my 3 metal Blasters & Doopydoos Resin Greedo Killer together

not a big collection but it's a good start :lol

maybe one day I'll get to replace the GK with a metal one

 

[sdhlaw1701]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Wow that Blaster looks awesome! I will absolutely use this as a reference when I build mine.

 

[Roterteufel]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Beautiful build

 

[Gatekeeper]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

That was all my doing I'm afraid. I contacted him with an order of a Han, but I wanted to know if he could do a Luke too. So I provided all my research and photo evidence, and now we have that option. I should get it in a couple of weeks. ^_^

Thank you! I believe there haven't been a Bespin flash hider option since the Boba Debt ones from way back... I went ahead and bought one too.

 

[rpvader]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

great work on this awesome blaster!

 

[Country Paul]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Just for the sake of comparison here is the metal ESB blaster next to my Doopydoos resin Blaster,

The resin Mauser is spot on size wise although the barrel & flash hider are shorter than on my metal one,

Scope is a little smaller than the real one,

Decided to take the resin blaster apart :devil

it had a few issues & I thought I may try & tart it up & hopefully rebuild it as a Luke ESB Blaster using a few of the left over parts from this build as I now have zero budget for new blasters & parts :lol

It's cold cast aluminium so quite nice, we'll see how it goes, (I didn't build it originally, got it in the junkyard)

 

[Country Paul]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Did a little more on the Luke Blaster, I should probably start a new thread but thought I'd just carry on here

Filled in the holes left by removing the pistons & sanded the Mauser a little to even out the surface,

The scope mount had the mount knob moulded into it so I sanded that off with a file,

the scope mount had a piece of cardboard as a spacer I've used some metal washers as a spacer & a spare Bespin style knob & threaded rod

found some hex nuts to use under the scope, I've filled the hole with plasto & will paint them & glue them to the mount

Going to give the mauser a coat of satin black over the existing sanded finish (I'll hopefully keep the grips & flash hider as is)

going to give the Mount an undercoat of silver

 

[Country Paul]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Made quite a bit of progress on the Luke Blaster but not had a chance to post anything,

Got the Mauser painted black,

Got the scope mount undercoated in silver painted black & then weathered,

I tried to match the weathering to the picture of the prop, not perfect but it'll do

 

[Country Paul]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

I agonised for a while as I loved the cold cast aluminium finish but I decided I needed to weather the flash hider for a Luke Blaster.

The weathering on the original seemed to vary from picture to picture I've tried to go for somewhere between the two,

obviously the flash hider itself is a bit off dimension wise but it's cast as part of the barrel

 

[Country Paul]

Re: Han Solo ESB DL44 Blaster (my first attempt at a metal blaster build)

Finally got the rest of the Doopydoos Resin blaster weathered & glued back together, only part I haven't repainted is the scope,

for a quick & easy little conversion from a Han to a Luke I'm pretty pleased especially with the scope mount

was really pleased that I managed to get a small clear plastic disc to fit in the rear of the scope :lol

It's not 100% to the original pics but it's close enough for me to fill in as my Luke Blaster