ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion - Three ANH Greeblies Found
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thegnome
Sr Member
I just shaved mine off using a multimaster. That and the dremel are the only two tools that actually do all the jobs that they were designed to do. That thing is the best. I am almost done with finishing off the final touches on the barrel inside bull barrel connecting to body. All I need to do after is to put engravings on the bottom and spray paint the body the barrel and the scope. A few hours left.... except the sight, shaving off the screw from the bottom part of the barrel, the trigger, the thing on the of the thing where you put the bullets after making a drop to put it in. lol
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If it’s shaved down drill into it with 2/56 drill bit. Tap the hole, screw in a 2/56 screw and take it out the same way I showed as above
My build is long since done, but that’s good advice for my eventual ESB version!
Part of the problem is that I didn’t start with an intact Denix. I bought Field Marshall’s pre-milled and modified version, which already had the pin nub machined down flush to the rear of the bolt. Getting it out to begin with was therefore a chore, and the process actually destroyed the pin itself. I had to attach the remaining nub to a steel rod cut to the proper length in order to replace the pin.
Part of the problem is that I didn’t start with an intact Denix. I bought Field Marshall’s pre-milled and modified version, which already had the pin nub machined down flush to the rear of the bolt. Getting it out to begin with was therefore a chore, and the process actually destroyed the pin itself. I had to attach the remaining nub to a steel rod cut to the proper length in order to replace the pin.
After hours of sanding, I sanded it for a few more hours.
Then took it to the buffing wheel on my bench grinder.
Ya that was a lot of time well spent..
Recently when watching SW I noticed something that seems odd. The rail looks pretty weathered in what is the only real clear shot of this blaster. Now this picture I believe is one of the last known photos taken of this blaster by Bapty & Co before it went AWOL..
But in the film it’s seem strange that we don’t see any glare or shine coming from that area of the blaster in all it’s scenes. I realize these are not the cleanest images but you’d think you’d still see something..
In all these scenes that follow you can see the glare from other parts of the Mauser that shows it’s metal. In this first pic you can even see the glare from the front of the rail where some silver shines through but not on the side. In the rest the silver shines pretty bright..
Why is this do you think?? Simply lighting or something else?
But in the film it’s seem strange that we don’t see any glare or shine coming from that area of the blaster in all it’s scenes. I realize these are not the cleanest images but you’d think you’d still see something..
In all these scenes that follow you can see the glare from other parts of the Mauser that shows it’s metal. In this first pic you can even see the glare from the front of the rail where some silver shines through but not on the side. In the rest the silver shines pretty bright..
Why is this do you think?? Simply lighting or something else?
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^^ I believe that the paint was still fresh during filming and was not nearly as distressed as shown in post-production reference photos. Perhaps the gun was broken down by Bapty after filming ended, and its parts were thrown in a bin. Then Lucas asked for some reference photos of the blaster; so Bapty hastily reassembled the gun. And that's where the additional stressing comes from? We'll never know for sure.
I think that's possible, but the lighting has a lot to do with it.
I feel like I can see some wear on the right side of the crossbar next to the cradle in one pic you posted.
But yeah, it likely wasn't quite so beat up during most of the filming.
I'm betting it looked more like this during filming.
(Picture from a couple pages back)
I feel like I can see some wear on the right side of the crossbar next to the cradle in one pic you posted.
But yeah, it likely wasn't quite so beat up during most of the filming.
I'm betting it looked more like this during filming.
(Picture from a couple pages back)
kpax
Sr Member
The images of the ANH hero blaster are what we believe are the Post-Production blaster as it was returned to Bapty.
The Greedo cantina scene was shot in two parts essentially. The CU images of Han unsnapping the holster and pulling the blaster from the holster were shot in the US with a different prop blaster. These were shot as "pick-up" shots to detail the action. Since they could not ship the original prop to the US since it was a "live fire gun" and UK rules would not allow it, the production effects guys built another prop to stand in for the original. They used an MGC model and added the scope, grill and FH as seen and known as the Greedo blaster seen bottom LEFT in the image above.
WHY the prop guys couldn't get closer to the original "look" of parts is a mystery. I am sure they didn't figure we would be looking so close NOW ! ; )
The crossbar damage is due to removing the scope mount cradle. I noted the damage in a post a long time ago and showed that the scapes and loss of paint exactly matches the rear edges of the mount and the center knob stud scraping paint/finish off the crossbar.
You could paint the crossbar black and then slide the mount back and fourth a few times and wind up with similar markings.
It is likely that during production the crossbar was mostly black. At some point during or after the filming the prop was disassembled possibly for cleaning/safety and scraped up the crossbar.
The "clear" images we see of Han posing with the blaster are post production marketing images.
Also note that the PRE-production scope mount crossbar was reversed but had not been painted yet. The end lengths from the end thumb nuts are slightly different.
The Greedo cantina scene was shot in two parts essentially. The CU images of Han unsnapping the holster and pulling the blaster from the holster were shot in the US with a different prop blaster. These were shot as "pick-up" shots to detail the action. Since they could not ship the original prop to the US since it was a "live fire gun" and UK rules would not allow it, the production effects guys built another prop to stand in for the original. They used an MGC model and added the scope, grill and FH as seen and known as the Greedo blaster seen bottom LEFT in the image above.
WHY the prop guys couldn't get closer to the original "look" of parts is a mystery. I am sure they didn't figure we would be looking so close NOW ! ; )
The crossbar damage is due to removing the scope mount cradle. I noted the damage in a post a long time ago and showed that the scapes and loss of paint exactly matches the rear edges of the mount and the center knob stud scraping paint/finish off the crossbar.
You could paint the crossbar black and then slide the mount back and fourth a few times and wind up with similar markings.
It is likely that during production the crossbar was mostly black. At some point during or after the filming the prop was disassembled possibly for cleaning/safety and scraped up the crossbar.
The "clear" images we see of Han posing with the blaster are post production marketing images.
Also note that the PRE-production scope mount crossbar was reversed but had not been painted yet. The end lengths from the end thumb nuts are slightly different.
I had not ever heard that about the crossbar being flipped, nor had I even considered it!
Always cool to learn new info, thanks.
EDIT: Ohhh, you're talking about that (relatively) clear side view photo before the grille was added, aren't you?
I always thought there was something funny about the crossbar in that image! Now I know why!!
Always cool to learn new info, thanks.
EDIT: Ohhh, you're talking about that (relatively) clear side view photo before the grille was added, aren't you?
I always thought there was something funny about the crossbar in that image! Now I know why!!
Dann ur probably correct to think that but does any know when these pics where taken. This first pic I took all the background out so it’s less distracting but this is the series of photos it’s from. I would think they are post production but while still in the UK obviously. Fords hair is what makes me believe this..
Here is a close up of that first pic and you can see it still isn’t fully weathered as we see in the final Bapty pictures..
The reason I mention the hair is because these are believed to be taken before filming started in the UK behind Elstree Studio and Fords hair is much longer. Clearly he was “cleaned up” for filming. Here the Hero still has at least one of the greeblies and the rail is probably still in mint condition..
kpax this is the pic you mean for the rail on backwards. Ya you can see it’s flipped and how it pushes the whole scope and cradle forward just a bit. I designed my rail similar to this and when helping a friend with his hero builds mentioned he should do the same. It’s always in the details with these builds but I see a lot of those finished blasters with the rail flipped incorrectly. It’s an easy mistake to make if you aren’t aware or overlook this detail..
Here you can clearly see how the rail is flipped and the cradle pushed forward. In the second you can see its more centered with the longer end at the back..
As for the GK I think it just goes to show how important continuity was back in the 70s But remember it only ever appears on screen twice. Both in closeups and never more than 5 seconds at the very most. First scene..
Second scene and this is it. We never even see it fully and it certainly never “shoots first”..
In fact it shouldn’t even be called the Greedo killer as it doesn’t even fire that fatal shot. The Hero is the true GK as those scenes where filmed in the UK and it’s defiantly the only one that “shoots first”..
Here is pictures from the two productions. UK with the Hero and the US with the (falsely advertised ) Greedo Killler. Only thing that is smoking in the US is Solo’s cig..
**I think I’m ok here but just incase.. if any of these pictures belong to someone please let me know and I’ll take then down ASAP. I do like to modify my pictures to get ride of the backgrounds so the details can pop and can be seen more clearly. NOT to claim them as my own. For education purposes only.
Here is a close up of that first pic and you can see it still isn’t fully weathered as we see in the final Bapty pictures..
The reason I mention the hair is because these are believed to be taken before filming started in the UK behind Elstree Studio and Fords hair is much longer. Clearly he was “cleaned up” for filming. Here the Hero still has at least one of the greeblies and the rail is probably still in mint condition..
kpax this is the pic you mean for the rail on backwards. Ya you can see it’s flipped and how it pushes the whole scope and cradle forward just a bit. I designed my rail similar to this and when helping a friend with his hero builds mentioned he should do the same. It’s always in the details with these builds but I see a lot of those finished blasters with the rail flipped incorrectly. It’s an easy mistake to make if you aren’t aware or overlook this detail..
Here you can clearly see how the rail is flipped and the cradle pushed forward. In the second you can see its more centered with the longer end at the back..
As for the GK I think it just goes to show how important continuity was back in the 70s
But remember it only ever appears on screen twice. Both in closeups and never more than 5 seconds at the very most. First scene..In fact it shouldn’t even be called the Greedo killer as it doesn’t even fire that fatal shot. The Hero is the true GK as those scenes where filmed in the UK and it’s defiantly the only one that “shoots first”..
Here is pictures from the two productions. UK with the Hero and the US with the (falsely advertised
) Greedo Killler. Only thing that is smoking in the US is Solo’s cig..**I think I’m ok here but just incase.. if any of these pictures belong to someone please let me know and I’ll take then down ASAP. I do like to modify my pictures to get ride of the backgrounds so the details can pop and can be seen more clearly. NOT to claim them as my own. For education purposes only.
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I know the respected members in the community say this isn’t a hole, but damn! That looks like a hole.. and would explain how the knob is on that side in naked runner...
But if I’m naked runner there was a knob on the other side that held the bracket, where is the hole for that?
I’m so confused over the scope mounted on the mystery disc side
But if I’m naked runner there was a knob on the other side that held the bracket, where is the hole for that?
I’m so confused over the scope mounted on the mystery disc side
H0llyw00d
Sr Member
I think it is a hole. Like kpax, I believe they tried to install a Sitting Target-style Weaver base on the Hero, figured out it wouldn't work with a Buscadero-style right-handed holster and replaced it with a Mersonn wheel that fell off due to holster wear and created the mystery disk.
Ya it’s truly a “mystery disk”.. but that theory totally holds up
kpax
Sr Member
At one time I thought the small center spot was a hole. Low res images. I don’t think it is a hole now and built my prop to reflect that.
I don’t think the mystery disk is recessed either. It is nearly a spot where the bluing is worn off due to either a knob glued on or perhaps a disc brazed on to hold the short ST dovetail crossbar. Maybe for added surface area? The center spot may be an indicator point for a small center pin or screw?
Eh? One of the things about both Merr-Sonn versions is the prominent T-track blade between the pushrods...
Or else the scope was originally flipped to be facing the functional direction, which would have seen it in-line over the receiver. One thing I'd love to have a time machine for is to go back and be a fly on the wall at Bapty in 1975/6...
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