ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion - Three ANH Greeblies Found

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

The above grabs are full 1080p (which I doubled in size since the blaster was originally tiny in them). It won't matter what size the screen/projection is, it will not add detail that doesn't exist on the bluray disc.

...I guess we'll have to wait for SilverRay super 3d to get any better.

Thanks for the effort!

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

You can't enhance what isn't there to begin with I'm afraid.

Wait a minute, so all these TV shows and movies have been lying to us?! :lol

Is this blaster in possession of Lucasfilm or did the prop maker (forgot the name right now...) have it? I wish Lucasfilm would do a proper prop book with the stuff they still have in the archives. Of course they may not have as much as I'm thinking though.

 

[Dann]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

Sorry I never posted my 1080 caps, they were no better than kurtyboy's, though.

Still excited about this whole thing!!

 

[kurtyboy]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

My guess is it was returned to Babty and dismantled after filming. It's possible that it was then re-assembled in a different configuration for RotJ.

Wait a minute, so all these TV shows and movies have been lying to us?! :lol

Is this blaster in possession of Lucasfilm or did the prop maker (forgot the name right now...) have it? I wish Lucasfilm would do a proper prop book with the stuff they still have in the archives. Of course they may not have as much as I'm thinking though.

 

[dcarty]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

I agree. Most likely returned to Bapty then re-used in the cut scenes (i.e. deleted scenes) on Endor in ROTJ.

I had heard at one point that it might be in the Kurtz collection but with its almost certain use in ROTJ that would not be the case since Kurtz and Lucas had parted ways by then.

I looked to see when the "Big Brother" episode of The Sweeney was produced in case it was after Star Wars. It was broadcast on 22 Sept 1975 so that puts production about a year earlier than SW.

Of course this doesn't answer the question of what happened after ROTJ--lol. Is it still somewhere at Bapty's, did they sell it off?? It seems unlikely that Lucasfilm kept it otherwise it would be accessible at the archives or out on tour.

I wonder if anyone has asked Bapty?

 

[kurtyboy]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

I could be wrong but I was under the impression that all the live firing guns in ANH and ESB were made by Bapty and remained in the UK due to customs restrictions.

e.g. The ANH Han Hero was replaced with an MGC based 'Greedo Killer' for the pick up shoot in the USA while the live firing Broomhandle was used in UK studio scenes (Docking bay 94 escape, etc).

ESB. Again, a live firing Mauser used in UK studio scenes (Bespin corridors, for example) while an MGC was used in Norway (Probe Droid scene).

RotJ is different however. A live firing Han blaster was made by Stembridge in the USA so it was used in Redwood, while the weird blaster was made by Bapty in the UK and so used in the studio scenes (such as the deleted bunker scene).

I agree. Most likely returned to Bapty then re-used in the cut scenes on Endor in ROTJ.

I had heard at one point that it might be in the Kurtz collection but with its almost certain use in ROTJ that would not be the case since Kurtz and Lucas had parted ways by then.

I looked to see when the "Big Brother" episode of The Sweeney was produced in case it was after Star Wars. It was broadcast on 22 Sept 1975 so that puts production about a year earlier than SW.

Of course this doesn't answer the question of what happened after ROTJ--lol. Is it still somewhere at Bapty's, did they sell it off?? It seems unlikely that Lucasfilm kept it otherwise it would be accessible at the archives or out on tour.

I wonder if anyone has asked Bapty?

 

[dcarty]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

That's essentially what I was trying to say only a lot less clearly and concisely than you did :wacko

I could be wrong but I was under the impression that all the live firing guns in ANH and ESB were made by Bapty and remained in the UK due to customs restrictions.

e.g. The ANH Han Hero was replaced with an MGC based 'Greedo Killer' for the pick up shoot in the USA while the live firing Broomhandle was used in UK studio scenes (Docking bay 94 escape, etc).

ESB. Again, a live firing Mauser used in UK studio scenes (Bespin corridors, for example) while an MGC was used in Norway (Probe Droid scene).

RotJ is different however. A live firing Han blaster was made by Stembridge in the USA so it was used in Redwood, while the weird blaster was made by Bapty in the UK and so used in the studio scenes (such as the deleted bunker scene).

 

[kurtyboy]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

Great minds think alike

That's essentially what I was trying to say only a lot less clearly and concisely than you did :wacko

 

[dcarty]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

Man. I spent some time and went back over this entire thread last night and I'm still exhausted.

The set of thumb nuts for the cross bar have been discussed without coming to any firm conclusion and what I have to add here certainly won't be the last word on the subject but it might push us along a bit. I found these on the McMaster-Carr site and bought a set:

McMaster-Carr

Apart from the larger knurling they are identical to the ones on the MR EE Edition.

For the moment I can't recall anything that would suggest the tighter knurling that MR used is truly accurate to the prop or not. However, for an off the shelf part it's a more than decent match.

Dave

 

[deadbolt]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

Nice find!

I wonder if they make them with a bit shallower knurling, like in the technical drawing they show.

Overall though very close, thanks Dave!


-Carson

 

[Lichtbringer]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

Is there any proof - other than MR, which i don´t think is without any doubt - that the knob was stepped, and that it´s dia was 19mm?

Next questionable thing is the imperial threading - this was build in Europe, so probably metric stuff was used.

 

[dcarty]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

Well, it was built in England in the mid-1970's so I think there's probably just as much chance that it could be imperial as metric.

Personally I think the diameter and the step is pretty solid. If it's an imperial measure then 3/4" is a nice, round, standard measurement.

 

[deadbolt]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

When it comes to the stepped knob, the only real view I've seen of it is in this photo lonepigeon posted. The step looks like it could be a bit taller than MR's, maybe around 2mm.

Can't see the full thickness of the knob unfortunately, but at least we get a pretty decent view of the crossbar and spacer thickness! :thumbsup

-Carson

 

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

Thanks for looking and resuming the discussion. We are just about to the point where we have to decide on the hardware.

I agree. That photo above clearly shows a "check nut" and has a step.

I think the 3/4 inch with a 1/4 20 thread is about right

What would be the metric EQ, in that range?

The ones I found were like this:

You can see that thee knurl is recessed and flatter than the diamond that Dave found.

No pics I have seen suggested any type of knurling aside from the fact that it doesn't stand out, it is hard to tell for sure.

As has been said, it could go either way in terms of metric or imperial but it is clear that the crossbar and side nuts were not original to the mount and center nut.

I think the best we can do is try to find the best looking most reasonable "period" type knurl we can find.

Do we look for something 1970s or 1900-1930s ?

Do we look German or English ?

Anyone have examples? Ideas or finds, please post.

 

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

Also, for those fortunate out there with a real original scope...
are the numbers on the dial embossed or just printed?

 

[dcarty]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

Cool, I like the thumbwheel you have pictured as well kpax!

1/4-20 works well for attaching to a Denix or an MGC. I'm planning on attaching to a real Mauser so I'm thinking of something with a tighter thread pitch. The thumbwheels I got are 10-32, though they are also available as 1/4-20, and I would prefer something even tighter than 32.

The numbers on top of the scope I have are very finely engraved.

Dave

 

[Lichtbringer]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

The numbers on the Hensoldts are engraved

On my blaster i used thumbwheels from vintage british Loudspeakers (used to fasten the spikes in the bottom).

I understand that to choose the 3/4" would be comfortable for you beeing in the US, but we have no proof for that. And while it would be a "round" number in the imperial system, it´s 19mm are not round in the metric - in the metric 20mm would be a "round" number. It was build in Europe, there is a small chance that it is imperial if british parts were used, but a bigger chance for metric, even with british parts. And if any part other than british was used the chance for metric increases to close to 100%. Going the comfortable 3/4" way without proof is understandable to me, but it increases the chances of having people drill and tap expensive and hard to find guns (with the exception of the Denix) with a wrong size. Not that funny - we are no longer in the beginning 90s, each part is harder to find now.

Here is mine measured, british from the early 70s

The slighly increased number happens when 20mm round stock material is knurled, the dia slighly increases.

And the smaller in the center

It has a different shape

Probably not correct (if i remember right from end 70s or beginning 80s), but easy to get stepped on the lathe.

Now the threading - closest to your estimated 1/4" (6,35mm) is the metric M6.

But, again a "but": we have no really good pics from the real deal, and while my 2 pics above can be interpreted as either M6 or also as 1/4" ...... it´s just a illusion, in real it´s M8

Unfortunatly i´m not able to provide a place where these thumbwheel can be found - i grabbed all i could find in the Hifi-shop, but it´s not really a lot of them.

 

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

wow, great input from you guys. Thanks!

We are trying to get the numbers engraved on the knob as well as the ball knurl...keep your fingers crossed.

I understand the issues and concerns.

I think these the tighter threading and size can be addressed.

Deadbolt can get a very precise size est from the models and determine the overall diameters. If they are 20mm, I see no problem using that unless they are not available in the correct step style and knurling.

I think the knurling, though it can't be seen in any pics clearly, could be any reasonable standard knurl. I have seen some nice ones and will post soon.

The fitting issue shouldn't be a problem. The holes in the crossbar should accommodate the shaft and thread of several reasonable sizes and will have a little clearance. As long as the nuts and threaded rod are the same diameter we can get different pitch threads.

The center thumb screw is a hollow knurled screw but we may have to make that to get it right.

Thanks again for the input and thoughts.

If you find anything, please post it. Gettin close.

 

[kpax]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

I checked again the scale of the drawing against the mauser dimentions. I don't think the crossbar check nuts can be 20mm. They are almost certainly 19mm or 3/4inch. 20mm makes them noticeably larger and just dont fit the frame well.

I am sure Deadbolt will remeasure them against the frame to be sure.

I also enhanced these images of the nuts. You can just make out some knurl edge. Not enough to tell the type but maybe enough to tell that they seem fairly fine.

let me know what you think.

rear nut:

front nut:

thumb screw:

 

[Lichtbringer]

Re: ANH Hero DL-44 Discussion

Which drawing, and which Mauser? Real, MGC, Denix?