DL-44.What Inspired It

tain669

Sr Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
When you hear about Han Solo's gun you have to wonder where Lucas got the idea from.I have a book on Lugers and it has a photo of a Luger in a carbine configuration with a scope mount that looks very much like the one on the DL-44.I'll try to get this pic on line in the next few days to show it.But if anyone has some info that I don't know about this please share.I've alway like the design and I'd like to know just what Lucas got the idea.Thanks
 
did George 'design' it? I would have thought, seeing the time and conditions Star Wars was made, that it was something put together by the prop house/ armourer more than by something with a design intention behind it. Interesting project to find out !
 
I don't really think Lucas had anything to do with the creation of the weapons. They were worked up by the prop guys at Bapty's in London. The C-96 Mauser they made Solo's weapon with had been used before (or a portion of it at least) in a Frank Sinatra film called the "Naked Runner", and the scope used in a film called "Sitting Target" so they pretty much used what they had lying around (this goes for the lightsabers too).


Dave C
 
I'd say it has a definite connection with all those old Buck Rogers ray guns of the 30s-40s.

Just a more real world feel, but very similar shape. I'd be suprised if those old rayguns werent some inspiration for the prop designers.
 
Like with everything else in that production it was just grab what you got, mix and match and throw something together that looked decent.

Lucas' involvement would be limited to approving the look, possibly make suggestions... but other than that he doesn't seem like the person who would really care about such details.
 
George never really has anything to do with the design of anything. He just okays stuff; even on the prequels. Considering he's stated he's not much of a Star Wars fan I think the details actually annoy him.
 
I'd say it has a definite connection with all those old Buck Rogers ray guns of the 30s-40s.

Just a more real world feel, but very similar shape. I'd be suprised if those old rayguns werent some inspiration for the prop designers.

The old Buck Rogers ray gun was designed after a Mauser as well - hence the similarity. I'm sure the use of cone flash suppressors and concentric ring details were inspired by the old sci-fi look as well.
Besides that the gun is just leftover parts that Bapty had from The Naked Runner and Sitting Target.

Lucas doesn't typically design things himself except in broad strokes giving general descriptions of things to those who work from him. A blaster prop would be considered fairly minor concern for him, but he has had more direct input at times. For example, Padme's gun in Episode I was based on a drawing Lucas did on the table during a prop department meeting.
 
IIRC the gun was on the prop house shelf before Star Wars. It can be seen in another (pre SW) movie, but I can't remember which.
 
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