Han Solo ESB droid caller (and other versions)

[parfaitelumiere]

Hi all I am posting this new thread to share my discoveries about this marvellous prop, I mean the Han solo droid caller.
After seeking and buying some Kobold flashguns I know a little bit about them.
please notify I will share some "annal" details as Sym cha would say aha!

For the moment I have seen at least 2 versions for ESB droid caller...

this one:



Would probably be this one too:



Specs are, from top to bottom:
-stepped emitter(will name it as it is a lightsaber ok?)
-no bulb holder
-missing bulb retaining nut
-black painted D ring( name it because of luke ESB lightsaber lol, even it's a reflector display holder in fact) with side by side bolts.
-red painted drilling on black bakelite section
-right of D ring is empty
-narrow(present) type button lever on left.
-black re-painted body with pain flaking
-narrow type bottom

Then a second version:




We can see the large end on bottom instead of narrow and the glossy D ring, not black painted, but I can't tell more because it's difficult to see other details even with several kobold vriation in the hand....
I would bet on a empty room on right of thr D ring, no light.
Seems the retaining nut is present on the emitter, but I don't know what type of emitter it is, no bulb inside.


Here are side by side two kobold variations, with about all variations on 2 different flashguns, none have bulb holder, there are several bulb holder variations too, none have additionnal light there are at least 2 light variations too, I will explain it later, with other photos.



On top:

-rounded and beveled emitter,from the small to large diameter the link is a roounded shape, not stepped.
-"opposite" bolts sanded D ring, the D ring has a bolt on each side of the internal groove it has glazed finish by sanding before nickel plating.
-no red drilling
-narrow type blade lever button
-small nut on round contact button
-black painted body
-narrow bottom section, aluminum color

Bottom:
-stepped emitter
-2 side by side D ring bolts placed on top ( LUKE ESB lightsaber version)
-glossy D ring
red drilling, the body is drilled then filled with red paint
-large type lever button
-large nut on round contact button, to be very annal we can see the small grooves are different too, lol
-aluminum color body
-large end section ( about twice the "narrow" type)

the retaining nut on emitter is abesnt on photo but it's same variation.

 

[Sym-Cha]

I'll be following this progress with lots of interest

Chaim

 

[Sym-Cha]

So now that this thread is in the apropriate forum ... here's my two Kobolds :



on the left the accurate Han Solo ANH version and on the right the not so accurate, apart from the screws on the clampholder being opposite to eachother ... it also came without any lever attached ... which hopefully you can see here :



Perhaps parfaitelumiere can tell you even more about these ever becoming scarce and much more expensive droidcallers?

Chaim

 

[parfaitelumiere]

There are "slave" version flashguns.
shorter body, no "kobold" engraving on them.
These shorter have just the 2 contacts on back for the wires, but no additionnal bulb and no screw on connector, they have the reflector holder.
The bulb on mines has a black plastif part to fill the room and the small connector hole is empty.
However both have lever room ready, some have the red dot, other have not.
There is probably many variations on these flashes, because seems the middle section made from bakelite was machined to match the additionnal electronic parts.
Both of yours have the rounded "emitter" not the stepped one, so good for a ANH version.
Both have short end, not the long version so I would bet the small threaded section on back is "large" bolt version.

 

[scottjua]

You're right about the ESB version. it was painted gloss or Satin black. I've seen some very good photo evidence of it during the falcon interior scenes, that confirm it was never textured.

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

Someone really needs to make a nice replica of this prop.

 

[TatooineMachine]

Someone really needs to make a nice replica of this prop.

Yes, I agree. This is a pretty simple job for a machinist, who wants to volunteer?

I'd buy several of them!

 

[parfaitelumiere]

It's not so difficult indeed.
just the button is hard to do.
the emitter is easy, and the D ring can be found somewhere.
I have more informations to collect about it, especially the paint finish, which version is used when, and how it is damaged, the best available ESB photo is the "solo rig" photo, but I think they re-painted it several times, that's what I did on mine, lol.
Painted, damaged, re-painted, re-damaged etc...and, not a textured paint, but a simple paint.
I have no tools anymore to make some flashguns like this, but if someone has the stuff to make serial I will be happy to help.


Here is my paint job on ESB, now the brand is hidden, I am still thinking about painting the D ring in black.
my hesitations ares due to the wrong endcap variation, it's large variation and it has to be a narrow variation.
I kept the bulb security bolt too.






and here is a ANH-ESB-ROTJ display, ROTJ is accurate, ESB has thick end and unpainted D ring, it could be ok with plain black color instead of damaged, and unpainted d ring,
I assume the "plain black body" visible on archive pics has probably been damaged too, so my replica may be accurate about the body.
The only things I can proove is which lever variation and which small button variation was used (especially the nut)
The ANH has correct front,body, d-ring, but the additionnal bolt on end is a little but too thick and too large, but it's a rare item, these bolts are hard to find...
I think the ANH version had a black textured body,and additionnal bulb holder lik on the photo.

 

[parfaitelumiere]

Hey Chaim wo your right kobold has no engraving!
funny, and I prefer with no engraving!

 

[Sym-Cha]

Yeah ... weird indeed . . . everything else is pretty much the same :



except that lever missing and the screws opposite each other :wacko

Chaim

 

[Marv]

Another pic to mull over:

 

[Sym-Cha]

Ha ... yes I have that one on the far right as well ... thought it might have the correct D-ring ... alas no such luck :wacko

Chaim

 

[parfaitelumiere]

Marv your third is very strange, the reflector holder has been turned at 90° and the small button placed under the additionnal bulb, strange.

 

[Marv]

Its a fraction shorter too.

 

[bbmchl]

Another pic to mull over:
View attachment 349993

I have the one in the far right of your picture. Probably paid more than I should have, thinking it was closer to the version used in the movies.

 

[Sym-Cha]

^ ... actually ... I just tell myself that's the correct version Princess Leia started using on Hoth ... her hands are smaller of course :rolleyes

Chaim

 

[bbmchl]

^ ... actually ... I just tell myself that's the correct version Princess Leia started using on Hoth ... her hands are smaller of course :rolleyes

Chaim

I'll tell myself that too so I can feel better about it.

Mike

 

[Sym-Cha]

And of course ... she had her own personal Pink Droid R2-KT . . . complete with a full l'Oréal make-up set inside



Chaim

 

[Marv]

Here is my paint job on ESB, now the brand is hidden, I am still thinking about painting the D ring in black.
my hesitations ares due to the wrong endcap variation, it's large variation and it has to be a narrow variation.
I kept the bulb security bolt too.


View attachment 349729




View attachment 349728

What kind of paint did you use?

 

[parfaitelumiere]

classical paint for artists