Screen used XWing (?) found (?)

[Onigiri]

XWing experts I need some help and hopefully Ill be able to up load some pics but Ill start with a little background. My gf's deceased former husband was a prop/model maker in the industry and involved with several major productions. About 20 years ago he was given an XWing model that is 'wired'. The paint job is very professional and this thing looks like its been scorched. My gf knows NOTHING about Star Wars and this has been in a closet for 20 years so she asked me if I could find out more info about it. The ex had told her it was a screen used XWing but its definitely NOT a hero. It appears to be a modified ESTES model rocket but heavily modified and wired for rudimentary lights. Obviously it wasnt used in the original Star Wars as these were produced after the fact. She has a lot of nice props n memorabilia in the garage left over from him that I know is real but this one is a stumper. He assured her back in the day that this was a screen used piece and it certainly is VERY detailed and wired up. Were any Estes done up for Empire or ROTJ for background/pyro use? She wanted to sell this piece back in the day but her husband said that he acquired it on the grounds he NOT sell it but hes been dead now several years while this has languished in the garage so if anybody can shed some light Id appreciate it.

 

[joez2391]

Definately would live to see some pictures of it

 

[Onigiri]

The part I hate...trying to figure out how to post pics....

 

[micdavis]

email them to me, I'll serve them up.

 

[Onigiri]

Pics sent. These are all off her phone so I told her to take some tomorrow but it definitely seems to be ESTES based and I just dont know if they ever modified any of those for use

 

[micdavis]

Here you go.

 

[Onigiri]

Thanks Mic! Like I said its obviously a re-worked ESTES but from WHAT?

 

[robn1]

What size is it, is it the Maxi Brute?

 

[Onigiri]

I claim ignorance on that point as I dont know what a maxi brute is (Im more a Trek guy).

 

[Onigiri]

she seems to think its in the 18" + category but Ima have her measure it tomorrow.

 

[robn1]

Maxi Brute was a large scale Estes kit, supposedly studio scale. The standard kit was small, smaller than the MPC if I remember right.

 

[Onigiri]

OK...looked it up on Ebay so yes this would be a Maxi Brute. The description on Ebay though says these were used IN the production of Star Wars (???)

 

[defstartrooper]

........

 

[robn1]

OK...looked it up on Ebay so yes this would be a Maxi Brute. The description on Ebay though says these were used IN the production of Star Wars (???)

I think he means it's a replica of the production models.

I know some MPC kits were used in ROTJ, don't know about Estes though. I guess it could have been used for videomatics shots, but I don't think they would have put lights in it for that.

 

[Onigiri]

That would be the 'lightsaber' thread. "Youre father wanted you to have this when you were old enough..."

Congrats on the best innuendo post of the week.

 

[Onigiri]

Its a puzzler. Like I said this thing has been sitting in a closet for 2 decades and you can tell a lot of work went in to it but for what...somebody gotta know.

I think he means it's a replica of the production models.

I know some MPC kits were used in ROTJ, don't know about Estes though. I guess it could have been used for videomatics shots, but I don't think they would have put lights in it for that.

 

[Treadwell]

As robn1 stated, MPC kits were used but to date no evidence of Estes X-Wings being used has surfaced. Anything's possible, but there is absolutely no way they'd have used it without removing/covering the Estes logo, seeing how large it is. A videomatic model would not have been lit or this carefully painted.

 

[Onigiri]

I tend to agree. This thing is wired up and a lot of work done on teh fuselage but the ESTES marking etc...its a head scratcher. This guy was a professional in teh industry and very well connected and insisted this was screen used and acquired from someone who worked on the movies. I dont doubt he believed this to be some sort of screen used piece but we all know how these things work