Snowspeeder with maintenance panel missing

[Dedalus5550]

Over the years, I've seen pictures of a snowspeeder with the panel removed just to the right of the cockpit, under and around the cylindrical section between the two "humps." I've seen it enough that those who pay attention know what I'm talking about. But I don't remember seeing it in the movie. Yesterday, my two kids, who are going through the series of movies, watched ESB and I tried to pay attention but I couldn't see it. Is it in the movie? If so, any hint as to exactly which part of the Hoth scenes?
Thanks,
Mike Todd

 

[blakeh1]

No I do not believe it is in the movie

It may have been built as a mounting access point with the additional possibly to be show with the panel missing during the crash aftermath, or maybe during one of the hangar scenes

 

[Dedalus5550]

So I'm not going out of my mind? I was confused because this model is so pervasive in pictures, I thought it must be in the movie somewhere, but couldn't find it.

 

[INVAR]

While it is NOT in the film being shown as a 'maintenance panel', it is likely a section of the studio model that ILM had 'open' in order to put explosive charges to blow up when Zev's speeder takes a hit from an AT-AT. Somehow a production photo got to Kenner/Hasbro who made it into one of their toys and that is how it suddenly became seen as an 'off screen' snow speeder.

 

[blakeh1]

Wait, the open panel I saw on the filing model was for Luke's Snowspeeder (the one with the grey markings)

 

[Aku]

As Blakeh1 says, its this one. See 22:49 and 23:30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytwxfYYwljA

 

[3phase]

Here is a studio scale snowspeeder I have put some parts into this area to make it look a bit cooler. Parts are just what I had lying around and not accurate to what was used.

 

[Keiko]

While it is NOT in the film being shown as a 'maintenance panel', it is likely a section of the studio model that ILM had 'open' in order to put explosive charges to blow up when Zev's speeder takes a hit from an AT-AT. Somehow a production photo got to Kenner/Hasbro who made it into one of their toys and that is how it suddenly became seen as an 'off screen' snow speeder.

Exactly this - they designed that particular explosion to blow off panels and reveal more of the ship's structure underneath. I have a Joe Johnston sketch in some book somewhere that shows the plan for that shot, including noting which panels were to be blown off. It wasn't just opened for the shot, the model was designed for it.

The ships weren't meant to be seen flying around with that panel missing, but it doesn't mean that taking it off for diorama maintenance type scenes isn't a lot of fun.