A Long-Lost X-Wing Model From ‘A New Hope’ Is Heading To Auction
Ever since Star Wars: A New Hope premiered in 1977, the X-wing fighter has been one of the franchise’s most iconic vehicles.
Piloted by Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy, the X-wing has become synonymous with the legendary Jedi.
Now, Star Wars fans will be able to get their hands on a piece of Star Wars history, when an original X-wing fighter model hits the auction block.
The long-lost model was used in the filming of A New Hope’s final battle. The Rebel Alliance’s mission to destroy the Death Star has remained one of the most memorable scenes not only in Star Wars but in the history of cinema.
Now fans can bid on a model that “represents the pinnacle of Star Wars artifacts to ever reach the market,” Dallas-based auction house Heritage Auctions said.
The top two wings of X-win are both painted with a single red stripe, which identifies the piece as the squadron’s “Red Leader”.
Found In Greg Jein’s Collection
The model belongs to the collection of the late Greg Jein, an Oscar and Emmy-nominated miniature maker, who was also known for his work on Star Trek and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Long known as the “the missing X-wing”, the model was found by visual effects experts, including Hene Kozicki as they helped Jein’s family sift through his collection.
“This model has not been displayed or modified since it left ILM (visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic),” Kozicki said. “For those of us that grew up in the ’70s or ‘80s, and those of us that work in visual effects, this model is as significant a find as the ruby red slippers or the Maltese Falcon.”
The 1:24 miniature model was one of the four “hero” models built for close-up scenes at key moments during A New Hope.
How Did Jein Get The Model?
While it is unclear how Jein came into possession of the model, Kozicki believes he may have traded something for it.
“(Steven Spielberg’s) ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ and ‘Star Wars’ were being made at roughly the same time, and with an overlapping group of people,” Kozicki said. “And at that time no one, not even Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, could anticipate the impact these films would have on the industry or cultural zeitgeist.”
The auction for the Red Leader X-Wind Starfighter miniature will end on October 07. The starting bid is $400,000. For more information visit Heritage Auctions.
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