06
Jun 15
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1/48 (~28″) Millennium Falcon – Hasbro/Randy Cooper/308 Bits – Museum Conversion by Marc Elkins

“Available in November 2014 exclusively at Walmart stores and Walmart.com, the massive Star Wars Hero Series Millennium Falcon (approximate retail price of $59.99) measures over two-feet-long, and features a rotating radar dish and moving cannon. Check out the gallery below for a special early look at the fastest — and biggest — hunk of junk in the galaxy.”

ABOVE: The Original Toy Promotional Photos from Walmart.

The above statements and photos were shown on StarWars.com when this amazing toy was going to be made available through the U.S. based company of Walmart in 2014. This would be the first time a large scale Millennium Falcon toy would be offered that was scaled correctly to itself, not misshapen in some way for action figures to fit, and was only a few inches shy of being studio scale! It’s length being approximately 28″ makes this piece a solid 1/48 scale replica once it was remade by Marc Elkins. So many model builders and model makers grabbed up as many of these as they could, as we all knew it was a gift that was not going to be offered forever. With the price stated above, one simply could not lose. It was a great toy for everyone, and now it would make great displays for those who would turn them into something much more… like this one shown here today.

Using the main hull of the toy, Marc obtained the parts enhancement kit that Randy Cooper created just for this toy’s conversion, as well as the fantastic 3D printed cockpit from 308 Bits which fit perfectly. Lets face it, for any discerning person in this art form, a toy is still a toy until one adds the correct details and and properly weathered paint and body work that makes a museum replica magically appear. A toy is essentially a model made for playtime, no matter what age one may be. Marc worked his great talents on this piece, making it shine. From the interior and mandible lighting, to its engines… this is an amazing piece, complete with enhanced weathered damage and markings that make the Millennium Falcon truly appear. The photos show up close shots of his fine detailed work. Even the Kool Shade covered intakes are done beautifully. The turrets look beautiful, and they move appropriately. Marc even placed the barrel holes in these tiny cannon parts. As you look at the photos, you will notice that I turned the turret cannons upside down so that the top ‘bump’ part actually sits toward the canopy when the turrets are not in use. I had to do this because of the positioning of the turret mount itself. When they are placed right side up, with the ‘bump’ part on the top, the cannons sit with the barrels angled upward, taking away from the proper look of the Millennium Falcon whether in flight, or landed. Turning that part over allowed the the turret barrels to sit more correctly, and though not perfectly,… it looks marvelous. I wish to thank Marc Elkins for his amazing work, and Randy Cooper and Antonio Regidor of 308 Bits for their making enhancement parts for this magnificent piece. I also wish to thank Hasbro and Disney for making this great toy in the proper shape that we all love. Finding one of these toys is now rare… and they are very valuable on their own, especially after a conversion like this. I recommend grabbing one if you find one.

Kurt Kuhn
Kuhn Global Incorporated

ABOVE: Kurt Kuhn with the 1:48 Millennium Falcon

Model Information

Scale & Size: 1:48 at ~28″ Long X ~20″ Wide.

Current Owner: Kurt Kuhn of Kuhn Global, Inc.

Build Artist: Marc Elkins

Blue Screen Photos by: Kurt Kuhn of Kuhn Global, Inc.

Parts Offered By: Hasbro, Randy Cooper, 308 Bits

Pattern Work: Hasbro, Randy Cooper, 308 Bits, Marc Elkins

~Hours Vested to Final Display: Unknown

2020 Estimated Value: $9,000 USD

Current Licensed Appraised Value: TBD

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Kurt Kuhn

USA

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Marc Elkins

USA

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Randy Cooper

USA

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308 Bits – Antonio Regidor

USA

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Hasbro Toys

USA

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12
Jan 14
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World’s FIRST Studio Scale USS Defiant NX-74205 Replica

When Richard Long began his pattern work on this amazing model years ago, I felt lucky to be on the list whom would get this piece. Today, I know I am lucky to have one as only 3 were made according to Richard, and what you see here is number 1 of those 3 made. After Dana Moss cast the resin parts and laid up the fiberglass for this piece, Richard then a made basic build and paint up of this piece in time to be seen at 2013’s Wonderfest. After it’s successful debut, Richard brought it home and I assigned it to artist Dan Grumeretz to basically rebuild it, adding the lighting, windows, extra details and painted markings. While some of the markings are decals, some are also painted on. Since this is a smaller Starship, utilizing fiber optic for the windows would not work for it’s scale, so Dan used clear acrylic rods for the even lighting of the windows…. somewhat like what fiber optics accomplish. Dan also did the red vinyl tape job for the stripes, finishing it for display here in the Collection. I thank all artists involved, including Star Trek’s Doug Drexler for assisting Richard with the design in order to get the shape and markings correct. I am very pleased with the result of this replica.

BELOW: Kurt Kuhn with the studio scale model for size comparison.

Model Information

Current Owner: Kurt Kuhn of Kuhn Global, Inc.

Build Artist: Dan Grumeretz

Parts Made By: Richard Long / Dana Moss / with Doug Drexler’s Input

~Hours Vested to Final Display: ~500

2020 Estimated Value: $45,000 USD

Current Appraised Value: TBD

Kurt Kuhn

KUHN GLOBAL INCORPORATED

USA

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Dan Grumeretz

USA

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Richard Long

SOVEREIGN REPLICAS

USA

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Dana Moss

USA

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Doug Drexler

USA

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08
Feb 10
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ESB Sketchbook Inspired – Imperial Cutter INTRACTIBLE

About a decade ago, I tasked artist R.L. Bleecker with building this piece. It would be a larger version of a small model he scratch built while in a shop we had running at that time. This model design was inspired by the Joe Johnston and Nilo Rodis-Jamero’s 1980 released book…”The Empire Strikes Back Sketchbook”, and it was of the initial sketch for the Super Star Destroyer EXECUTOR. Being a Veteran of the United States Navy himself, Robert had classified what he built as a “Cutter”… an Imperial Cutter. When I saw what he had created in that smaller model, and he confirmed where his inspiration came from (as I recognized it as well), it was clear a larger version must be built…. and so he did. This one we would name the Imperial Cutter INTRACTIBLE. This model actually has parts used (the engine bells) that are from a real U.S. military aircraft. Robert used many recognizable items for the communications and jamming equipment on top of the model. This model represents what practical use may have been of this type of vessel in the Empire’s Imperial Fleet. As a back story, we developed this: Measuring slightly less long than the 752 meter ACCLAIMATOR Star Destroyer Class, the new 686 meter PERSISTANT Class Imperial Cutter INTRACTIBLE is the second version of this new Imperial weapon. This makes this vessel, if it were real, to be just over 1/3 the full length of the basic Imperial Star Destroyers we know (ie Devastator and Avenger). The model itself is 27 inches long which bring this piece to the 1:1000 scale exactly. Robert did a magnificent job creating this piece.

…The Empire Strikes Back Sketchbook and Sketch that inspired this build…

Model Information

Current Owner: Kurt Kuhn of Kuhn Global, Inc.

Scratch Build Artist: Robert L. Bleecker

~Hours Vested to Final Display: 300

2020 Estimated Value: $25,000 USD

Current Appraised Value: TBD

… and my Blue Screen Photos of the Intractible…

16
Aug 09
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1/18 Darth Vader TIE Fighter X-1

In June 2009, famed artist Lasse Henning created an amazing kit in 1/18 scale! Of note: This 1/18 size I have always referred to as “Super Scale”, with anything larger as being “Mega Scale”. When I first came into this art form, one of the first artists I came to appreciate and watch frequently was Lasse Henning. His work inspired nearly everything I have in the collection today that has been created by equally appreciated and fantastic artists world-wide. Lasse has always amazed me with his work, and continues to do so today. I have known him now for two decades (20 years), and my jaw still drops when he creates something new. We had originally shown this beautiful model here on Modelers Miniatures & Magic back on August 19, 2009. Today I am showing this amazing model once more that Lasse made for me, again with the Blue Screen photos I took of it that have been utilized for many things we have all may have viewed… including a Calendar.

Back in 2009, when Lasse informed us all that he was creating a 1:18 Vader TIE kit, I contacted him immediately for this commission. I had been waiting for an artist to come up with either a studio scale replica, or larger. At that time, artist Chris Kelly had offered a fantastic studio scale kit, and again at that time it was “out of production”, and thus unobtainable. Lasse’s kit is much larger than the 1:24 (studio scale) model in it’s 1:18 scale (SUPER SCALE)! You can see in the photo below that the TIE ball is nearly as large as my head,.. and I am actually pressing my jaw along the rim of the back of the model itself! IT IS HUGE!! And… IT IS QUALITY! It looks as if it is a plastic injected kit… nice and crisp in every detail! AMAZING! This is one of the crowning pieces that I am honored to show in the collection! Not many of these kits were made by Lasse, keeping their value high. Thank you Lasse for you incredible work, and contributions to the excellence of this art form!

Above: Kurt Kuhn with the Lasse Henning 1/18 Darth Vader TIE Fighter X-1

Model Information

Current Owner: Kurt Kuhn of Kuhn Global, Inc.

Build Artist: Lasse Henning

Kit Offered By: Lasse Henning’s “The Model Shoppe”

Kit Pattern Work: Lasse Henning

~Hours Vested to Final Display:250

Total Vested Cost: $1,590 USD

Current Estimated Value: $2,000 USD

Current Appraised Value: $2,000 USD

11
Oct 08
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Blue 7 Studio Scale (1/24) X-Wing

This beautiful piece was built from a cast kit that has original lineage back to the PYRO Models used in 1977’s STAR WARS. Cast obtained from Scott Alexander of Atomic City Models, this piece originally began life as a closed wing version of RED Leader, painted by Scott Alexander himself. I had not seen any closed wing X-Wings made before this time… though there may have been some somewhere. Sadly, Red Leader had a bit of an accident, and then was sent to artist R.L. Bleecker to re-build. Robert took this closed wing X-Wing and made it amazing as he changed the red stripes to blue… just as the original models began life as. We had yet to see anything past Red 6 in wing identification, so Robert came up with what you see here… a solid block to indicate up to 6, plus a single strip to make it Blue 7. Again, nobody had done anything past Red 6 at that time, which made this highly unique. Then there was the fact he made the stripes blue… which again nobody had been doing at that time. Soon after we found some photos of the Red 12 studio model, and it’s markings. Robert also made the R2 unit have a clear dome, with a Pilot at it’s stick that could possibly be Lando Calrissian? It is for you to decide!

Fantastic work all the way around. It was a blast to photograph back then (2008). Never the less… this stands on it’s own as a great display.

I would like to thank both Scott Alexander and Robert Bleecker for their excellence in bringing this to life. Especially R.L. Bleecker for his great imaginative skills.

Above: Kurt Kuhn with the Studio Scale BLUE 7 X-Wing

Model Information

Current Owner: Kurt Kuhn of Kuhn Global, Inc.

Build Artist: Re-Build by R.L. Bleecker

Parts Mastered & Once Offered By: Atomic City Models

~Hours Vested to Final Display: 250

Total Vested Cost: Unknown

Current Estimated Value: $2,800 USD

Current Appraised Value: TBD

01
Oct 08
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1:32 Mk7 Colonial Viper

The 2003 Ron Moore reboot of Battlestar Galactica took us into a completely different imagined arena of the already fantastic 1978 Glen Larson television show and 1979 film. With this re-imagining came new designs of the ships we all loved. One of those models was from the conceptual art of Eric Chu, then digitally made by the artists at ZOIC, many of whom are very known, and shown on my Modelers Miniatures & Magic site. The model shown here today is of the Mk7 Colonial Viper design, and to my knowledge was the first parts made of it by Rob Durham. It is 1:32 and was built up by artist Chris Dobinson. It is beautiful with it’s detailing and weathering. Chris even managed to make the tiny pilot helmet look as if it were lit, when it is not.
Below are my Blue Screen Photos of the 1:32 Mk7 miniature that I took of it when I received it back in October 2008. I actually showed this piece on Modelers Miniatures & Magic back on March 27, 2009… 5 months after receiving it. I must admit that it was a pleasure to photograph this piece in so many different angles. While some angles are better than others, all are still magnificent. Chris did amazing work here and I am grateful.

Model Information

Current Owner: Kurt Kuhn of Kuhn Global, Inc.

Build Artist: Chris Dobinson

KitParts Offered By: Rob Durham

~Hours Vested to Final Display: ~40

2020 Estimated Value: $2,500 USD

Current Appraised Value: $?? USD

ABOVE: Kurt Kuhn with the Colonial Viper MK7

28
Jul 08
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Buck Rogers – Studio Scale Draconian Marauder (Hatchet Fighter) Replica

Years ago, artist Mark Bradley patterned a replica of the adversary fighter used in in the 1979 film & TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. The fighter is the Draconian Marauder, and was referred to by actor Michael Ansara (Kane) as a “Hatchet Fighter” in the film. I must admit when the film came out that I did not like this design. Even when Monogram came out with a kit (which was fairly nice), I could not get over the departure in the design of having an upright cockpit area that stuck out in it’s tallness. I also could not get over the rear engine… which I called at the time a “shower head”. As the years progressed I began to appreciate the design more and more. It’s departure from what I enjoyed is now exactly the reason I very much enjoy this design today! Isn’t it funny how we change with age. Maybe we see more? I cannot say. In any case, I purchased a few of these kits from Mark Bradley, and not many made it out from my understanding of things. It was widely though that the studio scale model sizes were 1/24, but in late 2017, we recently discovered they are really 1/18. I asked artist Matt Meyer to build this model for the collection…. and a beautiful job he did. Replicating one of the original studio models that had only top glass for it’s window, I was very pleased with it’s finish. Matt also hand painted the Dranconian symbols on the wings. It is beautiful. There is a second studio model of this design that I want to replicate that has the full windows in front of the pilot. Inasmuch, I am in search of another kit now that we may do so.

Above: Kurt Kuhn with the Draconian Marauder Replica

Below: The studio scale Thunderfighter Replica with the studio scale Draconian Marauder Replica

22
Apr 08
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1:350 Star Trek The Motion Picture Klingon K’Tinga (Photo Set 2)

Earlier I had shown the first photos I took of this 1/350 Klingon K’Tinga (SEEN HERE). I had been unhappy with how they looked… and truth be told I am not entirely pleased with these I show you all here today either. Never the less,.. here they are. This model was the very first Klingon K’Tinga in 1/350 ever created to be in scale with the Polar Lights Enterprise Kit. This one IS actually #1 of those kits, and it was patterned, made into a kit, built and painted by it’s creator, artist Richard Long. This model was a long time coming for everyone that was a fan. The only workable model of the K’Tinga that was released before this 1/350 REL Kit was the AMT/Ertl.. which was a much smaller kit that was not exactly correct in shape. The REL kit reigned for 10 years, with not as many made as many would have guessed. This one is very rare. That stated, in 2018, Round 2 Models announced they built a digitally accurate model to The Motion Picture K’Tinga, and that a 1/350 plastic kit would soon be released of it under their banner. Model builders around the world are smiling. Not that this model had anything to do with that, but I can state that this is the exact model in that scale that began the craze for what will be made…

09
Apr 08
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1/2 Studio Scale (22 Inch) SS Botany Bay

This beauty was patterned by Film Writer & Producer, artist Scott Alexander. Through his banner of Atomic City Models, Scott (also known as Captain Cardboard), made this a kit for all to enjoy! I had to have one being that I had just acquired TWO 1/2 studio scale USS Enterprise kits from artist Steve Neill, and this would be the perfect companion to one of them. I gave this project to artist R.L. Bleecker, and he made it come alive. Painting it as having panels, Robert made this piece resemble the digital model utilized in the HD re-make of Star Trek the Original Series for Blu-Ray viewers. What a beautiful piece this is!

25
Mar 08
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1:24 (15.25 Inch) Cylon Raider “SCAR” built by R.L. Bleecker

Killed many times in battle, then re-animated again… and again, SCAR the Cylon Raider was one of the oldest Raiders in Battlestar Galactica – The New Series. He was an ACE at shooting down Colonial Pilots until he was eventually killed outside the realm of a re-animation ship.

This fantastic JT Graphics model kit (Patterned by the artist Kip Hart of Howling Wold Models) was one of the first released, and it was built by artist R.L. Bleecker whom captured the essence of SCAR with every mark…including what he was named for… the major scar across his face.