This was mastered by artist Richard Long. He made me two of them so that this second one could be done in a paint scheme that was green in order to match what was shown on the TV series Enterprise. The first one of the two was the actual studio looking paint scheme of grey, which I gave to my friend Harry Hernandez.
This piece has a 2016 Modeler Magic appraised value of $3,800 USD
Kuhn Global Romulan Bird of Prey – Blue Screen Photos by Kurt Kuhn
These two Raiders are beautiful. Both built by R.L. Bleecker, look closely and you will see the differences. I photographed them side by side for all to view for themselves.
The photo above I did replicating two of the Raiders as we viewed flipping over during their classic attack scenes.
I had shown the studio scale Cylon Raider “Pyro” version that had become a kit soon after Jim Key and Mark Dickson had released it. This one shown here today was patterned by artist Mike Salzo to be more like the “Hero” model that we viewed in the series and film. There are differences that you will view in another post placing them side by side.
Artist R.L. Bleecker was again behind how this piece turned out. He did wonderful work.
This piece has a 2016 Modeler Magic appraised value of $2,500 USD
Kuhn Global “Hero” Cylon Raider Blue Screen Photos by Kurt Kuhn
Mastered by artist Richard Long, this was the very first replica of this model in a larger size, and was to scale with the Polar Lights USS Enterprise Refit kit. The paint was replicated as close as possible with the reference available (as new reference is always showing up). Notice the spot lights on the engine housing that light up the Klingon symbol on the hull’s wing area. For it’s size… this is masterful. This was Richard Longs’s 1/350 K’Tinga Kit Cast # 001.
This piece has a 2016 Modeler Magic appraised value of $4,000 USD
Pictured above: Kurt Kuhn used this model to recreate the Klingon Opening Battle Scene
from Star Trek The Motion Picture.
The Boba Fett Helmet is one prop that stands out as a ‘grail’ item for many… including me. This helmet is premium, and is hard to find by this company. They did a fantastic job re-creating that “look” of the original filming prop. Even the targeting bar swivels down to reveal a lit targeting screen with flashing lights. Of the 1500 that were produced world-wide, this is number 171. In most cases, if a Boba Fett helmet replica is offered in the art form, it is most likely re-cast from the original Master Replicas helmet. It is that good. Of course, many prop collectors out there will disagree on this, but it is usually the one people turn to when they want this helmet design.
Current Owner: Kurt Kuhn of Kuhn Global, Inc.
Formerly Offered By: Master Replicas
Total Vested Cost: $750 USD
Current Estimated Value: $2,000 USD
This Mk II Colonial Viper is 1:20 scale, and was built and painted by artist R.L. Bleecker from the FM Model Company kit (Frank Cerney and Moeslund Mortensen). Being that there were no physical models made for the 2003 re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, it was up to someone to develop a pattern and sell the kit. Frank and Moe did just that. R.L. “Bob” Bleecker did an amazing job replicating the CG model, as you can see from the comparison photo below. Of course that is me again in the photo during the model shoot.
This piece has a 2020 Modeler Magic appraised value of $1,200 USD
Photo of Kurt Kuhn with the MkII Viper Model
One of the ZOIC renders of the actual Viper used in Battlestar Galactica
What color are TIE Fighter’s? This has been a question asked by many, and argued by many more. After all… in 1977’s Star Wars, they appeared to be GREY! Yet in The Empire Strikes Back, they appeared BLUE! Original Star Wars Artist Lorne Peterson answers…. “They are BLUE!”. We proved this by taking a few shots back in 2006 of the studio scale TIE Fighter under different lighting conditions. We must remember that Star Wars was innovative in many ways, including cinematography. They shot the models against blue screen backdrops just as I do today, but technology improved along the way. I lit an area the models were placed under with bright blue lighting, giving the ever present white lighting we view in Star Wars for all their space scenes. As I did so, the TIE Fighter’s blue color washed out before my eyes, making the model appear grey. Amazing! For me to actually show the TIE Fighter’s in their natural blue, I changed to a warmer color lighting, and in doing so, there they were in their beautiful ESB looking blue color. These two were made from the NICE-N Model Designs first generation offering, and built by famed R.L. Bleecker. They are beautiful to view in person. One of these now resides in Hong Kong, in the collection of Richard Sung.
Below: Kurt Kuhn with two Studio Scale TIE Fighters
Current Owner: Kurt Kuhn of Kuhn Global, Inc.
Build Artist: Robert L. Bleecker
Kit Offered By: Nice-N Model Designs
Kit Pattern Work: Steve Neisen
~Hours Vested to Final Display: 55
Total Vested Cost: $2,000 USD
Current Estimated Value: $1,350 USD Each
Kurt Kuhn with two studio scale TIE Fighter’s
Randy Cooper is well known in the industry as an outstanding model and prop maker for many films we have viewed. When he patterned this Tantive, I was all over it! This piece was built by R.L. Bleecker, and even utilized by Lucasfilm when they asked me to take a specific blue screen photo angle of it, in very specific lighting. They would use my photo to create a painting by Chris Trevas that would end up being a Star Wars TOPPS Card. Fantastic!
Above: Kurt Kuhn with the 27″ Cooper Blockade Runner (Tantive IV)
Current Owner: Kurt Kuhn of Kuhn Global, Inc.
Build Artist: R.L. Bleecker
Kit Offered By: Randy Cooper Models
Kit Pattern Work: Randy Cooper
~Hours Vested to Final Display:200
Total Vested Cost: $1,800 USD
Current Estimated Value: $2,000 USD
Current Appraised Value: $2,000 USD
Below: Chris Trevas initial sketch for the TOPPS Card
Below: The Kuhn Global Blue Screen Photo Chris Trevas requested, and utilized for the TOPPS Card
Below: The final TOPPS Card released
…Enjoy the Blue Screen Photos…
The Buck Rogers in the 25th Century “Earth Directorate” Thunder Fighter is probably one of the most recognizable science fiction designs of it’s time! It’s beautiful, sleek lines, and aggressive look have always brought my mind to daydream of actually flying one. This model is a direct cast off an original Universal Hartland filming model from 1979. There were several different versions of this fighter in the television show, all of which we will soon replicate and show. When I received the parts, the box was nearly unrecognizable as a box since the shipping company handled it very poorly. I am surprised it survived so well. There were a few parts broken, like the tips of the wings on the fighter, that were covered up nicely by the build artist. This piece was fantastically built by artist R.L. Bleecker, and has been displayed for Licensed companies, and in modeling shows across the country. Unfortunately this model’s tragedies were not yet over. While traveling for display purpose, this model met with some broken challenges and would later be re-made by artist Dan Grumeretz into the “Happy Birthday Buck” Fighter…. known as Colonel Traeger’s Fighter in the series.
Kurt Kuhn with the Buck Rogers Thunder Fighter
Restored in 2006 (after being damaged in 2005 as an original TOS Paint Scheme), then photographed as a lighting test in early 2007 (and originally shown on MMM in 2008), this Studio Scale Klingon D7 was replicated from the “never realized” Star Trek Phase II television series. We then found out this was to be the early paint scheme of the Klingon ships intended for The Motion Picture. These specific D-7’s were the precursor ships to Star Trek The Motion Picture Klingon K’Tinga’s in the fact that they had PAINTED panels instead of the raised panel armor seen in that 1979 Film. Obtained from Scott Alexander (of Atomic City Models), artist Richard Long painted this piece based on the Studio Scale D-7 seen in the Magicam photo seen below, keeping the original Phase II (Early TMP) paint scheme so that the original idea remained true to those never seen models. The Model in the my Blue Screen photos is the ONLY one replicated known to exist today! Again, these photos were early photos taken as a lighting test for other models. I never went back to shoot this model again. It is currently on display here.
Here is a Magicam photo of the Phase II Studio Model… (CLICK HERE to SEE MORE)
Below: Kurt Kuhn with his Phase II (Early TMP) D-7
Owner at Time of Posting: Kurt Kuhn
Kit Master Artist: Scott Alexander
Build Artist: Richard Long
Blue Screen Photographer: Kurt Kuhn (Kuhn Global)
Kit Once Offered By: Atomic City Models
~Hours Vested to Final Display: Unknown
Total Vested Cost of Development and Build: Unknown
2020 Estimated Value: $5,000 USD
Current Licensed Appraised Value: TBD
**
**
**
