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
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)
Model Information
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
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.
This Version 1 (V1) Cylon Raider Studio Scale replica was masterfully built and painted by R.L. Bleecker in 2006. The studio scale kit itself was mastered off an original pyro model (used in the 1978 series) that we believe may have cast from what ICONS Replicas once sold as a Studio Scale Replica from Battlestar Galactica. Artist Mark Dickson, under Jim Key’s company, made it so. Later on, this would become a Kit which would be sold by Jesse Meyers, and then by Kit and Pattern maker Mike Salzo (MSLZ22 Models). Today the kit is sold by Kit Maker Jason Wright of JAWS Models in Australia.
Here are the Blue Screen Photos I took of this model during a few trial lighting tests. Unfortunately I never went back to actually photograph it correctly. In using different light filters during this shoot, the model looks bright, and yellowish in some shots. It was actually quite beautiful to look at in it’s grey paint scheme. Artist R.L. Bleecker even added the accurate ‘ghost’ Cylon symbol on the starboard wing that was on the original filming model. It truly added to this fine replica.
This piece was given to my dear friend, and talented modeler, Marc Elkins on December 14, 2011. A few years later, it was taken apart and rebuilt by Marc, then giving it a new paint scheme. As far as I know, this V1 Studio Scale PYRO Cylon Raider replica resides in his collection today.
Enjoy the Blue Screen Photos…
Peace be unto you.
Kurt Kuhn
Kuhn Global Incorporated
Photo of Kurt Kuhn with the 1978 “Pyro” Cylon Raider Replica
Model Information
Owner at Time of Posting: Marc Elkins
V1 “Pyro” Kit Master Artist: Mark Dickson
Build Artist: R.L. Bleecker
Blue Screen Photographer: Kurt Kuhn (Kuhn Global)
Kit Once Offered By: Jesse Meyers
~Hours Vested to Final Display: Unknown
Total Vested Cost of Development and Build: Unknown
When Mike Salzo released the parts for the V-2 Studio Scale X-Wing, I was so completely excited that I purchased parts for 3 X-Wings from him immediately! I envisioned a trench scene large enough to have all three studio scale X-Wings within it. This diorama was also to have Vader (with his two Wing-men) in pursuit, and it was to be about 50 feet long, embedded into the floor of the display area that people may walk over it’s heavy glass top. At that time, Modeler Magic was to be opened in Las Vegas. Alas… 2008 was a tragic year on many levels for everyone… and this placed the Modeler Magic Gallery on hold. A few years before that time, Model Maker R.L. Bleecker was doing many amazing works for me, and he took on this beautiful V2 X-Wing. Robert made it the Wedge Antilles’ RED 2 X-Wing, replicating Wedge himself, and the droid that sat behind the actor in the full sized prop. When Mike Salzo created the parts for the V3 X-Wing, and I went crazy again… purchasing enough parts to make 6 of them to replicate the entire 1977 X-Wing lineup that resides here on display today. As Modeler Magic went into a holding pattern, I decided to end my vision of a floor entrenched TRENCH scene. Michael Kuehner contacted me in 2010 about wanting all three V2 studio scale X-Wings (what I call the TRENCH TRIO, and of which comprised of Red 2 (Wedge), Red 3 (Biggs) and Luke’s Red 5. I sold them to him on September 3, 2010. All three were supremely packed by a ‘white-glove’ shipper and shipped to Germany to go into Michael’s Collection. Disturbingly…. only two of them survived an International Customs Agency that became involved. Allow me to clarify this wrong-doing. One of the V2 Studio Scale X-Wings was unpacked, unwrapped, played with, destroyed (as if someone threw it into the air for it to crash on the ground), then all of the parts and packing materials were thrown back into the original container, taped up and sent on it’s way THREE MONTHS LATER when we finally identified where it was abused through a shipper investigation when it disappeared. I know… I made a run on sentence for sure.. LOL. Moving on… this was a huge disappointment for Michael and myself. Because it happened in the ‘grey’ area known as “Customs”, the shipping company no longer had control of the item and therefore we learned what happened in “Customs” stayed in “Customs”. Apparently the heavy insurance policy I had taken out on them for any issues that could arise no longer applied. Unfortunately International Customs Agencies are not held liable for anything that goes through their hands. A great loss was incurred and was very much felt.
In any case… R.L. Bleecker did wonderful work on this RED 2, and Michael has a few fantastic studio scale X-Wings in his Collection.
I photographed this Salzo V2 studio scale RED 2 directly after I received it. I showed them here on Modeler Magic back on January 8, 2009. This is basically a refresh of that original showing back then. This RED 2 was a pleasure to have in the collection, albeit a brief time, and it was a treat to photograph. I thank Robert Bleecker for his fine work, and Michael Kuehner for his patience during the Customs issue.
Enjoy the photos taken back in 2007!
Kurt Kuhn Kuhn Global Incorporated Modelers Miniatures & Magic
