Kurt Kuhn Archives - Page 13 of 15 -

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.

Modeler Magic 2018 Gallery Appraisal of $1,500

ENJOY!!

23
Feb 08
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1:72 Naboo Royal Starship #1 (A New Hope Era)

This 41 inch long piece was mastered by Richard Long. Because there was no great way of replicating the chrome finish we viewed in The Phantom Menace, we chose instead to do what Star Wars A New Hope did in showing older designs that were nearing the end of their operational lifetime. Thus this Naboo Cruiser is supposed to be the Episode 1 Royal Cruiser, but now old and tattered decades later, losing is shiny luster. This one was the first in a very low number produced. This piece now resides in the Hector Rosales Collection in the USA.

This piece has a 2016 Modeler Magic appraised value of $4,000 USD

Kuhn Global Blue Screen Photos of the Royal Naboo Cruiser (A New Hope Era) by Kurt Kuhn

22
Feb 08
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1:350 Romulan Bird of Prey #2 in Romulan Green

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

08
Feb 08
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Studio Scale Cylon Raiders – “Pyro” and “Hero” Comparison

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.

08
Feb 08
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Studio Scale “Hero” Cylon Raider

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

06
Feb 08
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Studio Scale Cloud Car #1

This beautiful model was patterned by artist Tobias Rubom, then built by artist R.L. Bleecker, whom did a fantastic job. Every detail was carefully replicated. Artist Dan Grumeretz made the pilot figures exact to the originals used in filming.
As you can see I took as many angles and lighting effects as I thought would be good to allow for use. That stated, after I initially released these blue screen shots, Star Wars artist Chris Trevas contacted me to use them for a poster he was doing for Star Wars Celebration for Lucasfilm. I will show that poster soon in another posting. On the poster, it showed us looking over the shoulder of Boba Fett as the Millennium Falcon was escorted into Cloud City. The Cloud Cars seen in that official poster are taken from these photos.
The reason this Cloud Car is labeled #1 is due to this being the first we had shown, and the first that was ever known to have been replicated. There are now many that have these in their own collections, with kit makers making own releases from time to time in different sizes.
Pardon my look in this, I was taking blue screen photos of these models so much, that I decided never to wear the same hate twice, so I wore my beanie I picked up in Scotland!
This piece would eventually be shown in the collection of Hector Rosales in the USA.

This piece has a 2016 Modeler Magic appraised value of $3,500 USD

Kurt Kuhn with the Studio Scale Cloud Car #1

31
Jan 08
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1:350 Star Trek The Motion Picture Klingon K’Tinga (Photo Set 1)

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