Half a million US dollars for an original X-Wing from "Star Wars"
Star Wars is one of the most famous franchises in film history. Now an original prop from 1976, the X-Wing model "Red Leader", is being auctioned off. The starting bid is 400,000 US dollars.
The first film, "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope", was an absolute surprise success at the time. The rebels' battle against the overpowering Empire - especially the heavy-breathing Darth Vader - drew millions of people to the cinemas in 1977.
Over 400,000 US dollars: a prop for true fans
On 15 October, an important film prop will go under the hammer: one of the only four X-wing fighters used in the original film. Up for auction is the 1:24 scale model "Red Leader", which was produced for various flying shots of the battle scenes during the Death Star showdown. In one scene, the model was also used as Luke Skywalker's "Red Five".
You can now acquire this X-Wing with battle scars if you put the necessary small change on the table. The starting bid is 400,000 US dollars. That's the equivalent of around 357,000 francs or 373,000 euros.
The X-wings of the model can be moved by servo and you can switch lights on and off. This is a fairly modest catalogue of functions, but I would prefer to keep my hands off the almost 50-year-old treasure and park the plane in the display case anyway. After all, this is about emotional values!
Star Wars: childhood memories are attached to it
I still remember my "first time" with Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker & Co. very well: at the age of 16, a friend and I went into a video store (for younger people: you could rent films on video cassettes) and took the first "Star Wars" trilogy home with us. Over chocolate and lemonade, we watched the entire trilogy in one go and I was in love. With the story and with Luke Skywalker.
The X-Wing scenes made film history: Luke Skywalker flies over the surface of the Death Star in his space fighter, waiting for the right moment to fire his two missiles into the ventilation shaft of the huge battle station. Gunners and tie-fighters try to intercept him and young Debora (that's me) gnaws on her fingernails.
If $400,000 is a bit too much money for you, perhaps a model from Lego would be an alternative. You would then have to assemble the Lego X-Wing yourself, but at least it wouldn't be quite so dramatic if it crashed.
What memories do you associate with "Star Wars" - whether specifically "A New Hope" or the entire film series? And what do you think of the X-Wing auction?
Cover photo: Aisyaqilumaranas/Shutterstock
Feels just as comfortable in front of a gaming PC as she does in a hammock in the garden. Likes the Roman Empire, container ships and science fiction books. Focuses mostly on unearthing news stories about IT and smart products.