Icons X-Wing Pilots

The development of the Star Wars 1:1 scale X-Wing Filming Miniature Replica was an extraordinary task for Icons. Lucasfilm would not permit the molding of an original X-Wing preserved in the archives located at Skywalker Ranch (although photographs, paint reference and measuring etc. was permitted), so Icons had to track down an alternative source for X-Wing masters, which came from a crew member working for Richard Edlund's legendary Boss Films in Marina Del Ray, California. A fellow staffer at Boss had worked for Apogee Productions and ILM and had kept a clean set of masters from the first Star Wars film. These were loaned to Icons to create the masters for the replica.

As most Star Wars enthusiasts know, the X-Wing Miniature was originally fabricated utilizing various off-the-shelf model kits parts and custom styrene components. The X-Wing pilot was cast from a Dragster model kit. Icons wanted to use the exact same pilot utilized in the original X-Wing filming miniatures and a debate raged over this issue. Splitting factions between the founding partners. Lucasfilm was concerned with utilizing a model kit companies product component so it was deemed necessary to create a custom pilot. Which was sculpted from a Kenner Luke Skywalker action figure. To my knowledge, this is the first time this information has been revealed to the public/collectors.

See photo above, from left to right :

1) Dragster Model Kit Pilot Painted casting (same model as the original LFL one with similar paint scheme).
2) Custom Sculpted & Casted Paint Reference Master.
3) Custom Sculpted & Casted Paint Reference Master.

Once again to my knowledge, either number 2 or 3 were chosen as paint reference for production of the Icons X-Wing.

Icons detail painters were then challenged with creating their own individual paint schemes for these castings. And "1" was chosen.

Through Icons last years, famed detail painter Mireya Romo (Bowen) who went on to become a lead painter at Gentle Giant Studios after leaving Icons, would custom cast and produce small whimsical displays of X-Wing pilots with her future husband Rob Bowen (also of Gentle Giant) for Icons co-founder Jim Latta. Often to cheer him up during Icons final years (see photo below).