The Star Wars (1955)

Recently I've been poking at a fun mash-up side project.

So it's well documented that George Lucas had originally wanted to recreate Flash Gordon, but couldn't obtain the rights and so he made Star Wars instead. My project imagines a 1950s show called The Star Wars, which would have aired alongside Flash Gordon, and that it's this show that Lucas idolized. In this version he successfully obtained the rights to it and rebooted it to great success in 1977.

Here are some of the props I've designed so far...

The Falcon

Star Destroyer

A Stormtrooper Bucket

and finally, R2-D2

Updated 2026

When I posted this in 2017, I had these crappy screengrabs from sketchup because I really liked the ideas but didn't want to spend any more time on it. Got myself sidetracked this morning updating the renders. Really happy with the results keeping my original clunky details but realizing them fully without taking months off my life for an admittedly very silly little project.

McQuarrie Falcon, by Jason Eaton

In 2013, I designed a model of the Millennium Falcon, based on early concept drawings and paintings by Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston.

(Johnston)

(McQuarrie)

(mine)

following that post, an acquaintance from the Replica Prop Forum, the seriously talented Jason Eaton, contacted me about purchasing the model with a view to creating a physical model.

Well, he's just finished it up. And I have to say, this 32" beauty goes beyond my wildest dreams!

He's posted some stunning photos of the model here:

http://www.mystery10.com/project/ralph-mcquarriejoe-johnston-millennium-falcon/