Lucasfilm and Beeman - written by TC from the Airgun Forum
Few know this, but ILM, Lucasfilm
and Skywalker and Big Rock Ranches
(George Lucas' film production
shops) are in San Rafael, only a
few miles from the old Beeman
shop. Industrial Light and Magic,
where the real props were made,
was across town from Beeman and
there were more than a few
airgunners working there in the
early 1980s...
Reality is that most operations
for Lucasfilm moved to San
Francisco about two years ago, but
Skywalker Sound, Lucas Arts, and
the Archives and Administration
are still at the "Ranches" on
Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael
(the same freeway exit one takes
to get to the old "47 Paul Dr"
Beeman address. Hence the use of
airguns as the base for nearly all
of the prop guns in the Star Wars
movies.
I've had the good fortune to see
the MANY Beeman imported airguns
that are stored in the Archives
building, which I've mulled over
during fire inspections there. If
you're a Star Wars fan and an
airgunner, a trip through the
private Archives buildings (now
there are two) is like a fantasy.
Unfortunately, they don't give
tours...
Additionally - written by Don Thompson from the Airgun Forum
The FWB C55 is a true
semi-automatic, CO2 precision air
pistol. It is capable of one hole
groups if you can do your part. It
is the one airgun I still have
sellers remorse about. It is the
gun used as a basis for the star
wars prop gun. Here are some
photos:
Here maybe another surprise the
Walther LPM-1 single stroke
pneumatic was also used:
