The long-lost model of the X-Wing Fighter used in a critical battle in the original Star Wars film has been put up for auction, with starting bids at $400,000. This 50-centimeter model was discovered in the collection of model maker Greg Jein, who was nominated for Oscars for his work on films like 1941 and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Jein passed away in May of last year.
This model, built by George Lucas's visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, was used in the final battle, including the famous trench run, of the 1977 film Star Wars: A New Hope.
The model is one of the known four "hero models," detailed for close-up shots.
