AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: THE SNOWSPEEDERS SEARCH!

Rogue Two's Snowspeeder is part of the dawn search for Han and Luke on Hoth.

Cometh the morning, and a patrol of four Rebel Snowspeeders peels off to begin their high-altitude, scanners-primed search for Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, of which one of the pilots, Rogue Two -Zev Senesca (Christopher Malcolm), has picked something up...

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One of the incredible ILM matte paintings used for the Snowspeeder search sequence.

Location aerial footage for background composite use for the Snowspeeders. Image via Stefan Bruin.

Image: via Stefan Bruin.

Another location shot. Image via Stefan Bruin.

Here's a visual guide to the development of the Snowspeeders from concept art to practical model reality...

Three concept pieces by Joe Johnston

The Snowspeeder takes final form before model and prop construction.

ILM's Steve Gawley at work on the model.

Steve Gawley at work on the Snowspeeder models at ILM.

Early effects model optical composite test image. The shot was one of several sent out for merchandisers/artists reference, especially notable in the Marvel comic adaptations, of which the Snowspeeders had no colouring.

Another early composite test used for vehicle reference.

Numerous ILM blue screen model filming.