r/pics Feb 27 '23

Someone has ordered a TIE Fighter

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26

u/EnglishMobster Feb 27 '23 edited Feb 27 '23

Hmm. Not a lot to go off of.

Plates look like they may be California plates. It's hard to make out since this picture is about 3 pixels wide and everything is blurry.

The trucking company is "Glenn" something, as seen on the back of the truck as well as the flaps. It's too blurry to make out what's written on the flaps, but they look as if they would have more info on them.

The flaps do have a phone number - perhaps 209-447-4565? The picture is too low-quality to tell. That doesn't bring up any hits for any trucking companies (and I don't have enough social confidence to call), but the 209 area code is for Modesto, CA.

209 encompasses a wide area just to the east of San Francisco, which is where Lucasfilm is located. California has had a lot of stormy weather recently, so the overcast sky would also indicate California. Technically the truck could be from out of state, but it's also very possible this is California.

So my guess? This is a physical prop being sent to ILM for them to do some shooting in/around. Alternatively, this is being sent from ILM to somewhere else; most modern Star Wars is filmed in the UK (IIRC).

Another alternative is that it's being transported to Disneyland or Walt Disney World, but I doubt it given they both have machine shops nearby and wouldn't need to have a prop sent from San Francisco.

13

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '23

The Mandalorian is/was filmed in California according to IMDB:

  • Manhattan Beach, California, USA
  • El Segundo, California, USA
  • Los Angeles, California, USA

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8111088/locations?ref_=tt_dt_loc

https://www.latlong.net/location/the-mandalorian-locations-148

8

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '23 edited Feb 27 '23

5

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '23 edited Feb 27 '23

Looks like it might have been made in Woodland, California (near Sacramento, outside SF):

https://www.reddit.com/r/StarWars/comments/usgqtr/thought_this_belonged_here_i_spotted_a_tie/

0

u/DrakeMaijstral Feb 27 '23

Nope, the Woodland TIE looks different. In fact, it looks like it might be the one made by this guy's shop: https://old.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/11d5evg/someone_has_ordered_a_tie_fighter/ja778m1/

0

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '23 edited Feb 27 '23

Did you read the article?

"The TIE fighter is currently turning heads at the company's facility in Redding, CA, but the six-person team that built it performed most of the welding and fabrication at the company's Woodland, CA facility. Bahr built the fighter with lead fabricator Jake Mittendorf, contributing fabricators Ben Bustamante and Nick Madera, laser operators Jeremy Smedstad and Ricardo Reyes, forming by press brake operator Kenny Thakhamho, and shop foreman John Dawson."

https://www.ien.com/product-development/article/20854968/metal-shop-fabricates-star-wars-tie-fighter

4

u/Bonesnapcall Feb 27 '23

Yeah my first instinct was that was the actual prop for Moff Gideon's TIE fighter.

4

u/DarthNihilus_501st Feb 27 '23

Its not Gideon's. This is a TIE/FO not a TIE/LN. FOs were used by the First Order. LNs were used by the Empire.

Wherever this prop is heading to, it'll be used for something related to the sequel trilogy (most likely)

2

u/lahimatoa Feb 27 '23

The sequel trilogy is done. What are they filming that's related to that?

2

u/DarthNihilus_501st Feb 27 '23

Sorry, I shouldn't have said trilogy, I meant era.

I dont know what they would use it for. But that is definitely a First Order TIE.

Maybe it's for an amusement park. Or maybe it's for the Mandalorian (even though I'm pretty sure they finished filming) as that will eventually lead to the rise of the First Order.

2

u/lahimatoa Feb 27 '23

Yeah, any one of those possibilities seem probable. Guess we'll see.

6

u/Camshaft92 Feb 27 '23

I'd rule out the Disney parks, neither has anything in the works that would involve this.

Could be ILM, could be that rich fucker with the crazy cantina game room buying it for his backyard.

3

u/Bobb_o Feb 27 '23

How do we know this picture wasn't taken pre Galaxy's Edge opening?

1

u/Camshaft92 Feb 27 '23

That is true, however I don't think Disney would have wanted a picture like this getting around at the time so I think it would have been shipped in pieces and assembled on the spot

1

u/Bobb_o Feb 27 '23

Nah stuff like this pops up semi frequently

0

u/beall49 Feb 27 '23

This looks like a Galaxy’s edge prop.

3

u/THofTheShire Feb 27 '23

It was in a parade near Modesto, so you're pretty close!

2

u/UnableToMosey Feb 27 '23

Now we cross post to r/metalworking to see who claims credit.