E-11 ANH D

This version is seen, to our knowledge, only briefly at the very beginning of ANH as the Stormtroopers follow Darth Vader aboard the Tantive IV.

The BlasTech E-11's were built from British Sterling Mk4/L2A3 submachine guns. Produced after 1957, they may have been UK military contract weapons.

Modifications to the guns involved the addition of six grips around the barrel. The exact identity of the grip material has yet to be determined, but recent revelations suggest hard black plastic T-track from old cupboards with sliding doors. These were cut to varying lengths and each end was then inserted into the appropriate cooling hole in the barrel jacket. Note: The row of holes on the underside of the gun had no grips as they would interfere with the folding stock. Also, the row of holes just above the folding stock on the left side of the gun received no grips, presumably this is because of the bayonet attachment stub that occupies the third hole from the front in this row.

Another modification includes the addition of a stock M38 or M40 azimuth tank telescope. These scopes were manufactured in 1943 by Minneapolis Honeywell Regulator Co. The scopes went through a small design change from 1942 to 1943. The 1943 model is the correct one for this prop and can be identified by the upside down "T" shape of the front mount. The scope is mounted to an approximately 1cm wide by 1/16" - 1/8" thick strip of metal sitting about a 1/4" above the gun. The front end of the strip was bent and inserted into the rear most vent hole on the top of the gun thus requiring no rivet or other attachment. On this blaster variation the rear of the mount strip goes straight back into the rear sight and is attached there presumably by riveting it to the sight. On the D(2) blaster variation the rear of the mount strip bends down just before the rear sight and is riveted to the top of the gun

The standard Sterling Mk4/L2A3 34-round magazine model L1A1 was used. These were manufactured by Sterling Engineering Co of Dagenham, Essex. The unique scalloped-edge design (seen below) distinquishes it from magazines made by other military contract manufacturers.

They were cut down considerably. The exact length varies between each prop (from 1/2 to 2/5 the original length). Both ends of the magazines were used. The blank firing versions used the feed end of the magazine which locks into the magazine well while non-firing models usually used the left over ends. On some of the guns there are magazines with the real bottom plate covering the exposed end. Others have replicated plates (no hole in the center) and some were just plugged with a piece of wood.

On non-firing versions of the prop like this one, the cocking handle was removed from the bolt and the ejector was removed. The ejector is located just behind the magazine well and is held in place by a retaining screw. The magazine catch had to be removed to release the ejector, but it was put back in after.

The bolt, where it shows through the oval cartridge ejection port on the right side of the gun was possibly covered with aluminum or chrome tape. We can not verify this as we have no images of that side of the weapon.