The prop build of ANAKIN SKYWALKER’S PODRACER was over 10m long so we made a pragmatic decision early on to scale our LEGO® brick version down to half-size. This wasn’t just about saving our fingers from an astronomical build, but also to ensure the finished model could actually fit through the door!
LEGO® BRICKS
BUILD HOURS
Anakin’s Podracer is a favourite here at The Brickman HQ! Even at half-scale, we were still blown away with how big this project was to complete. The engine thrusters by themselves without the vanes attached are 2.8m long!
We built the main thrusters out of standard LEGO bricks, then used LEGO plates to create the cabling and piping effects down each side of the engines. This detailed process took four builders six days to complete. The variety of shapes in the build kept it from being repetitive, and it was especially refreshing to get to use some vibrant LEGO colours like Bright Blue and Bright Yellow!
Anakin’s pod itself used a lot of plates to create the sleek aerodynamic shape of the windscreen. As with most of our models, we started with a chunkier brick-built design then added plates in the steps to smooth out the contours. A decision was made early to build the windscreen using Dark Stone Gray rather than Transparent Clear. We did this because building something of that size with the sheer number of plates we knew we need to achieve the correct shape, Transparent Clear plates would be far too opaque and “sparkly”, ultimately detracting from the sleekness we were aiming for.
We dedicated a significant amount of pre-design time to meticulously plan the decorations on the pod. It was crucial to get these details precisely right, as they would need to be seamlessly integrated into the complex, curving surfaces of the pod as the build progressed.
Numerous detailed elements, such as slopes and wedges, were instrumental in shaping Anakin’s face, goggles, and helmet. LEGO plates were extensively used to add strength and stability to Anakin’s hands and the Podracer’s delicate controls. Anakin’s helmet, surprisingly intricate in its design, features a multitude of subtle colour variations to replicate its weathered, almost makeshift appearance. We constructed it using large SNOT (Studs Not On Top) panels for the sides and face, which allowed us to utilise a wide array of curved slopes to achieve the overall shape and incorporate those finer details.
The crucial control cables connecting the powerful thrusters to the cockpit pod were crafted by threading hundreds of 3 x 3 cylinder pieces over flexible tubing and internal wires. This combination ensured the cables were not only visually accurate but also robust enough to withstand public display.
The control cables connecting the thrusters to the pod were made by threading hundreds of 3 x 3 cylinder pieces over flex tube and wire to ensure they were strong enough to survive display!
Finally, we tackled the distinctive pink electrical coupling beam that connected the Podracer’s two massive thrusters. It was a genuinely fun change of pace to build something using such vibrant pink bricks! Interestingly, LEGO classifies these pink shades as “purple”, so the specific brick colours we utilised included Light Purple, Bright Purple, and Bright Reddish Violet.
Witness these incredible models and more at the world-first LEGO® Star Wars: The Exhibition. Embark on an epic, hands-on adventure through the Star Wars galaxy – Created by Ryan ‘Brickman’ McNaught and his talented team with over eight million LEGO bricks and 25,000+ build hours. Now open at Melbourne Museum.
