Anakin Skywalker PodRacer Engine - Section Cutout

After so many hours spent designing, prototyping, and adjusting, I am so happy to be able to share this model : Anakin's Skywalker PodRacer Engine in a section cut-out version!

It is a 1/10 scaled down version, based on the real mock-up created for the movie, so most of the dimensions are accurate. The real part was huge, be careful this one is still 65 centimeters long!!!

The 3 front fins are movable, so as the side flap which can open/close. It rotates on 4 ball bearings, has 2 separates spindles.

I am sorry : the energy binder does not work and I could not make it levitate! But I am sure you will enjoy the variable nozzle system!

The model has been made with several goals in mind :

• be adapted to FDM printing : which means not too much small details
• printable with 0,4mm nozzle : although you can improve the look by using a 0,2nozzle (for rotors/stators for exemple), the design has been made to be compatible the standard 0,4mm nozzle
• as easy to print as possible : thicknesses, dimensions, gaps and tolerances have been adapted to make the model compatible with most printers, not only the high-end ones. Of course you still have to clean your bed  etc… but you should not need a CoreXY printer to make it. The need for support has been limited to the minimum : quite a challenge here, the goal was to limit filament usage and improve the surface quality
• as easy to assemble as possible : most of the assembly is done with M2,5 screws, you should not need any special tool as it will only need a 2mm hex key to make it (except for deburring of course…). Keep in mind that the variable nozzle was a challenge to make, it will ask you a bit of patience but it worth it!
• all of this while being as close as possible to the movie of course!

The Bill Of Material is available at the bottom of this page, so as the filament I decided to use. I did the choice to not follow the exact colors from the movie, and I hope I will also see some creative versions in the comment!

Anakin did not shared too much details of his highly successful Podracer so I had to investigate, watch and re-watch the movies and try to catch all the information I would need to make an as-close-as-possible version of the engine. 

Here are some details/explanation of my choices :

• The forward rotors (the first 4 gold "fans") are the Low Pressure Compressors, there have their own axle and can rotate freely. Combined with 3 stators they allow a first compression step
• Then there are several smaller rotors which are the High Pressure Compressor stages, again on their own axle. Their continue the air compressing task and also reduce the air speed inside the engine
• Those 2 compressor axles are linked by a planetary gear reducer, as they do not rotate at the same speed. But there is an hidden secret : the planetary rotor has magnets on its outside surface and there is a copper winding on the engine casing. Combined, this would act as an independant electric engine (driven by the power charge given by Qui-Gon) and has several function : it can start the engine on its own, and it can also regulate the speed difference between the low and high pressure axles. This is why we can hear the engine sound changing its tone during the race : the planetary gear reducer is acting like a gearbox inside the engine (clever Anakin!). A hint was hidden inside the movie about this system, when Anakin tries to recover from a failure during the race you can see a dial inside his cockpit which looks like this system…
• You can also note that the air flow can split at this gear reducer, the overflow can go directly outside by the large square opening, or it can pass through the side flaps to help change direction during the race. Or it can continue to the combustion chamber, be ignited and provide enough thrust to beat Sebulba!
• There are 4 square openings on the casing, there are used to allow the extra heat from the “electric engine” to escape, and there is an electricity isolator to protect the engine systems from lightning effect
• After the cannular combustion chamber, toward the end of the engine, 2 afterburner rings increase the thrust once again and a variable nozzle allow the engine geometry to adapt to the gas outflow speed and increase efficiency.

You will find below 2 PDF guides : a Part Catalog to help you identify the numerous parts needed and track those printed or remain to be printed, and an assembly guide with detailed steps.

Another document gives you details about the print profiles I propose, and the settings I decided to adapt. Please follow the recommandation as tolerances between parts have been calculated as per the layer thicknesses. If you decide to use another nozzle diameter, please keep the layer thickness as is, or use a multiple of it.

18/05/2025 UPDATE : as recommended by several users, the 3 separates print profiles have been merged into a single one.

THERE IS NO CHANGE TO THE FIT OF THE PART, YOU CAN SWITCH TO THIS NEW “MERGED” PROFILE IF YOU ALREADY STARTED PRINTING WITH THE “SPLIT” PROFILES.

An extra profile is still provided if you plan to use Silk filament, this one is a copy with a speed reduced to 50mm/s for outer walls to make your filament shine. It applies only to the parts printed in silver in the pictures.

The most important setting you need to have a look is about the Auxiliary Fan : turn it to 0% for every print (and/or print a deflector), you are printing “wing shape” parts and the Aux Fan will try to make them fly out from the bed!

I used a smooth bed plate for the final model, but made numerous prototypes with a textured plate without any side effect except the look. Use the one you prefer, textured or smooth, but keep it clean!

A coordonate desk stand has also been created, you can now find it here : https://makerworld.com/en/models/1436724-anakin-podracer-engine-desk-stand#profileId-1494753

I hope you will enjoy this model, by printing and assemble it, and also share it with us. If you find any valuable improvement to be made, feel free to reach me!