Tech Question - Falcon's engine

[Crazedwraith]

Just something I was wondering the other day. Did either canon ever say what the advantages (and disadvantages) of the Falcon's sublight engine were? The big long strip thing as oppose to multiple round glowy holes.

The only other ships I can think that used them were other YT freighters. Maybe Fett's firespray? I think it had a blocky thing and two round engines as well.

[Batman]

She isn't exceptionally fast sublight (IIRC in ANH the ISDs were gaining on her during the Tatooine escape). Maybe they have better fuel economy or require less maintenance? She Allegedly started out as a stock YT-1300 so maybe the ship's engines weren't designed for maximum performance but economic viability.

[Tribble]

In the Old Canon pretty much everything in the Falcon was rebuilt and (illegally) modified. IIRC while not as spectacular as the Hyperdrive the sublight engines were still much faster than the stock model.

Dunno about current canon, though given that top of the line warships / star fighters must actually chase the Falcon and don’t instantly catch up and the Falcon can out maneuver star fighters in an asteroid field / Death Star, the sublights are likely above average at least.

[Batman]

The 'stock' model was a 'tug'. they don't need much in the way of speed/accel. And 'outmaneuver'. Means she's more 'agile' (or has a better pilot). Doesn't say anything about speed.

[Tribble]

The 'stock' model was a 'tug'. they don't need much in the way of speed/accel. And 'outmaneuver'. Means she's more 'agile' (or has a better pilot). Doesn't say anything about speed.

Wouldn't the manoeuverability say something about the capability of the engine / thrust, particularly in space? With no friction and when outside a gravity well the only way the Falcon is changing its velocity is via direct thrust from its engines. And at least in comparison to other craft we see it seems above average in manoeuverability for its size.

IIRC we don't really have direct comparisons on screen between the Falcon and the "stock" model, but I have my doubts the "stock" model would've been able to pull off all the same stunts that the Falcon did, even with Han / Lando at the controls.

Old Canon was that like the hyperdrive the Falcon's sublights were heavily and illegally modified. Don't know about current canon though.

[Batman]

Oh I don't doubt she's above 'Stock' but the stock is so menial that doesn't really say much. And maneuverability really doesn't I'm afraid. It says something about how good she is at 'quickly changing the direction the main thrusters are firing in', but spaceship maneuverability in Star Wars (especially in movie canon) is a weird beast.

[Tribble]

Oh I don't doubt she's above 'Stock' but the stock is so menial that doesn't really say much. And maneuverability really doesn't I'm afraid. It says something about how good she is at 'quickly changing the direction the main thrusters are firing in', but spaceship maneuverability in Star Wars (especially in movie canon) is a weird beast.

Fair enough.

So all we know really is that the Falcon at sublight can be pretty quickly overtaken by front line star fighters, and can eventually be overtaken by top of the line warships. But in the case of the warships, provided everything is working properly they can’t close the gap fast enough for the Falcon to escape.

And IIRC Imperial Class Star destroyers are considered pretty fast, we see one successfully hunt down the “blockade runner” Tantive IV after all.

That still seems good overall, though admittedly it’s a subjective guess.

Edit: the Falcon was also fast enough to avoid the Death Stars defences and get the drop on Vader, so I suppose that’s something. Even if he had gone ahead during the battle and prepared an ambush that still puts it at “one man star fighter “ league that the DS1s defences weren’t designed to handle.

[Batman]

Basically, though we still have no idea whaht if anything that has to do with her sublight drive arrangement (or what that arrangement even 'is' the drive glow is so bright I doubt we would be able to make out seperate nozzles')

[Galvatron]

(or what that arrangement even 'is' the drive glow is so bright I doubt we would be able to make out seperate nozzles')

Like this?

[Batman]

Didn't remember them ever being visible this clearly.

[Tribble]

That has to be either remastered or the sequels; the initial release OT definitely didn’t show that lol

[Batman]

Not the sequels, she didn't get the circular antenna back until Ep IX And I don't think there were any desert world takeoffs in that. This looks like a remastered version of the Docking Bay 94 escape from ANH.

[Galvatron]

It's from the ANH special edition, but that's like 25 years old now.

[Tribble]

It's from the ANH special edition, but that's like 25 years old now.

The 1997 release, which spawned 1,000 “Han shot first” debates?

[Solauren]

The grill on the back of the falcon hides the engines nozzles nicely, so you can't tell make/model.

Also, it makes the ship look cooler. Wouldn't surprise me if that was a 'racing' upgrade.

The Star Wars equal of putting stuff on your engine to make it louder so it sounds more powerful.

[Gandalf]

That would be pretty amusing if Lando/Han were the equivalent of those guys who drive slowly down the street revving their engines, and then getting into street races against other people's modified hatchbacks.

[Solauren]

That would be pretty amusing if Lando/Han were the equivalent of those guys who drive slowly down the street revving their engines, and then getting into street races against other people's modified hatchbacks.

True.

I was more thinking of it from the smuggler point of view, however.

Imperial patrol, spots the falcon.
Patrol #1 - 'Those modified sublights?'
Patrol #2 - "Can't really tell on the sensors, but they're meeting regulations for emissions and all that'.
Patrol #1 - 'Should we scan or report it?'
Patrol #2 - 'You want to do all the paperwork if it turns out it's just a style choice?'
Patrol #1 - 'Yeah, good point'.

[Lord Revan]

Honestly as far as I can tell Falcon's sublight isn't visually different from a stock YT-1300 drive though it's probably different "under the hood" so to speak.

Though this does make sense as smuggler wouldn't want a ship that's easy to identify at a glance. other similar small Corellian ships seem to have drives that look to be in the same style (though the CR-90 has a cluster of smaller drives but then that's purpose built warship and not a modified civilian craft).