From the Movies
Built in secret by the young slave Anakin Skywalker, this shiny blue and silver Podracer was boasted to be the fastest ever to compete in the Boonta Eve Classic. It wasn't idle puffery by its creator -- when thrown into the cutthroat racing competition, this Podracer's performance gave Anakin the edge he needed to win the race and his freedom.
Smaller and leaner than all the other competing Podracers, Anakin's vehicle follows the same basic design found throughout the sport: a small cockpit pulled by two high-powered engines. The engines are locked to each other via an energy binder, and durable control cables connect the engines to the cockpit.
Anakin's freedom was a condition of a cleverly crafted wager by Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. After liberating Anakin, Jinn sold Anakin's Podracer. The money, sadly, wasn't enough to purchase freedom for Anakin's mother, Shmi, who was forced to stay behind as her son left Tatooine to begin life as a Jedi.
From the Expanded Universe
As testament to Anakin Skywalker's engineering brilliance, his Podracer features a number of amazing innovations built into its compact frame. Anakin salvaged a pair of Radon-Ulzer 620C racing engines that Watto deemed too burned out to be of any use.
Less crafty pilots often invest in larger engines in the hopes of getting greater performance. The trouble with that route is that the larger the engine, the heavier the racer. Anakin side-stepped that dilemma by developing a new fuel atomizer and distribution system that sent more fuel into the Radon-Ulzer's combustion chambers, radically increasing their thrust and his racer's top speed to almost 950 kilometers per hour. Anakin capped each Radon-Ulzer with a trio of bright yellow air scoops that provided additional control when braking and cornering.
After the Boonta Eve Classic, Qui-Gon Jinn sold Anakin's Podracer to an eager customer. Sebulba, having lost face and his beloved Podracer, sought to climb back to the top by racing in the very vehicle that bested him. He repainted Anakin's Podracer his signature orange and entered and won the Vinta Harvest Classic on his native Malastare. Sebulba's son, Hekula, inherited the Radon-Ulzer Podracer. The Dug crashed and destroyed it while competing on the planet Euceron.
Behind the Scenes
Each of the Podracers was constructed several times in different formats for the purposes of filming. They all started off as sketches and concept models to determine basic shape and proportions. Furthermore, detailed effects models were built at ILM for stationary shots (such as in the Podrace hangar or starting grid). Full-size versions of several Podracers were also built by Production Designer Gavin Bocquet's crew. The parts for these racers came from a shopping trip Producer Rick McCallum, Bocquet and Set Decorator Peter Walpole took to Arizona prior to filming. They purchased $60,000 worth of surplus military aircraft parts that became the basis of many Podracers.
