Welcome to Star Wars School, where we delve into the past, present and future of that franchise we all love so much. Today we’re discussing Han Solo’s one and only Millennium Falcon, uncovering some of the lesser known facts about that beauty.

She’s been every kid’s dream machine for nearly four decades -- the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy that can outrun Star Destroyers, successfully navigate asteroid fields, and evade the hungry chompers of space slugs. All, of course, while looking really good doing it.

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The original "Space: 1999" design

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Joe Johnston

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The full-sized half-build from A New Hope

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We’ve all loved her for years, but here are nine things you probably didn’t know about the Millennium Falcon!The original design of the Millennium Falcon was altered at the last minute because it looked too much like the ship from Space: 1999 of all things. Its replacement was based on a half-eaten hamburger and olive that inspired George Lucas… and which led to the ILM team calling the ship "the Porkburger."The Falcon that we did wind up getting is said to have been designed in less than a week by Joe Johnston. Johnston worked on the Star Wars movies in a variety of roles and also designed Boba Fett’s armor… and went on to direct movies like The Rocketeer, Jurassic Park 3, and Captain America: The First Avenger. Go Joe!Everyone loves Star Wars, right? But are you ready to fan up and actually build a full-scale Millennium Falcon? Well, the intrepid group of designers, builders and yes, even the gentleman in charge of “C-3PO/Pistons” at the Full Scale Millennium Falcon Project , are doing just that.The project’s been underway for some time now, so we’re not sure when the actual full-scale model will be complete, but we wish them all the luck in the galaxy. May the Force -- and some geeky benefactor -- be with them…Think Trekkies and Jedi-loving Star Wars aficionados can find no common ground? Think again!A CG model of the Falcon was inserted in Star Trek: First Contact during the Enterprise’s battle with the Borg cube. Yes, there can be peace in the universe after all! Oh, and ever a show-boater, the Falcon can also be glimpsed briefly docking on Coruscant in Revenge of the Sith. But where’s Han?!Whatever happened to the original Millennium Falcon? The studio -- likely not knowing that they could have sold it in auction and earned enough credits to buy everything from Bonadan to Hoth -- unceremoniously dumped the full-sized half-build from A New Hope. The one from Empire and Return of the Jedi, which was a full-build, was burned in a bonfire after shooting Jedi. And so millions of nerd voices suddenly cried out in terror… and were suddenly silenced.Everybody remembers how Lando got the Falcon’s sensor dish knocked off during the attack on the Death Star in Return of the Jedi. But did you notice the new dish the ship is sporting in the Force Awakens trailer? This newfangled rectangular sucker is clearly a replacement that was added after Lando’s mishap. And it’s also a nice little nod to continuity. But still, come on Lando. Remember what Han said? “Not a scratch!”Of course, the Millennium Falcon wasn’t always owned by Han Solo. And it wasn’t always called the Millennium Falcon. Here are some of its prior owners and pilots, according to the Expanded Universe: the Corell Industries Limited shipping firm, Kal and Dova Brigger, the Republic Group, Bammy Decree and Rej Taunt, Quip Fargil, Doctor Parlay Thorp, Molpol's Traveling Circus, Cix Trouvee and, of course, Lando Calrissian.As for its previous names, there was Corell's Pride, Fickle Flyer, Meetyl's Misery, the Jackpot, the Hardwired, the Wayward Son, the Stellar Envoy, the Second Chance and the Gone to Pieces. Finally, the ship was dubbed the Millennium Falcon because she was said to be “fast as a bat-falcon, resilient enough to last a millennium.” True that!Just how old is the Falcon anyway? Well, again, according to the Expanded Universe, she was constructed 60 years before the Battle of Yavin, which took place in A New Hope. If The Force Awakens happens some 30 years after Return of the Jedi, that would mean the old hunk of junk is almost a hundred years old. Which is kind of like driving a really, really old car in high-speed chases. All the time.When Chewie died in the Expanded Universe, Han painted the Falcon black for a time. Because, you know, he wore black on the outside because black is how he felt on the inside.Sure, Han claimed it was for reasons unrelated to his pal’s death… But come on. We all know Han was never able to fully express his emotions.So there you have it -- nine things you probably didn’t know about the Millennium Falcon. Do you have an interesting factoid to share? Then let us know in the comments -- and may the Force be with you…

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