Ring Corridor
23 Aug 2023 -
The main corridors in the Millennium Falcon are circular in cross section. They are lined with sectional padding material which has been removed in patches to allow access to machinery for Solo's many emergency repairs and modifications.
There are nine large padding segments visible (if the floor wasn't there, there would be twelve) but many more smaller pads around the "rings". Any doors off the corridor occupy three wall segments of height. This indicates that the vertical height of a door is equal to a chord that would occupy one quarter of the diameter.
There are nine large padding segments visible (if the floor wasn't there, there would be twelve) but many more smaller pads around the "rings". Any doors off the corridor occupy three wall segments of height. This indicates that the vertical height of a door is equal to a chord that would occupy one quarter of the diameter.
The best way to picture this is as a square inscribed within a circle.
The door heights would therefore match the floor width. Measurements from movie shots indicate a door height / floor width of about 1.85metres (6'). Pythagoras tells us that the diameter of the inner surface of the tube is therefore about 2.6metres (8.5').
The door heights would therefore match the floor width. Measurements from movie shots indicate a door height / floor width of about 1.85metres (6'). Pythagoras tells us that the diameter of the inner surface of the tube is therefore about 2.6metres (8.5').
The tube has considerable thickness though. The external diameter of the tube is visible on the 'eastern' and 'western' walls of the forward hold. The thickness of the tube wall appears to be about 0.3metres (1'). This makes a total external diameter of 3.23metres (10.5').
Entry ramp and cockpit corridor - count the segments
Solo up the ramp - note 'doorways' take up 3 wall segments
Ring corridor, near hidden compartments - note wall segments
Stormtrooper in Cockpit access corridor - note the tube wall segments
Note the external diameter of the ring corridor behind Kenobi
The circular corridors in the Millennium Falcon curve around the saucer hull. We see enough of them in the film, as well as the Holiday Special animation, to realise that they form a concentric 'ring'. They are interrupted by the forward hold. They may or may not continue around through the engine quadrant. The interior shots from the Holiday Special suggest that they may.
Where is this 'ring' located ? What is the diameter of it? If it were 'hard-up' to the diameter of the central core-cap then the forward hold simply wouldn't work. It would have to be a wedge shaped room at best.
The forward hold extends back from the corridor entrance by a metre or more. If the ring were too close to the core, then it will extend back under the gun-turret window. The gun turrets then cannot exist. This is clearly demonstrated in the AMT 8789 'cutaway' Model Kit, where the dorsal (upper) gun turret window actually touches the navcomputer in the forward hold! There is NOWHERE for a turret-gunner to exist! It is impossible to install the gunner's chair under the dorsal gun-turret window. Any Turret access ladder would actually be IN the forward hold!
So the ring corridor MUST be large enough in diameter that it sits 'out' from the core-cap.
Where is this 'ring' located ? What is the diameter of it? If it were 'hard-up' to the diameter of the central core-cap then the forward hold simply wouldn't work. It would have to be a wedge shaped room at best.
The forward hold extends back from the corridor entrance by a metre or more. If the ring were too close to the core, then it will extend back under the gun-turret window. The gun turrets then cannot exist. This is clearly demonstrated in the AMT 8789 'cutaway' Model Kit, where the dorsal (upper) gun turret window actually touches the navcomputer in the forward hold! There is NOWHERE for a turret-gunner to exist! It is impossible to install the gunner's chair under the dorsal gun-turret window. Any Turret access ladder would actually be IN the forward hold!
So the ring corridor MUST be large enough in diameter that it sits 'out' from the core-cap.
The StarWars Technical Journal has the forward hold skewed off at an angle to fit. This makes no sense when you look at the curve of the holds ceiling, and the alignment of the ceiling beams. This also sends the port (left) side corridor out the edge of the hull, where it simply cannot fit!
The LucasArts Screen Entertainment 'blueprint' and the WEG Sourcebook that is based on it, keep the hold straight, but shunt it way over to the port side of the ship. (So does the Model Kit but in a more perverse way) This also sends the ring corridor out into impossibility. It also puts the forward hold in a position such that it cannot have the ceiling height necessary for Chewbacca to squeeze into!
one of these 'blueprints' seem to accept the obvious existence of the circular corridors as a concentric ring. WHY? because they are trying to fit the observed internal sets into the UNDERSIZED external set!
The LucasArts Screen Entertainment 'blueprint' and the WEG Sourcebook that is based on it, keep the hold straight, but shunt it way over to the port side of the ship. (So does the Model Kit but in a more perverse way) This also sends the ring corridor out into impossibility. It also puts the forward hold in a position such that it cannot have the ceiling height necessary for Chewbacca to squeeze into!
one of these 'blueprints' seem to accept the obvious existence of the circular corridors as a concentric ring. WHY? because they are trying to fit the observed internal sets into the UNDERSIZED external set!
For the forward hold to fit into the Millennium Falcon AT ALL, the ring corridor must be at least a metre or two out from the core-caps.
There are numerous hints to crew accessible areas within the core itself. This also suggests the ring is further out from the core.
To be fair, the view of the core, from the entrance of the cockpit access tube, suggests a smaller core, but this is just another error in the internal set. I don't mean to sound glib here, it is simple geometry .. I spent YEARS fighting to fit the Millennium Falcon together without altering the sets .. it CAN'T be done without making the obvious mistakes of the other 'blueprints'.
To be fair, the view of the core, from the entrance of the cockpit access tube, suggests a smaller core, but this is just another error in the internal set. I don't mean to sound glib here, it is simple geometry .. I spent YEARS fighting to fit the Millennium Falcon together without altering the sets .. it CAN'T be done without making the obvious mistakes of the other 'blueprints'.