How a Star Wars craft was secretly built in Pembroke Dock

  • Video report by Lewis Rhys Jones


It may be set in a galaxy far, far, away, but Star Wars fans may be surprised that the film has a connection to Wales.

The Millennium Falcon is one of the most recognisable spaceships in film - and it was built in Pembroke Dock.

When a space was needed to construct a fully sized Millennium Falcon for the second movie, Pembroke Dock was chosen as the location to build the set away from prying eyes.

Now, the local museum there has an exhibition celebrating the construction of the famous spaceship in the dockyard.

A Millennium Falcon from the second film 'The Empire Strikes Back' was actually built in Pembroke Dock. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

Rick Saldanha MBE from Pembrokeshire Heritage Centre spoke about the codename used for the 'Millennium Falcon'.

He said: "A Millennium Falcon from the second film 'The Empire Strikes Back' was actually built in the Western Sunderland Hanger in Pembroke Dock.

"They knew there was ship building skills in the area. It was also far enough from the studios that if the news broke out what they were doing, it wouldn't get very far.

Rick Saldanha MBE from Pembrokeshire Heritage Centre shares the secret name used for the Falcon Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

"In Pembroke Dock, when the Falcon was being built, it's codename was the 'Magic Roundabout'. I understand that the workers were informed that if the story broke out then they'd be sacked.

"One of the workers was telling his wife one night what he was actually doing and unfortunately the children were listening in the background, and the story broke around the whole of Pembroke Dock."

The Pembroke Dock’s intergalactic connections are on display at the heritage centre. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

The heritage centre also houses a collection looking back at the 200-year history of the town and Royal Dockyard.

Tim Payne from Pembrokeshire Heritage Centre said: "In that short period we've had a fascinating military history and this what we tell the story of.

"Both the cultural side and the social side and actually what was the equipment and how we did it. So, it's a great place to be."


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