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A/SF-01 B-wing starfighter
Production information
Manufacturer
Model
Technical specifications
Width
Height/depth
Maximum acceleration
Engine unit(s)
Hyperdrive system
Power plant
Shielding
Sensor systems
Targeting systems
Navigation system
Counter
Armament
Escape craft
Usage
- "Three hours ago, Admiral Ackbar and I watched a test flight of a new starfighter. It's a single-pilot craft, hyperdrive equipped. To say the craft is well armed would be a massive understatement. To our knowledge, Ackbar and I believe this craft may be the most well armed starfighter in the galaxy."
- ―Carlist Rieekan toAlliance High Command[4]
TheA/SF-01 B-wing starfighter, also designated as theA/SF-01 B-wing assault starfighter, more commonly referred to as theB-wing, was a heavily armedRebel Alliance single-pilotstarfighter andbomber designed by thestarshipengineerQuarrie and manufactured bySlayn & Korpil. The B-wing saw action during theGalactic Civil War and was subsequently substituted by theB-wing Mark II.
Characteristics[]
- "This is one of my most advanced designs! Fast, agile, and narrow attack profile. And it packs a punch."
- ―Quarrie[1]
A/SF-01 B-wing schematics
The A/SF-01 B-wingstarfighter, manufactured bySlayn & Korpil,[2] was a relatively poor dogfighter, but it was primarily designed as a "blockade buster" to attack and destroy largecapital ships.[1][5] As such, it was equipped with weaponry and systems normally reserved for much larger craft.[5] Indeed, the B-wing boasted more firepower than mostpatrol ships andcorvettes. At the same time, it was slower and less maneuverable than aY-wing, gave off a significantinfrared signature, and required more maintenance than any other Rebel starfighter.[4]
The primary airfoil took up the length of thehull, with the cylindrical command pod at one end and a weapons pod at the other, and anengine cluster in between. TwoS-foils just below the engine on either side of the main airfoil provided similar functionality to those on theX-wing starfighter but featured more advanced actuator technology and locking mechanisms. Anti-gravity generators andrepulsorlift projectors were mounted in the S-foils.[4]
The command pod featured acockpit for the pilot, life support systems, flight computer,comlink transceiver and various sensor systems such as a long-range forward scanner, short-range tactical sensor and weather radar. While the B-wing featured anejector seat, the pod could also disconnect from the rest of the starfighter with a separatesublight engine at the rear of the pod.[4][11] The avionics packages were on par with those used by small capital ships.[11] Advanced targeting systems allowed pilots to synchronize attacks across multiple B-wing fighters.[5]
B-wings attacking an Imperial supply convoy.
The B-wing was unusual compared to other starfighters in that its command pod featured a unique gyroscopic control system that kept it stationary as the rest of the starfighter rotated around it. By keeping the cockpit module level with a horizon no matter how the body of the craft was positioned, the B-wing pilot was better able to concentrate on flying and targeting enemy ships, allowing them to evade enemy fire while staying on target. This gyroscopic stabilization also minimized the g-stresses the pilot felt performing evasive maneuvers. If however the gyroscopic system failed, it would lock the wing in place and put the pilot under more physical strain when attempting to make tight turns.[4]
The engine cluster in the middle of the B-wing consisted of a singleKyromaster ion engine with four thrust nozzles, along with the ship'sfusion reactor and Class-2hyperdrive. At the front of the cluster was the B-wing's cooling system, with four cooling vent "intakes" on either side of the splitter plate along with the main heat radiators. Retro-thrust nozzles were also located next to the cooling system.[4] The primary wing below the engine held the B-wing'sANv-9q sensor array housed in a protective window, along with other systems including navigation sensor array, wing status sensors, velocity sensors andsensor jammer system.[4][6]
The A/SF-01's impressive array of weaponry made it the most heavily-armed starfighter in the galaxy when it was introduced. As standard its weapons pod held aSW-7a ion cannon, anR-9X heavy laser cannon and an emission-typeMG9 proton torpedo launcher. Two more SW-7a cannons were mounted at the ends of the S-foils, with a secondary MG9 in an armored emplacement between the command pod and engine cluster. The command pod featured a weapon mount that could accommodate multiple options; typically it featured a pair of twinauto-blasters with room for a second pair.[4] Alternative weaponry includedquad lasers[11] orlaser-guidedbombs.[13][4][19]
The B-wing starfighter was capable of diverting power from all other systems into its energy weapons, unleashing enough firepower to vaporize a small mountain in one blast. However, attempting to maintain this level of firepower would lead to gradual system failure.[20]
In addition to the four low-poweredtargeting lasers, one each mounted at the four ends of the starfighter, the B-wing had another unusual targeting feature. By continuously firing the R-9X heavy laser cannon at very low power at an enemy, the targeting computer could receive enough data to ensure a 97% probability of hitting it with the ion cannons and/or torpedoes. Unfortunately this method also revealed the B-wing's approach vector to the enemy, so it was used sparingly and actually removed by many pilots.[4]
The prototype starfighter,B6, built by theMon CalamariQuarrie featured aComposite-beam laser weapon that could inflict heavy damage uponcruiser-class targets, but its range was short, and use interfered with the hyperdrive. The B6 also had a secondgunner's cockpit at the opposite end of the main airfoil. Neither of these features were included with later production models, where the primary weaponry focus shifted tomissiles.[1][15]
History[]
Imperial Era[]
The first B-wing prototype, the Prototype B6 Blade Wing, was developed by Quarrie, a Mon Calamariengineer on theplanetShantipole, as part ofProject Shantipole.[1] Several of the B-wing's distinctive features, such as the gyro-stabilized cockpit and S-foils, originated fromClone Wars era starships such as theT-6 shuttle, theH-60 Tempest bomber, and theV-19 Torrent starfighter.[4] After being won over by the spirit and piloting skill ofHera Syndulla, Quarrie awarded the prototype—and his services in improving it—to the rebellion.Sabine Wren volunteered to redesign the starfighter's weapons package, including its targeting system.[1]
Blade Squadron
Following a successful teststrike against theGalactic Empire,Bail Organa, asenator sympathetic to the rebellion, found a manufacturer that agreed to further develop the B-wing in secret.[1] The production-line A/SF-01 B-wing starfighter was produced by Slayn & Korpil[2] working with Quarrie, respectfully naming their collaborative worksite Allied/Shantipole Facility.[21]
Although Quarrie described the B6 prototype as "fast" and "agile," the production versions were anything but. Despite eliminating the heavy gunner position, associatedlife support systems, and composite-beam laser, the production version of the B-wing was much slower and more ponderous than the other fighters in theAlliance Fleet and theImperial Navy. It also turned out to be tricky to fly, as the gyro-stabilized cockpit design was awkward to work with for all but the most skilled pilots. The B-wing was imagined as a potential replacement for theY-wing fighter in its role as an assault fighter.[22] The B-wing was primarily intended to carry a heavy weapons package with the purpose of destroying capital ships, though they proved difficult to maintain and fared poorly in dogfights.[5] Despite its weaknesses, it could gain ship-to-ship combat victories in desperate situations, and oneBlade Squadron pilot earned three kills in quick succession before being shot down himself in the Battle of Endor.[11]
A B-wing flies at the Battle of Endor
Hound Squadron was a B-wing formation active during the conflict against the Empire, with one of its members the aggressiveTheelin rebel pilotChass na Chadic.[20] B-wings participated in theBattle of Endor as part of theRebel Alliancefleet. Several B-wings followedGeneralLando Calrissian to attack thesecond Death Star, but broke off when they realized that the shield was still up.[7] Blade Squadron also participated in the battle, destroying theStar DestroyerDevastator.[11]
Hours after the battle, B-wing pilotsRynn Zenat andPreeti Delmin wereambushed in theAnoat sector byforces ofGrand MoffUbrik Adelhard.[23] At least ten B-wings took part in theattack on theHellion's Dare, where Hound Squadron was destroyed. After losing her squadron, Chadic would join the ranks ofAlphabet Squadron, where she continued to fly a B-wing.[20] Meanwhile, Blade Squadron participated in large-scale battles atMalastare,[9]Kuat,[13] and, ultimately,Jakku.[24]
New Republic[]
A Resistance B-wing
After the end of the Galactic Civil War, B-wings became available for civilian starship racing, and at least one took part inThe Gauntlet.[25] The New Republic deployed several starfighters, including two B-Wings that strafed and shot downSilvo's pirate frigate with Composite-beamlaser, repelling Silvo's remaining pirates andliberatingAt Attin.[26] They still remained in use with smaller, underequipped military forces, and theAmaxine warriors operated at least one B-wing[18] in28 ABY.[27]
A similar vessel—known simply as theB-Wing Mark III[28] or "Resistance B-wing"[29]—would eventually see use by theResistance,[30] a paramilitary force created byGeneralLeia Organa to protect the Republic from[18] theFirst Order,[31] an Imperial successor state.[32] Threedecades after the Battle of Endor in34 ABY,[27]open war would erupt between the Resistance and First Order,[32] with the small number of[33] Resistance B-Wings seeing use[30] by the second and final year of the war,35 ABY.[27]
Behind the scenes[]
Development[]
The B-wing fighter was originally designed byJoe Johnston andBill George forReturn of the Jedi. The craft derives its name from the fact that the crew labeled the two new Rebel Alliance starfighter models inReturn of the Jedi as "A fighter" and "B fighter." Bill George had so much input into the starship's development, that his colleagues nicknamed it the "Bill-Wing Fighter."[34] Years later inStar Wars Legends, the name "Blade wing" was devised as an in-universe nickname, which wascanonized by theStar Wars Rebels production team.[35]
The craft's unusually thin shape was problematic for blue-screen photography, because the model tended to blend into the star field. As a consequence, some planned sequences with the B-wing were cut from the original release ofReturn of the Jedi, and the B-wing is not shown in action during the Battle of Endor in the film. In fact, after the ships fly away from the still-active Death Star II shield at the start of the battle, the B-wing is hardly seen at all. The rotating cockpit design of the B-wing was based on early concept art for theMillennium Falcon.[36]Mike Quinn puppeteered a B-wingpilot in adeleted scene. There was no dialogue in the script, so Quinn used his improvisational skills by making up some lines about not getting his favorite radio station inspace.[37]
Further appearances[]
In the Star Wars Legends continuity, the B-wing was said to have been designed and produced by the Rebel Alliance after the Battle of Yavin,[38] partly as an in-universe explanation as to why the B-wing andA-wing fighters created forReturn of the Jedi did not participate in the attack on the first Death Star. However, in the new Star Wars canon, both B-wings and A-wings are featured in material taking place well before the Battle of Yavin and have been given earlier origins. The production team for theStar Wars Rebels television series, which has featured both ships, explained that the intention is to depict different rebel cells using different fighters in different parts of the galaxy. The A-wings and B-wing appear as the primary star fighters of thePhoenix Squadron inRebels, while the rebel cell led byJan Dodonna and portrayed inStar Wars: Episode IVA New Hope used primarily X-wings and Y-wings. The Battle of Endor, intended to show the first time the entire Rebel Alliance comes together, therefore includes both sets of ships.[39]
Star Wars authorAlexander Freed thinks of the B-wing as a "ridiculous and aggressive" craft. For that reason, when thinking of what kind of character would pilot a B-wing for hisStar Wars: Alphabet Squadron trilogy, he decided Chass na Chadic—an easily offended, aggressive, and oftentimes brutal rebel pilot who was almost born a rebel—was the perfect fit to be its pilot.[40]
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
"One-handed Adventure" —LEGO Star Wars 53- Star Wars: Visions — "Akakiri"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
- "Button-Smash Clash" —LEGO Star Wars 125
Sources[]
Non-canon sources[]
- LEGO Star Wars 50(Free Gift)
- Star Wars: Visions Filmmaker Focus — "Akakiri"(Video clip only)
