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BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bomber

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BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bomber

Production information

Manufacturer

Koensayr Manufacturing^[1]

Line

BTL-series Y-wing^[1]

Model

BTL-A4 Y-wing^[1]

Type

Assaultstarfighter/bomber^[1]

Cost

135,000credits(new)^[2]
65,000(used)^[2]

Technical specifications

Length

16.24meters(53 ft 3 in)^[1]

Width

8.54 meters(28 ft)^[2]

Height/depth

2.44 meters(8 ft)^[1]

Maximum acceleration

2,700 G^[2]

Megalight per hour

70MGLT^[3]

Maximum atmospheric speed

1,000kph^[4]

Engine unit(s)

KoensayrR200 ion jet engine (2)^[5]^[6]

Hyperdrive rating

Class 1^[7]

Hyperdrive system

KoensayrR300-H hyperdrive motivator^[2]

Power plant

Shielding

Chempat deflector shield generator^[5]

Hull

Titanium-reinforcedalusteel^[2]

Sensor systems

Crew

Pilot (1)^[1]
Astromech droid (1)^[1]

Consumables

1week^[2]

Life support

Equipped^[2]

Usage

Role(s)

Bomber^[9]
Assault starfighter^[1]

Affiliation

"Y-wings? Kinda old. Can they fly?"
"Those bombers may be old, but they were solid in combat operations."

―Hera Syndulla andRex^[11]

TheBTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bomber, also referred to simply as theBTL-A4 Y-wing starfighter orY-wing light bomber, was a model ofstarfighter-bomber, part of the venerableBTL-series manufactured byKoensayr Manufacturing. Originally in service with theRepublic Navy, it was more famously used as the workhorse of theRebel Alliance Starfighter Corps during theGalactic Civil War. An effective hybrid of between speed and firepower, Y-wings served their respective causes extremely well.

Characteristics[]

"Some of you may be skeptical about these Y-wings because of their age and condition. And I admit, the designers at Koensayr would probably cringe if they saw how many parts these fighters have lost over the years."

―Jon "Dutch" Vander^[2]

Unlike theBTL-B Y-wing starfighter/bomber, which had a rotatingturret controlled by agunner^[1] who sat facing forwards or backwards, BTL-A4s being used by theAlliance to Restore the Republic were flown by a singlepilot, while the turret was controlled by a droid-like targeting computer.^[5] Stock models of the BTL-A4 had atransparisteel bubble turret like its predecessor, though they were removed in favor of the automatic turret by Rebeltechnicians.^[2] Located behind thecockpit was anastromech droid slot. The long attack starfighter measured in at 23.4meters. The wedge-shaped cockpit was placed on the front of the craft, with the central spar extending behind it. TwoKoensayr R200 ion jet engines were attached to either side of the spar.^[5] The engines had exhaust nacelles and support pylons, and had sensor array domes that contained FabritechANx-y sensor arrays on the front of the nacelles. TheR300-H hyperdrive motivator was at the rear of the spar.Squadron markings were placed on the cockpit and the forward tips of the engine nacelles.^[12]

For power, the ship had aNovaldex power generator behind the astromech droid slot, andThiodyne 03-R cryogenic power cells inside the engine pylons. AChempat deflector shield generator was located behind the power generator. The Y-wing's main sensor array contained aANs-5d "lock track" full-spectrum transceiver, aPA-9r long-range phased tachyon detection array unit, and ashort range PTAG #PG-7u unit.^[5] In the event that the craft would have to make a make an emergency landing, the pilot could dump its fuel from the engines.^[13]

The starfighter was constructed with ahull oftitanium-reinforcedalusteel alloy,^[2] and it was armed with two forward-mountedTaim & Bak IX4 laser cannons, along with twoArakyd Flex Tube proton torpedo launchers, and a twinArMek SW-4 ion cannon on a rotating turret. The Y-wing's targeting system was made from combining a FabritechANc 2.7 tracking computer and anSI 5g7 "Quickscan" vector imaging system.^[5] The starfighter was capable of unleashing a tremendous amount of firepower, especially when attacking in groups: a squadron of Y-wings could carry enough ordnance to glass an entire city, bathing the battlefield in blinding white detonations which scrambled sensors.^[14]

By theGalactic Civil War, many Y-wings were stripped of their hull plating and engine nacelles,^[9] shortening their length to 16.24 meters,^[1] for ease of maintenance,^[9] as their older parts often broke down,^[15] and models that eliminated the gunner's turret had been introduced.^[9]

History[]

A single-seat variant of the BTL-B Y-wing starfighter, BTL-A4s were designed by Koensayr to serve in theRepublic Navy during theClone Wars.^[2] However, the rise of theGalactic Empire saw the newImperial Navy shift towards acapital ship-based space superiority doctrine,^[16] causing Koensayr to lose their government contract. Much of the Y-wing stock was initially sold to local planetary defense markets, though Imperial intervention caused many unsold, repossessed and surplus Y-wings to be allocated forreclamation.^[1] During this period, the mass scrapping of the BTL-B made the BTL-A4 the most readily available model of Y-wing.^[2]

Many Y-wings were allocated to salvage yards before being stolen by the rebellion

The nascent rebellion against the Empire sent out search parties to acquire as many Y-wings as possible for their fleet. BTL-A4s were either bought or, in many cases, stolen, from military surplus dealers and scrapyards,^[1]^[2] including raids such asone mounted bymembers of thePhoenix Cell in2 BBY.^[11] Soon after, these raids would ensure that Y-wings became very common within the rebel cells,^[1] with the Imperial Navy including rebel Y-wings in simulated engagements at theSkystrike Academy.^[17]Gold Squadron's Y-wings were notably responsible forescorting the fugitiveSenator Mon Mothma toDantooine, where therebel fleet massed and the Alliance to Restore the Republic was formed.^[18]

After its formation, the Rebel Alliance used extensively modified Y-wings throughout the Galactic Civil War against the Empire.^[19] Originally designed for close-quarter combat and bombing runs, the Y-wing served as the Alliance's original attack starfighter prior to the introduction of theT-65B X-wing starfighter. Despite its inability to maneuver as well as later Rebel starfighters,^[4] as well as the introduction ofSlayn & Korpil'sA/SF-01 B-wing starfighter as a potential replacement for the aging bomber,^[20] its rugged reliability ensured its presence in all major battles against the Empire.^[4]

The craft notably participated in the Battle ofScarif, where its use by Gold Squadron was instrumental in the destruction of theShield Gate and the acquisition of theDeath Star plans. Led by Gold LeaderJon Vander, the Y-wings inflicted damage on the Shield Gate and single-handedly disabled the Imperial Star DestroyerPersecutor, which had already lost a shield generator dome, with Vander usingion torpedoes, turning the tide of the battle.^[21] They also served during the Battle of Yavin, where the Alliance deployed the bombers in an attempt to destroy the approaching Death Star, which in turn was threatening to destroy the Alliance'shidden fortress onYavin 4. Flying with twowing men, Vander attempted to skim themeridian trench and fireproton torpedoes into thethermal exhaust port to destroy the battlestation. During the battle, all butone of the eight Y-wings were destroyed, including three byDarth Vader in aTIE Advanced x1 starfighter. However,Luke Skywalker, a farmboy fromTatooine^[6] and the son of Darth Vader,^[22] was able to fire the shot that destroyed the Death Star.^[6]

Y-wings of Gold Squadron bomb an Imperial Star Destroyer during the Battle of Endor.

Following the Rebel defeat at the Battle of Hoth, Y-wings were among the ships of the Alliance Fleet that met at the rendezvous point.^[22] Y-wings also joined the Rebel Fleet to attack theDS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station atEndor. During the battle, Y-wings were deployed asGray Squadron. Under GeneralLando Calrissian's orders, they joined in attackingImperial Star Destroyers at point-blank range, and then followed him into the Death Star after its defenses were knocked out byHan Solo's ground team. Inside the Death Star, one Y-wing, flown byNorra Wexley, broke off and led TIE fighters away from Calrissian's strike group, which succeeded in destroying the battlestation.^[23] Y-wings were also used by the New Republic in the Battle ofJakku, along with X-wings, A-wings, and B-wings.^[10]^[24]

Behind the scenes[]

Concept art of the Y-wing by Ralph McQuarrie, which inspired the starfighter's appearance in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series — Concept art of the Y-wing by Ralph McQuarrie, which inspired the starfighter's appearance in theStar Wars: The Clone Wars animated series

The Y-wing is based on concept art made byRalph McQuarrie. The starfighters seen in the firstStar Wars film,A New Hope, were models produced byIndustrial Light & Magic and filmed against blue screens. WhenJoe Johnston refined theColin Cantwell and Ralph McQuarrie Y-wing designs for construction into a visual effects model forA New Hope, he posited that the starship was once a sleek vessel that was chopped and stripped like a hot rod by Rebel Alliance technicians.

DesignerRussell G. Chong spearheaded the development of the earlier Y-wing models first seen in theStar Wars: The Clone Wars animated series, based on that original concept. "The Y-wing was a really fun project, bringing it back fully faired," he said.^[25] According to Chong, "We back-engineered the Y-wing and turned it back into a bomber. I took images of the actual Y-wing model from the files at Lucasfilm and I designed our new version over it. We revitalized the bubble turret that Colin Cantwell and Ralph McQuarrie had developed. All the body panels are very much the same as the original Y-wing. I did my best to give it the same styling and the same look as the original Y-wing."^[26]