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T-16 skyhopper

<T-16 skyhopper

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T-16 Skyhopper

Production information

Manufacturer

Incom Corporation^[1]^[2]

Line

Skyhopper^[1]^[3]^[2]

Model

T-16 Skyhopper^[1]^[3]^[2]

Type

Airspeeder^[3]

Cost

14,500credits(new)^[3]
6,500 credits(used)^[3]

Technical specifications

Length

5.2meters^[1]^[3]

Height

10.4 meters^[2]

Maximum speed

1,200km/h^[4]^[5]^[2]

Maximum altitude

300km^[4]^[5]^[2]

Engine unit(s)

Shielding

None^[3]

Armament

Modulable

None(civilian models)^[3]^[2]

Stun cannons^[1]^[2]

Pneumatic cannons^[2]

Heavy laser cannon (1)^[5]^[2]

Doublelaser cannon (1)^[3]

Crew

Pilot (1)^[1]^[3]^[5]

Passengers

1^[3]^[5]

Cargo capacity

50 kg^[3]

Usage

Availability

Licensed^[3]

Role(s)

Reconnaissance^[3]
Patrol^[3]
Training
Aerial assault
Personaltransport^[2]
Racing^[3]^[2]

Affiliation

Various

"You may be the hottest bush pilot this side of Mos Eisley, Luke, but those little skyhoppers can be dangerous. They move awfully fast for tropospheric craft—faster than they need to. Keep playing engine jockey with one and someday, whammo! You're going to be nothing more than a dark spot on the damp side of a canyon wall."

―Biggs Darklighter, toLuke Skywalker^[6]

TheT-16 skyhopper was a high-performanceairspeeder.

Characteristics[]

"T-16s are a lot like the snubfighters we're using."
"I know, I looked one over. I'm sure I can handle it."

―Biggs Darklighter and Luke Skywalker, before theBattle of Yavin^[7]

TheIncom Corporation T-16Skyhopper was equipped with anion drive^[8] and a fully pressurized cockpit, allowing it to operate at trans-orbital altitudes.

Civilian versions of the skyhopper were armed withpneumatic cannons, and were equipped withtargeting lasers^[8] though many law-enforcement agencies andplanetary militaries throughoutthe galaxy utilized modified T-16s due to their overall good performance. However, because it was armed with only a single mountedrepeating blaster, it was often overlooked by the military.

Even so, these airspeeders were often used as training vehicles by theRebel Alliance,^[9] due to the fact that their flight controls were similar to those ofX-wings.

The skyhopper was a common sight across the galaxy, with versions of the craft found on nearly every settled world. The T-16 was identified by its tri-wing design and triangular cabin. The three wings, which were reproduced in countlessImperial transports, provided excellent stability. The central airfoil segmented the canopy and blocked much of the pilot's view, but computer displays and a holographic mapping system compensated for this decreased field of view.

The speeder had a top speed of approximately 1,200kilometers perhour, and the tworepulsor generators provided lift up to 300 meters.^[8] Many youngpilots preferred skyhoppers overlandspeeders because of the increased maneuverability.

History[]

Kodo Arr, the self-proclaimed "galaxy's best smuggler", owned a T-16. He claimed that if you put a "hundred large" credits into it, it could become a great craft. He once smuggled a box larger than the speeder onNar Shaddaa, which almost broke the craft.^[10]

In0 BBY theRebel Anchorhead Base onTatooine used T-16 for trainee pilots through the nearbyBeggar's Canyon.Merrick Simms flew under thecall sign Green Leader and trained pilots such as "Rookie One".^[11]^[12]

Luke Skywalker owned aT-16 on his home planet ofTatooine, where he would usewomp rats as target practice and race throughBeggar's Canyon with his friend,Biggs Darklighter^[13]. After an incident where Skywalker "threaded the needle" during a dangerous run through Beggar's Canyon, the T-16 ended up undergoing repairs at the Lars Homestead, repairs that were ultimately not completed by the time of thebattle between theTantive IV and theDevastator^[14].

Sixmonths after theBattle of Yavin,^[8] two T-16s were flying through Beggar's Canyon when the Empireraided Mos Eisley.^[15]

TheMT-16 was a T-16 modified by theNew Republic with ablaster cannon for light combat^[16].

Behind the scenes[]

InA New Hope, Luke is seen playing with a model of a T-16, which in reality was the prop miniature built byColin Cantwell. The actual prop could not be completed, and an incomplete model can be seen in the background of the droid cleaning scene. Theradio episode "A Wind to Shake the Stars" later depicted Luke damaging his T-16 in a race through Beggar's Canyon, and therefore he had to search forR2-D2 in his landspeeder.^[17] The skyhopper's engine was one of the few original sound effects that had to be created for the radio drama rather than remixed from the film's sound library.^[18]

A flying T-16 can be seen aboveMos Eisley during theReturn of the Jedi Special Edition's celebration ending sequence.

InAttack of the Clones, a T-16 can be seen in the background of the homestead garage scene.

In the1998 video game Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, the first bonus mission is a T-16 skyhopper race between the player (Luke Skywalker),Wedge Antilles,Zev Senesca, andDak Ralter. In the game's sequelsStar Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader andStar Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike, the player flies a T-16 for thenon-canon training.

Some of the speeder points (flight paths, in MMO terms) in the2011 video gameStar Wars: The Old Republic use a vehicle of similar design - also referred to as askyhopper - to travel to various points. The skyhopper is most often used onBalmorra andVoss, due to their largely mountainous terrains that inhibit the use of regular speeders.