HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Kuat RZ-1 A-wing Interceptor are starfighters in the ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' franchise. Designed and manufactured by the Kuat Systems Engineering, they are depicted as fast but fragile
interceptor Interceptor may refer to: Vehicles * Interceptor aircraft (or simply "interceptor"), a type of point defense fighter aircraft designed specifically to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft * Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, a police car * ...
s of the
Rebel Alliance The Alliance to Restore the Republic (colloquial: Rebel Alliance; the Rebellion; the Alliance; or the Rebels) is a fictional stateless interstellar coalition of republican dissidents, imperial defectors, revolutionary factions and anti-imperial ...
, conceived for high-speed
surgical strike A surgical strike is a military attack which is intended to damage only a legitimate military target, with no or minimal collateral damage to surrounding structures, vehicles, buildings, or the general public infrastructure and utilities. Descr ...
s,
deep reconnaissance A long-range reconnaissance patrol, or LRRP (pronounced "lurp"), is a small, well-armed reconnaissance team that patrols deep in enemy-held territory.Ankony, Robert C., ''Lurps: A Ranger's Diary of Tet, Khe Sanh, A Shau, and Quang Tri,'' revised ...
and
escort fighter The escort fighter was a concept for a fighter aircraft designed to escort bombers to and from their targets. An escort fighter needed range long enough to reach the target, loiter over it for the duration of the raid to defend the bombers, and r ...
duty. A-wings first appear in ''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who ...
'' (1983) and later in numerous ''Star Wars'' materials and productions. It gained popularity through its depiction in several video games, and since 1985 the A-wing has been merchandised by several companies. They are the fastest vessels in the ''Star Wars'' canon, with the advantage of being the smallest hyperspace drive-equipped craft without relying on a carrier, allowing the vessel to extricate itself from a losing battle or escape hostile territory after performing an attack.


Appearances

RZ-1 A-wings from Green Squadron participate in the climactic Battle of Endor depicted in ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983). At Endor, an A-wing piloted by Arvel Crynyd (
Hilton McRae Hilton McRae (born 28 December 1949) is a Scottish actor, working in theatre, television and film. Career McRae was part of the radical theatre group 7:84 before graduating from the University of Edinburgh, and by 1977 he had joined the Royal ...
) crashes into the bridge of the
Super Star Destroyer Star Destroyers are capital ships in the fictional '' Star Wars'' universe. Star Destroyers were produced by Kuat Drive Yards, later Kuat-Entralla Engineering, and serve as "the signature vessel of the fleet" for the Galactic Republic, Galactic Em ...
''Executor'', resulting in the ''Executor'' crashing out of control into the second
Death Star The Death Star is a fictional space station and Weapon of mass destruction, superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' Space opera, space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire (Star Wars), Galactic Empire, the Death Star ...
. In addition to McRae, two women recorded A-wing cockpit footage; one of the actors was cut, and the other was dubbed over by a male actor. A-wings later appear in various ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe television shows, books, and games. Some Expanded Universe material says
Jan Dodonna This incomplete list of characters from the '' Star Wars'' franchise contains only those which are considered part of the official ''Star Wars'' canon, as of the changes made by Lucasfilm in April 2014. Following its acquisition by The Walt D ...
created the A-wing based on his analysis of the role of speed in the Battle of Yavin, the climactic battle in ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' (1977). Later material, such as the ''
Star Wars Rebels ''Star Wars Rebels'' is an American 3D animation, 3D animated science fiction on television, science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation and set in the ''Star Wars'' universe. It takes place over a decade after ''Episode ...
'' television series, depicts the starfighters in use before the events of ''Star Wars''. The A-wings of Phoenix Squadron play an important role in ''Rebels'' second season (2015–2016). ''Rebels'' producers used the A-wing in part because the ship was not used much in ''Return of the Jedi'' The fighter's presence in the cartoon was meant to show that different groups used different craft to fight the Empire. The series's episodes "The Holocrons of Fate" and "
Twin Suns "Twin Suns" is the twentieth episode of the third season of the American 3D animation, 3D animated Science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Star Wars Rebels.'' The episode was written and directed by series creator Dav ...
" also feature the two-seater RZ-1T trainer, a training spacecraft used by the rebels to train recruits. The RZ-1T also appears in the novel ''Battlefront II: Inferno Squad''. The RZ-1 A-Wing is based on the R-22 A-Wing, also made by Kuat Systems Engineering A later variant, the RZ-2 A-wing, features in '' Star Wars Battlefront II'' and in '' Star Wars: The Last Jedi''. It is a bigger spacecraft used by the Resistance against the First Order.


Concept and design

The A-wing was one of two new Rebel Alliance starfighters created for ''Return of the Jedi''. It was dubbed the ''A fighter'' because it was the first of the two designs created.
Ralph McQuarrie Ralph Angus McQuarrie (; June 13, 1929 – March 3, 2012) was an American conceptual designer and illustrator. His career included work on the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, the original ''Battlestar Galactica'' television series, the film '' ...
's concept art has blue coloring, but these sections were red on the models because of bluescreen limitations. Wesley Seeds and
Lorne Peterson Lorne Peterson is a Canadian special effects artist most known for the ''Indiana Jones'' and ''Star Wars'' films. He won for Best Visual Effects at the 57th Academy Awards for his work on the film ''Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom''. He sh ...
of
Industrial Light & Magic Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is an American motion picture visual effects company that was founded on May 26, 1975 by George Lucas. It is a division of the film production company Lucasfilm, which Lucas founded, and was created when he began pro ...
built the model, and its pilot figure is based on a
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
German airman. A battle-damaged engine "wing" was snapped into place to represent Arvel Crynyd's damaged fighter as it crashed into the ''Executor''. McQuarrie's original blue-and-white coloring was used for the craft's appearance in ''Rebels.'' Photographs from the filming of '' Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' show an A-wing on the film set. ''Screen Rant'' suggests the A-wing seen in the photographs evokes some of McQuarrie's original design, such as the blaster cannon shape and the presence of additional ports in the cockpit.


Depiction

According to
Star Wars canon '' Star Wars'' has been expanded to media other than the original films. This spin-off material is licensed and moderated by Lucasfilm, though during his involvement with the franchise ''Star Wars'' creator George Lucas reserved the right to ...
, the A-wing was first produced by Kuat Systems Engineering, which had built the
Delta-7 The following is a list of science-fictional ''Star Wars'' starfighters. Within the ''Star Wars'' setting, a starfighter is defined as a "small, fast, manevuerable, and heavily armed starship used in direct confrontations between opposing force ...
starfighter for the
Jedi Order Jedi (), Jedi Knights, or collectively the Jedi Order are the main heroic protagonists of many works of the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Working symbiotically alongside the Old Galactic Republic, and later supporting the Rebel Alliance, the Jedi Or ...
. With the Jedi eradicated (as depicted in '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'') and the Delta-7 nearly impossible for non-Jedi to pilot, Kuat designed a new starfighter, the R-22 A-wing, in hopes the
Galactic Empire Galactic empires are a common trope used in science fantasy and science fiction, particularly in works known as 'space operas'. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background or written about the growth and/or decline of s ...
would purchase it. While impressed with prototypes of the R-22, the Empire instead went with the
TIE fighter The Twin Ion Engine (TIE) fighter is a series of fictional starfighters featured in the '' Star Wars'' universe. TIE fighters are depicted as fast, agile, yet fragile starfighters produced by Sienar Fleet Systems for the Galactic Empire and b ...
, and forbade Kuat from mass-producing the A-wing. The prototypes were sold to the kingdom of Tammuz-an, which over a decade later were eventually sold to the Rebel Alliance. Rebel engineers made many alterations to the original R-22 design to produce the RZ-1 model as seen in ''Return of the Jedi''. The original engines were swapped out for more powerful ones, while other major components were replaced with lightweight versions so a supraluminal hyperdrive could be added. The resulting fighter is faster than even the Empire's
TIE interceptor The Twin Ion Engine (TIE) fighter is a series of fictional starfighters featured in the ''Star Wars'' universe. TIE fighters are depicted as fast, agile, yet fragile starfighters produced by Sienar Fleet Systems for the Galactic Empire and by ...
and perfect for
hit-and-run In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions. Additional obligation In many jurisdictions, there may be an ...
attacks, long-range patrols, and
reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
missions. Its two laser cannons, mounted on special swivel mounts, can elevate or depress 60° vertically; some were modified for full 360° rotation but these had a greater chance to jam. However, engineers could not fit the A-wing with an
astromech droid In the ''Star Wars'' space opera franchise, a droid is a fictional robot possessing some degree of artificial intelligence''.'' The term is a clipped form of " android", a word originally reserved for robots designed to look and act like a huma ...
, which limited how many hyperspace coordinates it could carry. The lack of droid assistance also makes it challenging even for a being with Jedi-like reflexes to control a fighter so fast and maneuverable. Consequently, only the best Rebel pilots are allowed to fly the A-wing. After the Empire was defeated, background material explains how Kuat Systems Engineering made a number of improvements to the design to create the RZ-2 A-wing for the New Republic Defense Fleet. Even faster than the original, the RZ-2 requires less maintenance than the RZ-1, and the swivel mounts that allow its laser cannons to rotate 360° were no longer at risk of jamming. Thanks to the New Republic's disarmament campaign, RZ-2s found their way into the Resistance, which like the Rebellion before allows only the best pilots to fly the A-wing.


Impact

''CinemaBlend'' said the A-wing received little attention after ''Return of the Jedi'' because no prominent characters pilot the craft.
Kenner Kenner Products, known simply as Kenner, was an American toy company founded in 1946. Throughout its history, the Kenner brand produced several highly recognizable toys and merchandise lines including action figures like the original series of ' ...
in 1985 released an A-wing pilot figure as part of its ''Power of the Force'' line, and it released a "magnificent" A-wing toy as part of the '' Star Wars: Droids'' line. Since then, the A-wing has been recreated as various other toys, models, and collectibles by companies that include
Galoob Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc., was a toy company headquartered in South San Francisco, California. They are perhaps best known for creating Micro Machines, which accounted for 50% of its sales in 1989, and distributing the Game Genie in the United State ...
,
Hasbro Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of ...
,
Model Products Corporation Model Products Corporation, usually known by its acronym, MPC, is an American brand and former manufacturing company of plastic scale model kits and pre-assembled promotional models of cars that were popular in the 1960s and 1970s. MPC's main com ...
,
Estes Industries Estes Industries is a model rocket company that was started in Denver, Colorado, USA. The company was the first to mass-produce model rocket engines with consistent and reliable performance. It is popular among hobbyists of experimental amateur ...
,
Lego Lego ( , ; stylized as LEGO) is a line of plastic construction toys that are manufactured by The Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of variously colored interlocking ...
, and
Fantasy Flight Games Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) is a game company based in Roseville, Minnesota, United States, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, card, and dice games. As of 2014, it is a subsidiary of Asmodée Éditions. History Fantasy Flight Publish ...
. ''Screen Rant'' said the A-wing gained popularity as a playable craft in the '' Star Wars: X-Wing'' space combat simulator (1993), which '' The Escapist'' said depicted the ship as "an excellent
dogfight A dogfight, or dog fight, is an aerial battle between fighter aircraft conducted at close range. Dogfighting first occurred in Mexico in 1913, shortly after the invention of the airplane. Until at least 1992, it was a component in every majo ...
er". Subsequent video games that allowed players to pilot the A-wing also contributed to the ship's popularity. ''
Blastr Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Launc ...
'' ranked the A-wing 16th on its list of the best ''Star Wars'' vehicles.
Prince Harry Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger son of Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. He is fifth in the line of succ ...
was photographed sitting in an A-wing cockpit during his and the
Duke of Cambridge Duke of Cambridge, one of several current royal dukedoms in the United Kingdom , is a hereditary title of specific rank of nobility in the British royal family. The title (named after the city of Cambridge in England) is heritable by male des ...
's April 2016 visit to the ''Star Wars: Episode VIII'' set. Responding to the photographs, various publications called the A-wing "iconic", an "unsung hero", "woefully underappreciated", and "a classic". In 2018 a number of Star Wars starfighters - including the A-wing - had their aerodynamic abilities tested using the
Autodesk Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software corporation that makes software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquartered ...
Flow Design virtual
wind tunnel Wind tunnels are large tubes with air blowing through them which are used to replicate the interaction between air and an object flying through the air or moving along the ground. Researchers use wind tunnels to learn more about how an aircraft ...
program. Of those starfighters tested the A-wing was among the most aerodynamic designs of all with a
drag coefficient In fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient (commonly denoted as: c_\mathrm, c_x or c_) is a dimensionless quantity that is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment, such as air or water. It is used in the drag equ ...
of .17, though it was still worse than the real-life example of the
F-4E Phantom The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American Tandem#Aviation, tandem two-seat, twinjet, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic aircraft, supersonic jet interceptor aircraft, interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed ...
with a .02 rating. These poor results were rationalized with the in-universe explanations that drag coefficient plays no role in space travel, and that Star Wars fighters can use
repulsorlift The space-opera blockbuster, ''Star Wars'' franchise has borrowed many real-life scientific and technological concepts in its settings. In turn, ''Star Wars'' has depicted, inspired, and influenced several futuristic technologies, some of which ar ...
s and deflector shields to give themselves better flight profiles.


References


External links

* * * * * {{Star Wars universe, state=collapsed Star Wars spacecraft sv:Lista över farkoster i Star Wars#A-Wing