B-wing

This article is about the fictional spacecraft. For the expansion pack for the X-Wing flight simulator, see Star Wars: X-Wing. For the Data East game, see Battle Wings.
B-wing
First appearance Return of the Jedi
Affiliation Rebel Alliance
New Republic
References Starwars.com Databank[1]
General characteristics
Armaments Laser cannons
Ion cannons
Proton torpedoes
Defenses Deflector shields
Length 16.9 meters

B-wings are fictional Rebel Alliance and New Republic starfighters in the Star Wars universe. They first appear in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and subsequently in the Star Wars Expanded Universe's books, comics, and games. A variety of B-wing merchandise has been released by toy companies.

Origin and design

Although initial plans called for B-wings to appear in several scenes, its narrow appearance from some angles made it difficult to see against the backdrop of space.[2] The ship's rotating cockpit stems from an initial design for the Millennium Falcon.[2]

Depiction

Expanded Universe material states that when the Galactic Empire designs the Nebulon-B frigate to protect its convoys from Rebel Alliance X-wings and Y-wings, the Rebels respond by constructing the B-wing.[3] The Verpine, supervised by Ackbar, design and arm the fighter to engage capital ships.[3] The B-wing's gyrostabilized cockpit allows the pilot to maintain a consistent horizon while the craft's body rotates around it.[3] The B-wing is the largest and most powerful fighter designed by the Rebel Alliance, and it is generally viewed as the successor to the older Y-wing fighter/bomber. B-wings have powerful shields which are considerably stronger than the shields featured on most Imperial or Rebel fighter designs, and they are armed with a greater variety of weapons. B-wings participate at the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi and in numerous other engagements throughout the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

Merchandise

Both Kenner and Hasbro released B-wing toys,[4][5] the B-wing is part of two Micro Machines three-packs,[6][7] and Lego has made several B-wing sets.[8][9][10] A Micro Machines Alpha Fleet package includes models both of the B-wing's film appearance and of an initial production design.[11] Decipher and Wizards of the Coast published B-wing cards for the Star Wars Customizable Card Game and Star Wars Trading Card Game, respectively.[12][13] The second expansion pack for the X-Wing flight simulator, B-Wing, introduces the B-wing as a playable starfighter; several other Lucasarts products also depict B-wings.

References

  1. ↑ "B-wing starfighter". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "B-wing starfighter (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "B-wing starfighter (Expanded Universe)". Star Wars Database. Lucasfilm. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
  4. ↑ "B-Wing Fighter: Box Front". SirStevesGuide.com Photo Gallery. sirstevesguide.com. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
  5. ↑ "Dude, Where's my ship". Star Wars Collecting. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
  6. ↑ "#IX: Executor, B-wing, A-wing (1995)". Star Wars Cargo Bay. Lucasfilm. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
  7. ↑ "#3: AT-ST, Jabba's Sail Barge, B-wing (1994)". Star Wars Cargo Bay. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on 17 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
  8. ↑ "FBTB Lego Star Wars Set Guide - 7180 B-Wing Fighter". Retrieved 2007-08-29.
  9. ↑ "LEGO Releases Obi-Wan's Starfighter in Target Exclusive Set This Fall". Star Wars Collecting. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on 2007-03-15. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
  10. ↑ "UCS B-Wing revealed today at Brick Fiesta in Houston, TX". Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  11. ↑ "B-wing Fighter". Star Wars Cargo Bay. Lucasfilm. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
  12. ↑ "Star Wars Customizable Card Game Complete Card List" (PDF). Decipher, Inc. 2001-08-23. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-23.
  13. ↑ "B-wing". Star Wars Cargo Bay. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on 8 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-25.

External links