List of ''Star Wars'' air, aquatic, and ground vehicles

The following is a list of fictional Star Wars terrestrial vehicles, including armoured fighting vehicles, military aircraft, and naval ships.

Armored Assault Tank (AAT)

The AAT is a Trade Federation vehicle that appears in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, the Star Wars expanded universe, and The Clone Wars. Early drafts of The Phantom Menace described the Trade Federation's invasion of Naboo being led by "armored attack craft" that resembled helicopters.[1] The final version's forward curve is based on the curve of a shovel, and parts of it are intended to suggest animalistic traits.[1] LEGO released an AAT model in 2001.[2]

AT-AT

AT-ST

BARC speeder

The BARC speeder appears in Revenge of the Sith and is a playable vehicle in Star Wars: Battlefront, Battlefront II and Star Wars Galaxies. They perform cavalry, scouting and mounted infantry roles and are armed with a single, or sometimes two, blasters. Inexpensive, lightweight, easy to maintain and able to fill various functions, they are a widespread mainstay of many armed organisations, governments and major armed forces.

Bongo

The Gungan "bongo" submarine is a transport in The Phantom Menace. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), and Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best) use a bongo to travel from the underwater city of Otah Gunga to the Naboo capital of Theed.

Industrial Light & Magic's Doug Chiang devised the submarine's squid-like propeller design.[3] This assembly was then merged with the design for a manta-shaped underwater transport written out of an earlier draft of the story.[3] This design replaced earlier concepts that depicted the Gungan vessel as an organic-looking diving bell.[3]

Clone turbo tank

The turbo tank is a ten-wheeled battle tank and armored personnel carrier that appears in Revenge of the Sith and is based on designs done by Joe Johnston for use in The Empire Strikes Back.[4] West End Games based their "HAVw A5 Juggernaut" design on Johnson's sketches. The larger, more heavily armed vehicle that appears in Revenge of the Sith is labeled "HAVw A6".[4]

Cloud car

Cloud cars fly around Bespin's Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Compositing the cloud cars into the original releases required multiple motion control passes to prevent the vehicles from standing out too distinctly from their cloudy background. Cloud cars were designed to have two cockpits that were interconnected with a small compartment block. It was often a red-orange color with each cockpit arranged in a "shoe-shape" with the glass being on the "tongue" of the cockpit.[5] Cloud cars inserted into the films' Special Edition releases were computer-generated.[5]

Corporate Alliance tank droid

Corporate Alliance tank droids appear in Revenge of the Sith and are playable vehicles in Battlefront II. This "snail droid" was originally designed for Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones for the climatic Battle of Geonosis, but they did not make it into the final cut of the film.[6] They are a large, amphibious heavily armored droid, mainly used for amphibibous assaults, troop transport, and as a main battle tank on worlds with rough terrain. They can be fitted with nearly any type of armament from heavy laser cannons, to blaster cannons, and even guided missiles to perform almost any combat function. When given voice modulators, they are put to use policing potentially rebellious worlds owned by the Corporate Alliance as well as to crush civilian insurrections.

Droid gunship

Droid gunships appear at the Battle of Kashyyyk in Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Battlefront II. Their circular shape is designed to be reminiscent of the Trade Federation ships seen in The Phantom Menace.[7] These ships were originally intended to appear in the movie's opening space battle, but were ultimately depicted as aircraft.[7]

Dwarf spider droid

The Confederacy of Independent Systems uses dwarf spider droids in Attack of the Clones. These Spider Droids were designed to provide more agile artillery in the battlefield. Like the larger Confederate spider droid it has four legs, but this droid seems to have two optical receptors. Both the "eyes" and the main turret are red and glowing with the laser pulses that go through them. Hasbro released a spider droid figure in 2003.[8]

Flash speeder

The Naboo Royal Security Forces use Flash speeders in The Phantom Menace.

Gian speeder

The Naboo Royal Security Forces use Gian speeders in The Phantom Menace. They are larger, heavier counterparts to the NRSF Flash Speeders, and are used mainly for skirmishes against pirates and smugglers. However, they are still modified civilian landspeeeders, and prove relatively useless against Trade Federation tanks. They are painted purple, carry one medium blaster cannon, and have seating for four NRSF officers. They also have light armour plating for protection against hand-held blasters, but there is little protection for the vehicles occupants.

Hailfire droid

Hailfire droids are mobile missile platforms that appear in Attack of the Clones. They consisted of two large wheels with a low-fixed base that had two glowing red optical receptors and two large missile boxes to store its large arsenal of heat-seeking missiles, which glowed purple as they traveled through the air. It was large and towered over many infantry units in battle. Its main chassis was rounded and brown, while the wheels had ridges and were a gray shade.

Homing spider droid

The OG-9 homing spider droid appears in Attack of the Clones and is a playable vehicle in Battlefront II. During post-production, the droid was referred to as "Commerce Guild droid B."[9]

Landspeeder

Landspeeders are antigravity vehicles that appear throughout the films and Expanded Universe in both civilian and military roles.They appear in episode four, A New Hope.

Multi-troop transport (MTT)

MTTs carry and deploy Trade Federation battle droids on Naboo in The Phantom Menace. As with the AAT, parts of the MTT are intended to suggest animalistic traits.[1][10] Lucas requested the MTT have locomotive-type qualities and be capable of knocking down everything in its path; consequently, the MTT has battering rams and locomotive components.[10]

Podracer

Podracers are high-speed one-man race craft. Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) enters and wins a podrace in The Phantom Menace. It consists of forward turbines attached loosely to the cockpit by a series of cables with the turbines attached to each other by an ion beam. It was frequently gambled upon and was considered by many, including Qui-Gon Jinn, to be a dangerous sport. The video games Star Wars Episode I: Racer and Star Wars: Racer Arcade are based on Phantom Menace's podracing scenes.

Republic assault gunboat

The Republic assault gunboat appears in Revenge of the Sith. The vehicle went through several changes over the course of its development: it was originally a Confederacy capital ship, then became the "Good Guy A" support ship for the Republic.[11] It became a Confederacy ship once more before being scaled down, turned into a speeder, and becoming a Republic craft.[11]

Republic attack gunship

Republic attack gunships, also known as low-altitude assault transports (LAATs) appear in Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and Star Wars: Republic Commando, ferrying clone troopers and Jedi during battle. The Expanded Universe describes several LAAT varieties: the LAAT/i infantry transport, the LAAT/c cargo carrier, and a heavy LAAT that carries AT-TEs.[12][13] Lucas turned to footage of helicopter-troop deployment when conceiving the LAAT; the vehicle was originally labeled the "Jedi attack helicopter".[14] The vehicle's ultimate appearance is based on the Russian Mil Mi-24 helicopter.[14] The craft's engine sounds are the modified sound of a Vickers Vimy, a World War I bomber. Both Hasbro and Lego released LAAT models in 2002; Lego released another LAAT in 2008.[15][16] Code 3 Collectibles released a die-cast gunship two years later.[17]

Sail barge

A sail barge delivers Jabba the Hutt and his entourage to the sarlacc pit in Return of the Jedi. Illustrator Ralph McQuarrie designed the ship to appear more utilitarian in comparison to early designs, which made the ship reminiscent of a Baroque sea craft.[18] A 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2), 60-foot (18 m)-tall full-scale sail barge set was erected in Yuma, Arizona; it was one of the largest Star Wars sets created.[18]

Sandcrawler

C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) are briefly held in a Jawa sandcrawler in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Shots of the sandcrawler at a distance were actually a matte painting; only two of its treads and a 27-meter-long piece of its lower structure were actually built.[19] For shots involving the vehicle's movement, ILM used a 125-centimeter radio-controlled model.[19] A computer-generated sandcrawler briefly appears in The Phantom Menace,[19] and a sandcrawler also appears in Attack of the Clones. Sandcrawler-related merchandise include a Lego model,[20] card game items,[21][22] and Hasbro and Micro Machines toys.[23][24]

Self-propelled heavy artillery (SPHA)

Self-propelled heavy artillery first appear in Attack of the Clones. The vehicle was initially design on treads, but Lucas suggested that it be equipped with legs like the AT-TEs that fight alongside it.[25] The SPHA was referred to as "Clone Tank A" during production.[25]

Single Trooper Aerial Platform (STAP)

STAPs, which appear in The Phantom Menace, are designed to appear reminiscent of the speeder bikes seen in Return of the Jedi.[26] The STAP's design also relates back to Lucas' 1973 idea of ridable "jet-sticks"; a draft of The Phantom Menace refers to the vehicles as STAPS, or Single Troop Armed Pogo Sticks.[26] They were brown with one vertical stem and a horizontal foot stand and a higher horizontal handlebar. It had two twin engines directly underneath the handlebars with one on either side of the vertical stem. The STAP's allowed single droids to travel ahead and scout out the battlefield.

Skiff

A pair of skiffs travel with Jabba's sail barge in Return of the Jedi. The skiff was originally conceived as a flying animal carrying strapped-on passenger modules.[27] It was modified to be a nautical-type vehicle, and then transitioned to become more utilitarian.[27] A full-size skiff was built alongside the sail barge in Yuma. An 81-centimeter miniature was also built, and it was "crewed" by poseable puppets.[27]

Skyhopper

An Incom Corporation T-16 skyhopper appears in the background of the Lars residence in A New Hope, and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) races a skyhopper in National Public Radio's radio adaptation of that movie; a skyhopper also appears at the end of the Special Edition release of Return of the Jedi. The skyhopper model that Skywalker handles in A New Hope is the concept model Colin Cantwell built; budget limitations allowed only a partial full-size mock-up of the craft to be built.[28]

In Star Wars: Rebel Assault, skyhoppers are used by Rebel pilots to train in Tatooine's Beggar's canyon.

Snowspeeder

Snowspeeder
First appearance The Empire Strikes Back
Affiliation

Canon:

Legends:

  • New Republic (T-47 airspeeder)
References Starwars.com Databank[29]
General characteristics
Armaments
  • Laser cannons; harpoon and tow cable (T-47 airspeeder)
    * FWMB-10 repeating blaster (LIUV)
Length
  • 5.3 m (T-47 airspeeder)
    * 5.26 m (LIUV)

A T-47 airspeeder, better known as "snowspeeder", is a Rebel Alliance vehicle featured in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and several books, comics, and video games in the Star Wars Expanded Universe and also in Atari game cartridges in the 80's. Snowspeeder models and replicas have been merchandised by several companies.

Origin and design

During production of The Empire Strikes Back, designer Joe Johnston conceived a ship that combined the body of an X-wing and the cockpit of the Y-wing.[30] However, this design was scrapped for the T-47, which featured no elements from previous craft.[30] Johnston's designs for the Snowspeeders have influenced later Star Wars designers, such as Tommy Lee Edwards.[31]

The models were built in three different scales by Steve Gawley, Charlie Bailey, and Mike Fulmer of ILM, with the smallest (20 inches) used for motion control photography, and the largest (2½ feet) for hero and pyrotechnic shots.[32] All models included motor-controlled flaps to imply maneuverability, and the largest version also possessed motor-articulated crew[32] Several full-scale props were built in London for the hangar, cockpit, and speeder crash scenes.[32]

In the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the First Order uses the Light Infantry Utility Vehicle, also known as "LIUV" or "First Order snowspeeder", a landspeeder-like speeder designed for troop transport on the icy Starkiller Base.

Depiction

In The Empire Strikes Back, Rogue Group, led by Commander Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), pilots snowspeeders against Imperial AT-AT walkers during the Battle of Hoth.[33] When their blasters prove ineffective the Rebel pilots turn to tripping the walkers with the snowspeeders' harpoons and tow cables.[33]

The snowspeeders used on Hoth are modified Incom T-47 airspeeders initially used for civilians;[33] they are modified to survive the "hostile environment of the ice planet Hoth".[34] Expanded Universe material states that the Y-wing cockpit and other features were donated to the airspeeders.[33] The two-man craft has an advanced power system and repulsorlift to compensate for additional armaments and armor, affording them a top speed of 1,000 km/h and combat speed of 600 km/h.[35] The playable snowspeeder in Star Wars: Battlefront II is armed with concussion missiles and small tow-cable launcher.

Merchandise

Kenner released a toy snowspeeder in 1980.[36] Kenner re-released an updated version utilizing the same mold in 1995 for their new 'Power of the Force' line.[37] After Hasbro shut down the Kenner offices in 1999, it was released several times under Hasbro's brand name: in 2001 as a Wal-Mart exclusive in the "Power of the Jedi" collection,[38] in 2006 as a Target exclusive in the "Saga Collection" line,[39] and three versions of it in the 2010 "The Vintage Collection", including a Target exclusive packaged as the original 1980 Kenner version.[40]

LEGO has also sold snowspeeder models,[41][42] and Snowspeeder models used in The Empire Strikes Back have been sold online.[43]

Hasbro's Star Wars Transformers line included a Snowspeeder that transformed into Luke Skywalker.

In 2009, Japanese model manufacturer Fine Molds released a 1/48 scale kit of the Snowspeeder.

Speeder bike

Speeder bikes first appear in a chase scene in Return of the Jedi, and later in the prequel trilogy.

Swamp speeder

Swamp speeders appear in Revenge of the Sith. TJ Frame, who worked on the swamp speeder concept soon after joining the art department, initially designed the craft to be appear reminiscent of fanboats.[44]

Swoop bike

Swoop bikes are high-speed racing craft that appear in the films and Expanded Universe.

Swoop Racer

The swoop racer is similar to the swoop bike, however, it was specifically designed for racing with. During a swoop race, the racers do not race together on the same track, but separately. Each racer gets timed individually and the times are compared after the event to determine the winner. The fastest time is the winner. The first appearance of the swoop racer was in the 2003 video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

V-wing airspeeder

An airspeeder that first saw service with the New Republic at the Battle of Mon Calamari.

Walkers

Wheel bike

General Grievous rides a wheel bike in Revenge of the Sith. Grievous' vehicle is similar to another wheel bike that appears in the Star Wars: Droids cartoon.[45] One concept for Grievous' vehicle was for it to include "tank-like chariots"; at another point, the vehicle was going to be another droid.[45]

Wookiee flying catamaran

Wookiee flying catamarans appear in Revenge of the Sith. They were originally conceived as strictly water vehicles.[46] The addition of a rotor came late in production; some printed works do not depict this component.[46]

Wookiee ornithopter

Wookiee ornithopters appear in Revenge of the Sith. The craft was originally known as the "dragonfly helicopter".[47] Although mostly depicted through computer-generated imagery, a full-size mockup of the gunner's seat was created for a closeup of the tail gunner.[47]

World Devastator

World Devastators appear in the Dark Empire comic series and the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron video game.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Trade Federation AAT". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  2. "Trade Federation AAT". Star Wars Cargo Bay. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 "Gungan bongo". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  4. 1 2 "clone turbo tank (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  5. 1 2 "twin-pod cloud car (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  6. "Corporate Alliance tank droid (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  7. 1 2 "droid gunship (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  8. "Spider Droid". Star Wars Cargo Bay. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on August 13, 2007. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  9. "homing spider droid (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  10. 1 2 "Trade Federation MTT". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  11. 1 2 "Republic assault gunboat". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  12. "Republic attack gunship (Expanded Universe)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  13. "Republic attack gunship (The Movies)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  14. 1 2 "Republic attack gunship (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  15. "LEGO Preview: Republic Gunship". Star Wars Cargo Bay. Lucasfilm. February 1, 2002. Archived from the original on June 30, 2007. Retrieved October 10, 2007.
  16. "Republic Gunship". Star Wars Collecting. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on October 29, 2007. Retrieved October 10, 2007.
  17. "Republic Gunships Approaching". Star Wars Collecting. Lucasfilm. December 1, 2004. Archived from the original on December 29, 2007. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  18. 1 2 "sail barge (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  19. 1 2 3 "Sandcrawler (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  20. "LEGO Rolls Out the Jawa Sandcrawler on June 15". Star Wars Collecting. Lucasfilm. June 2, 2005. Archived from the original on October 24, 2007. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  21. "Tatooine Sandcrawler". Star Wars Cargo Bay. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  22. "Star Wars Customizable Card Game Complete Card List" (PDF). Decipher, Inc. August 23, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2007. Retrieved August 23, 2007.
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  25. 1 2 "Self Propelled Heavy Artillery (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  26. 1 2 "STAP (Single Trooper Aerial Platform) (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  27. 1 2 3 "skiff (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  28. "T-16 Skyhopper (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
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  32. 1 2 3 Peterson, Lorne (2006). Sculpting A Galaxy – Inside the Star Wars Model Shop. San Rafael, California: Insight Editions. ISBN 1-933784-03-2.
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  44. "swamp speeder". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  45. 1 2 "wheel bike (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  46. 1 2 "Wookiee flying catamaran (Behind the Scenes)". Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
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