References Star Wars Databank Length 9.6 meters | Defenses Deflector shields | |
 | ||
First appearance Return of the Jedi (1983) Affiliation Rebel Alliance
New Republic Armaments Laser cannons
Concussion missiles | ||
A-wings are fictional starfighters in the Star Wars franchise. They first appear in Return of the Jedi (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.
Contents
Appearances
A-wings are fast but fragile Rebel Alliance starfighters conceived for reconnaissance and escort duty. 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) crashes into the bridge of the Super Star Destroyer Executor, resulting in the Executor crashing out of control into the second 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 created the A-wing based on his analysis of the role of speed in the Battle of Yavin, the climactic battle in Star Wars (1977). Later material, such as the Star Wars Rebels cartoon, 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.
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's concept art has blue coloring, but these sections were red on the models because of bluescreen limitations.
Wesley Seeds and Lorne Peterson of Industrial Light & Magic built the model, and its pilot figure is based on a World War I 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.
Impact
CinemaBlend said the A-wing received little attention after Return of the Jedi because no prominent characters pilot the craft. Kenner 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, Hasbro, Model Products Corporation, Estes Industries, Lego, and Fantasy Flight Games.
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 dogfighter". Subsequent video games that allowed players to pilot the A-wing also contributed to the ship's popularity. Blastr ranked the A-wing 16th on its list of the best Star Wars vehicles.
Prince Harry was photographed sitting in an A-wing cockpit during his and the Duke of Cambridge'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".