R-41 Starchaser

R-41 Starchaser

The R-41 Starchaser was a multi-role starfighter manufactured by Hoersch-Kessel Drive, Inc.

A two-seat version, named the R-42 Starchaser, existed; however, this version, despite being superior in some aspects, proved less popular with the primary market of the R-41 and only a few hundred were ever built.

Characteristics
The Starchaser was built as a solid starfighter capable of competing with the Z-95 Headhunter. It had a good balance of speed, weapons and durability, but lacked heavy armor or internal hull bracing, which often made it vulnerable to well-placed enemy hits. It had a slight advantage over the Z-95 Headhunter with its ion cannons, and in the hands of expert pilots could pose a considerable threat even to newer starfighters, as was the case in the clash between the Rneeki pirates and the Empire at Kiilimaar.

History
By the end of the Clone Wars, this starfighter was already outmatched by newer starships and by the time of the conflict between the Empire and the Rebellion it was generally considered outdated. This did not prevent the resource-strapped Rebellion from using the R-41 in early battles against the Empire's newer TIE Fighters, as evidenced in the Battle of Kamino. The R-41 seemed to disappear from the Rebel fleet once the X-Wing became available.

Later in the Galactic Civil War it was still found in the hands of third party organizations, such as Black Sun and pirates like the Rneeki, who preferred it because of its reliability, since regular maintenance was not often available for these groups.

The R-41 was the favorite ship of Abron Mar, lieutenant to the crime lord Takara. Mara Jade stole an R-41 while escaping from smuggler Kaerobani's base on Rathalay with a recovered Jedi holocron in 10 ABY.

Appearances

 * "Spices & Spies" - Star Wars: The Clone Wars Comic UK 6.15
 * Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
 * Star Wars: TIE Fighter
 * Star Wars: X-wing vs. TIE Fighter
 * Star Wars: X-wing Alliance
 * Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith