Red Five (X-wing starfighter)

During the Galactic Civil War, at least three X-wing starfighters used by Rebel pilots bore the name Red Five. Cadet Pedrin Gaul operated an X-wing dubbed Red Five in the Battle of Scarif, and also used the corresponding callsign, but was shot down and killed by TIE/ln space superiority starfighters.

Days later, Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 flew a T-65B X-wing starfighter dubbed Red Five in the Battle of Yavin. R2 was damaged by Darth Vader's TIE Advanced x1, but Skywalker used the Force to destroy the Galactic Empire's superweapon, the Death Star. Also his callsign, the Red Five designation became synonymous with the actual spacecraft that Skywalker flew.

Skywalker continued to operate his X-wing until the Battle of Vrogas Vas, when he deliberately collided with Vader in mid-flight to draw the focus of the battle to the planet's surface. Skywalker was rescued by Han Solo in the Millennium Falcon and was forced to abandon his craft.

Behind the scenes
There are numerous continuity errors within Battle of Yavin scene as depicted in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, many of them introduced by the new computer-generated shots inserted into the The Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition. In the shot of the starfighters flying towards the Death Star, the Red Five has two red stripes on the trailing edge of the S-foils. In some of the subsequent shots, there are 3 or 5 stripes in the same spot. Similar continuity errors are also present in the main line of Star Wars comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
 * A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy
 * Star Wars: A New Hope junior novelization
 * Episode IV: A New Hope Read-Along Storybook and CD
 * Star Wars: The Original Trilogy – A Graphic Novel
 * Star Wars Battlefront
 * Princess Leia, Part I
 * Chewie and the Courageous Kid
 * The Weapon of a Jedi
 * The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure
 * Darth Vader 1: Vader
 * Star Wars 4: Skywalker Strikes, Part IV
 * Star Wars 5: Skywalker Strikes, Part V
 * Star Wars 6: Skywalker Strikes, Part VI
 * Darth Vader 6: Vader, Part VI
 * Star Wars 7: From the Journals of Old Ben Kenobi: "The Last of His Breed"
 * Star Wars 8: Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon, Part I
 * Star Wars 11: Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon, Part IV
 * Vader Down, Part I
 * Darth Vader 13: Vader Down, Part II
 * Star Wars 13: Vader Down, Part III
 * Star Wars 71: Rebels and Rogues, Part IV
 * Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back junior novelization
 * Star Wars: The Last Jedi: A Junior Novel
 * Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back junior novelization
 * Star Wars: The Last Jedi: A Junior Novel

Non-canon appearances

 * LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales Episodes I-III
 * LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales Episodes I-III