J-type star skiff

J-type star skiff The J-type star skiff (sometimes called the Naboo star skiff) was a yacht starship created by the Theed Palace Space Vessel Engineering Corps for the Royal House of Naboo. It was referred to as a star skiff due to its primary purpose as a passenger transport, a role often shared by the common repulsorlift surface vehicles known as skiffs.

Characteristics


The J-type star skiff symbolized the changes sweeping through the galaxy in the final days of the Galactic Republic.

Though the star skiff retained the sleek, teardrop-shaped main hull and wide, sweeping wings of previous royal cruisers, exposed access grills and discolored Sossen-7 sublight engines indicated that the star skiff was a product of turbulent times. Perhaps most shocking of all for a Naboo royal vessel, was the inclusion of a pair of top-mounted laser cannons. The J-type star skiff was 29 meters in length, and 49.3 meters wing to wing. Inside, It's had an overwhelming 0.5 hyperdrive and was remarkably spacious for its small size. The Naboo star skiff was equipped with lockers and a medical suite, in addition to the standard cabins and compartments. It could also hold up to 3 passengers.

The Star Skiff was indeed made to keep fighting in potential, to allow quick escapes and the ship could recover. Although it was far too expensive for 'en masse' to produce, the J-type function as mother of the N-1 Starfighter when needed.

History


Though designed for Queen Apailana, the current monarch continued Naboo's tradition of gratitude towards the services of former Queen Amidala by allowing her to use the star skiff.

As a rule, only the planet's monarch could own a vessel sheathed in chromium, but Padmé's popularity and loyalty to Naboo superseded such tradition. Though Padmé was more than capable of piloting the star skiff, she often left the duty of flying the ship to Captain Gregar Typho or C-3PO. J-type star skiffs were also used by contemporary prominent individuals in the Republic.



Padmé Amidala used this vessel to fly to Mustafar during her attempt to find her husband, Anakin Skywalker, just after the conclusion of the Clone Wars. Unbeknownst to her, Obi-Wan Kenobi had stowed aboard the ship, and this led to a fateful duel.

Obi-Wan Kenobi also flew Padmé Amidala in the yacht to the medical facility at Polis Massa Base, after Anakin had employed a Force Choke upon her.

After the death of Amidala the star skiff was put to rest because it was a painful reminder of what had happened to their former Queen. Other Senators, however, such ships started were being bought to improve their standing.



Behind the scenes
The Naboo star skiff resembles the RQ-3 Dark Star unmanned aerial vehicle and the Northrop YB-49 bomber plane.

Concept Design Supervisor Ryan Church sketched the skiff as having add-on and modified features, to suggest that it had been "supercharged" for combat.

During principal photography, very little of the ship was constructed -- only its boarding ramp was built full scale. The interior cockpit environment was digitally stitched together from background plates of the Naboo yacht interior from Episode II, with new footage of characters seated in the yacht's chairs against greenscreen. During pickup photography, new scenes set in the deeper interior of the ship necessitated the construction of a fully enclosed set that featured the ship's locker bay and medical suite.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars film
 * The Clone Wars: Departure
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith junior novel
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith comic

Notes and references
Naboo Starskiff