Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter/Legends

Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter The Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter, often simply known as the  V-wing starfighter or Nimbus fighter, was a short-ranged starfighter deployed late in the Clone Wars by the Galactic Republic.

Aspects of the V-wing were later incorporated into the Imperial TIE Fighter and its variants, as well as the Rebel RZ-1 A-wing interceptor.

Characteristics
The Alpha-3 Nimbus-class starfighter was a sturdy, wedge-shaped starfighter similar to the Delta-7 Aethersprite-class interceptors employed by the Jedi Order. It was manufactured by Kuat Systems Engineering, the same company responsible for both the Delta-7 fighter and its successor, the Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor.



Both the Delta-7 and the Alpha-3 models were designed by the engineer Walex Blissex, who would later co-design the Rebel Alliance's A-wing fighter with Jan Dodonna. The V-wing had wingtip mounted laser cannons and had a wedge shape. The V-wings also featured folding wing radiators similar to those fitted on the later Eta-2 interceptors. Nestled between each wing and the hull were two twin laser cannons, which could swivel on the vessel's wing hubs to provide a wide range of fire.

Aft of the starfighter's main hull were two deflector shield heat sinks, located above the two vertically stacked ion drive thrusters. These flaps also provided some protection for the V-wing's clone pilot.

In keeping with the design of the Delta-7, the Alpha-3 featured an astromech droid socket aft of the oval cockpit. V-wing pilots were often assisted by spherical Q7-series astromech droids which provided in-flight navigation and maintenance skills that would otherwise require a copilot&mdash;which the compact V-wing could not accommodate.

As the V-wing starfighter was too small to feature an integrated hyperdrive, it required either transportation into combat zones by carriers such as the Venator-class Star Destroyer, or the use of hyperdrive booster rings as with other Republic starfighters, including the Delta-7 Aethersprite and the Eta-2 Actis.

History


V-wing fighters were often unleashed from warship hangars in large swarms, and were one of the most numerous starfighters in the Republic Navy late in the Clone Wars. While they lacked the power of the ARC-170 starfighter, they made up for it in raw speed and agility.

V-wings were speedy and evasive targets, even for the advanced droid tri-fighters used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems in the last days of the Clone Wars. Mass-produced for Loyalist forces, V-wings participated in large-scale fleet operations and assisted in the defense of Republic worlds during the Clone Wars.

V-wing starfighters flew into battle alongside ARC-170s and Eta-2 interceptors during the Second Battle of Coruscant, fighting off droid tri-fighters, Vulture droids, and deadly buzz droids, with some even getting as far as the Separatist flagship, Invisible Hand, although many were lost to enemy flak.

Following the end of the Clone Wars, V-wing squadrons flew under the banner of the Galactic Empire. Three V-wings, flown by elite pilots, escorted the self-appointed Emperor Palpatine's shuttle during his voyage from Coruscant to Mustafar and again on the return trip, culminating at the Emperor Palpatine Surgical Reconstruction Center. These elite V-wings were modified for hyperspace travel without booster rings and were equipped with upgraded shields.

Eventually, pirate organizations, such as Black Sun and the Hutt Cartel, used V-wings after salvaging them. They were also used by the Mandalorians around the Battle of Yavin during a skirmish with the Zann Consortium.

Behind the scenes

 * Rob Coleman originally considered showing TIE Fighters at the end of Revenge of the Sith, but Lucas decided to show V-wing starfighters instead, pointing out that the Empire would have twenty years to build TIEs.


 * In the game Star Wars: Battlefront II, the V-wing is depicted as a heavy bomber rather than the fast interceptor craft that it has been established as in other sources. Although this portrayal of the this ship is likely considered non-canon, it was done regardless as the fighter and interceptor roles for the Republic faction were already filled, leaving the V-wing to take on the bomber ship class. Surprisingly, the ARC-170, which has a role of bomber in other sources, does not have that same role in Battlefront II. It could be conjectured that the ARC-170 was given the fighter role due to its much larger screen time in Revenge of the Sith as opposed to the V-wing. This could, however, be a variant of the V-wing.


 * V-wings resemble Cornerian fighters from Star Fox Assault. However, Cornerian fighters change appearance in each Star Fox game, so only assault fighters look like V-wings.

Appearances



 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
 * Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
 * Star Wars: Battlefront II
 * Star Wars Dark Times: The Path to Nowhere
 * Evasive Action: End Game
 * The Last of the Jedi: Secret Weapon
 * Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
 * LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy