GR-75 medium transport/Legends

GR-75 medium transport

The GR-75 medium transport, or Gallofree medium transport, was a clamshell-hulled transport produced by Gallofree Yards, Inc.

Characteristics


A sister design to the civilian GR-45 model, the GR-75 was used by freight drivers and shipping firms to haul cargo.

The transport's outer hull was like a thick shell with the interior entirely open for cargo pods. This open-space design could fit up to 19,000 metric tons of cargo into the 90 meter long ship. Modular cargo pods greatly sped up loading and unloading procedures.

When the transport was at its cargo capacity, a magnetic shield locked the modules in place, while at the same time kept out the vacuum of space. A command pod was located on the upper hull, near the main engines, and carried the six-being crew in cramped conditions. The factory model included space for forty passengers, but almost all ships cannibalized the space for increased cargo.

Focused entirely on maximizing cargo space, GR-75 transports were armed with four turreted twin laser cannons, basic shielding, a meager Class 4 hyperdrive, and a sublight engine array capable of achieving a top atmospheric speed of 650 kilometers per hour. While inexpensive, the GR-75 was notorious for its high maintenance requirements.

History


The design proved popular with Galactic Republic forces, and the ships were used as resupply vessels during the Clone Wars.

The Galactic Empire used at least one, the Shackles of Nizon, which saw service as a slave ship.

Many GR-75 transports were acquired by the Rebel Alliance due to their low cost and ready access to spare parts. After Gallofree Yards went bankrupt in 3 BBY, the majority of the remaining stock of ships found its way into the Alliance fleet.

One of the GR-75's most famous actions was the evacuation of Rebel personnel during the Battle of Hoth. The majority of GR-75's survived, thanks to the escort afforded by the X-wings of Rogue Squadron, though many were lost attempting to run the Imperial blockade.



The Alliance used the GR-75s for almost any purpose they could find, but primarily used them to transport supplies, equipment, and troops. Some were modified to be fuel tankers for long range starfighter missions or for smaller ships. The ships became so ubiquitous that they became commonly known as Rebel medium transports.

Some were used as suicide kamikaze vessels, as demonstrated during the assault on the Fondor shipyards and the Battle of Endor, where they functioned as fire ships and were stacked with explosives.

Not intended for combat, GR-75s were to be placed at the center of Alliance fleet formations and relied on starfighter support in blockade-running missions.

At least one GR-75 was used to make up a secret retreat in 137 ABY.

Non-canon appearances

 * Falling Star
 * Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope
 * Star Wars Infinities: The Empire Strikes Back
 * LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
 * Star Wars Infinities: Return of the Jedi

Notes and references
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