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The Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter, also known as the Alpha-3 Nimbus, V-wing starfighter, or Nimbus fighter, was a starfighter model manufactured by Kuat Systems Engineering. It was the primary starfighter model employed by the Imperial Navy during the early years of the Galactic Empire.
Characteristics[]
Design[]
The Alpha-3 Nimbus was a wedge-shaped and fast starfighter.
The Alpha-3 Nimbus-class starfighter[11] was a sharp and wedge-shaped fighter. Manufactured by Kuat Systems Engineering, the same company that made Jedi starfighters, V-wings were agile and fast,[12] with the ship having a top speed of 52,000 kilometers per hour[5] and maximum acceleration of 5,200G's.[2] Cutting-edge technology was used to give the V-wing maneuverability, and the starship had two vertically placed[12] ion engine[6] thrusters, allowing for surprisingly fast pitch-turnings. Thrusters were placed at the end of the starfighter, but, like a number of ships made for the Republic, the V-wing was too compact to hold a hyperdrive. However, the V-wing did possess a powerful reactor.[12]
To maximize power for speed and agility, Kuat produced the starfighter without a pressurized cockpit. This required pilots to wear sealed flight suits equipped with life-support systems.[6] This flight suit also allowed a pilot to eject. A single clone trooper pilot, clone trooper, TK stormtrooper, and/or conscription trooper pilot flew the ship, and an independent Q7-series astromech droid backed up the clone. This astromech helped in-flight maintenance and navigation. Close to the astromech were two deflector shield heat sinks. Also included in the ship were repulsorlift vanes, at least one reactant tank, shield projector units, the power lines to the shield projectors, and forward sensors.[12]
A Jinata Security V-wing
Much like the larger Star Courier of Sienar Fleet Systems, the V-wing had folding radiator wings and laser cannons.[6] The wings, which were located at either side of the V-wing and reached above and below the craft, were the ship's most distinguishing feature[2] and on articulated collars, which let the wings move ninety degrees for landing. During intense activity, the radiator panels on the wings helped heat disposal. The wings radiators remained unfolded while the ship was in flight position. The laser cannons could swivel on and had a rapid fire capability by being placed[12] on both of the wing struts[2]/hubs. The cannons had a power feed and capacitors.[12] There were at least two sub-models, the Alpha-3B "Besh"[13] and Alpha-3E "Esk."[14]
Role in combat[]
A trio of V-wings escort General Plo Koon's Delta-7 interceptor on Cato Neimoidia.
The V-wing starfighter served as a support ship in the Republic Navy during the Clone Wars. The Galactic Republic's warships and carriers deployed furious swarms of V-wings, and the fighters were used to defend fortress worlds and part of fleet actions.[12] Because of the ships's lack of a built-in hyperdrive, the V-wing required transportation into combat zones by carriers such as the Venator-class Star Destroyer.[6] Because of the V-wing's maneuverability, it was more agile than the Republic's Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighter. The ship was also a clone trooper pilot's best choice for a dogfight against the vulture droid starfighters and droid tri-fighters[12] used in the Confederacy navy.[15]
Because of its twin laser cannons, the V-wing was a deadly and surprising enemy. They were also a frustratingly elusive target and could be part of a mixed strike-force when used with Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptors and Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighters.[12]
History[]
Republic service[]
An Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing flying over the Federal District during the Battle of Coruscant.
Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wings were first deployed by the Galactic Republic in the final days of the Clone Wars.[4] Becoming a staple of the Republic military machine[16] despite its late introduction,[4] streamlined mass productions techniques let this ship take the V-19 Torrent starfighter's place as the preferred compact space superiority starfighter.[12] At a point when he was working towards the rank of admiral, Wilhuff Tarkin flew a V-wing as part of a group of three. Clone trooper pilot Klick piloted a V-wing and flew in a space battle against vulture droids.[17] In 19 BBY,[18] V-wings served in the Battle of Coruscant against the Confederacy of Independent Systems Navy.[15] Clone pilot Contrail flew a V-wing over the burning Federal District during the battle.[17] During Order 66, two V-wings chased after Kelleran Beq and Grogu in an effort to prevent them from leaving Coruscant, though the starfighters' lack of a hyperdrive cost them the chance to shoot down the fugitive Jedi as they fled into hyperspace.[19]
Imperial service[]
Early service[]
With the conclusion of the Clone Wars and the aftermath of Order 66, V-wings continued to see extensive use under the Galactic Empire during throughout its reign.[15] Notably, a V-wing variant was utilized as escort fighter for Emperor Palpatine's personal Theta-class T-2c shuttle,[7] Some even took the V-19 Torrent starfighter's place in guarding Kamino's cloning facilities.[20] Others provided security for the Imperial-occupied Confederacy capital Raxus,[21] and were even seen on Ryloth.[22] On Daro, numerous V-wings chased Clone Force 99's Marauder after the squad had rescued clone commando Gregor after he defected from training the first batch of TK stormtroopers.[23] On Serenno, V-wings escorted several Class four container transports in carrying Count Dooku's war chest to fund various projects in the works, and would provide air support for Clone Captain "Wilco" and his company during their pursuit of Clone Force 99 through a ruined Serennian city.[24]
When Clone Captain Rex and Clone Force 99 members Hunter, Echo, Tech, and Wrecker infiltrated Vice Admiral Rampart's Venator Star Destroyer in the Coruscant shipyard, Tech and Echo activated the ship, which sounded an alarm. A clone stormtrooper noted that there was a security breach, and he ordered patrol squads to trench Alpha-7. A squadron of six V-wings then took off from a nearby hangar and flew around the Venator. Echo took control of the ship's turbolasers and used them to shoot down two V-wings, which crashed into the shipyard. Four V-wings were still flying above the Venator when the clones ejected in an escape pod.[25]
A squadron of V-wings and LAAT/Is were deployed from a Venator-class Star Destroyer to Silla to assist in the recapture of a cloned Zillo Beast that had escaped Imperial captivity.[26] Around 18 BBY,[27] several V-wings were deployed from another Venator-class Star Destroyer to stop rogue clones Echo, Gregor, Fireball, and Nemec from rescuing Howzer and two other rogue clones from being transported on an Imperial cruiser.[28] Later this same year, a squadron of V-wings were assigned to Wilhuff Tarkin's personal compound, the Raven's Peak, on the planet of Eriadu. After the rogue commandos of Clone Force 99 had infiltrated the base[29] and attempted to escape using the installation's sky train, numerous V-wings proceeded to strafe the train's trail line, causing it to detach and ultimately lead to the death of Tech.[30]
V-wings were later utilized on Wayland to escort Palpatine's shuttle as he arrived to the Tantiss Base to check up on the status of Project Necromancer, which was of great importance to the Emperor. Later, four V-wings were sent to stop rogue clones Omega and Crosshair, as well as Batcher, a Lurca hound rescued from termination, from escaping Wayland on a hijacked Rho-class transport shuttle. Doctor Royce Hemlock had ordered the starfighters to shoot the clones down, though he called them off when Emerie Karr informed him that Omega's blood had a substantial M-count.
V-wings also flew around Imperial Station 003 on patrol, while 3 more were sent from Tantiss Base to shoot down Alpha-44, which housed Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, and former Vice Admiral Edmon Rampart during their mission to infiltrate Tantiss to rescue Omega and all the Clone prisoners that were held there. After Tantiss was destroyed by the cloned Zillo Beast and Hemlock's death, V-wings, along with numerous Nu-class attack/transport shuttles and Rho-class transport shuttles, collected the various resources during Tarkin's cleanup of Mount Tantiss.
Persistence[]
V-wings fly over Chorin City after it was liberated by the Empire
The Empire would increasingly grow to rely on the new TIE series produced by Sienar Fleet Systems,[16] with the infamous TIE fighter already seeing deployment by the time of the invasion of Mon Cala[31] in 18 BBY.[32] Nonetheless, the V-wing would continue to see extensive use within the Empire.[33] In 14 BBY,[32] Moff Wilhuff Tarkin utilized V-wing starfighters in the Berch Teller campaign.[33] In 2 BBY, Imperial Moff Ahr deployed numerous V-wings from his Venator-class Star Destroyer during the Attack on Namzor. After the V-wings had obliterated rebel positions, Ahr recalled the starfighters back to his Venator so that the rebel's coaxium supplies could be secured.[34]
By the time of the Galactic Civil War, V-wings had largely been replaced by the TIE fighter.[33] Some would eventually end up in the hands of law enforcement agencies, such as Jinata Security.[9] In 5 ABY, Wild Squadron of the New Republic made use of V-wings at the Battle of Jakku.[35]
Behind the scenes[]
V-wings first appeared in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.[15]
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 nineteen years to build TIEs. As a reference to TIE fighters, however, they have very similar engine sounds, as can be heard towards the end of the film when several pairs of V-wings are seen patrolling the area where construction of the Death Star is beginning.
In "THE TWINS," an episode of Star Wars: Visions, V-wings are used by Am's Galactic Empire.[36] The Neimoidian pirate Billow also used a V-Wing in the non-canon comic "Trouble on Takodana."[37]
In 2023, Jazwares revealed a V-Wing Starfighter as part of their Micro Galaxy Squadrons line. A second currently unknown variant was also revealed as part of the Series 5 line-up during Celebration Europe (2023). This second variant was a “chase” and limited to 5,000 pieces worldwide. The Micro Galaxy Squadron ship is also the first toy/collectible V-Wing with correctly positioned wings during landing, unlike the LEGO and Hasbro versions.
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
"Trouble on Takodana" — LEGO Star Wars 55- Star Wars: Visions — "THE TWINS"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
- "The Special Suits" — LEGO Star Wars 111 (In flashback(s))
Sources[]
Non-canon sources[]
- LEGO Star Wars 70 (Free Gift)
Notes and references[]
External links[]
- Every Starfighter in Star Wars Explained By Lucasfilm on the official WIRED YouTube channel (backup link)
