Clone trooper pilot

"We're on your tail, General Kenobi. Set S-foils to attack position."

―"Odd Ball" Davijaan^[src]

Clone trooper pilots were special clone troopers bred in the Kamino cloning centers for the purpose of piloting craft of the Grand Army of the Republic and the early Galactic Empire.

They first appeared at the Battle of Geonosis,where they flew LAAT/i and LAAT/c gunships. Pilots also operated CR20 and CR25 troop carriers. In addition, they flew starfighters such as the V-19 Torrent, ARC-170, and Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing. The pilots who flew capital ships wore a special type of armor instead of the regular one, seen in the First Battle of Mon Calamari, during the Clone Wars. Pilots also knew how to operate all military land vehicles such as the AT-TEs.

HistoryEdit

Clone trooper pilots were born and raised in secret on the Wild Space planet Kamino, starting from 32 BBY. They were clones of the Human male Jango Fett and were purchased for use by the Galactic Republic. Troopers which demonstrated certain aptitudes were selected for pilot training.^[2] They first participated in battle ten years after their creation at the Battle of Geonosis by piloting the Republic gunships.^[5] During the course of the resulting conflict against the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Clone Wars, they also flew the ARC-170 starfighters and V-wing fighters that engaged Separatist forces in the depths of space or the skies of scattered worlds.^[6] Clone pilots would also occasionally participate in boarding parties, in orbital battles along with Clone marines. In those engagements, clone pilots carried a blaster pistol, F-187 fusioncutters, and time bombs to wreak havoc aboard enemy capital ships.^[7] During ground engagements, they carried "DN bolt caster" plasma disruptors and DC-15Ss, along with health and ammo dispensers with their fusioncutters to support their fellow clones.^[4]

The Grand Army of the Republic pilots participated in many battles throughout the war, piloting gunships to transport troopers and flying V-19 Torrent starfighters to engage Separatist starfighters, especially in the early part of the war.^[8] Wearing Phase 1 armor with yellow markings, they also piloted AT-TE walkers and other ground craft. Pilots participated in various campaigns, including the battles of Christophsis, Teth, destroying the Malevolence at the Kaliida Nebula, Bothawui, Quell, Ryloth, Devaron, the Second Battle of Geonosis, and many others. They flew V-19s, Y-wing bombers, and ARC-170s for most of the early part of the war.

In late 21 BBY, clone pilot armor was changed with the addition of Phase 2 clone armor. New clone Z-95 Headhunter starfighters were added to the Republic arsenal, and clone pilots flew them at battles including Umbara, Kadavo, Scipio, and many others. In mid 20 BBY, the armor was changed yet again, and the ARC-170 became the Republic's main starfighter, alongside new V-wings.

During the Battle of Coruscant, Squad Seven, led by Clone Commander Davijaan, was instrumental in holding off enemy forces and allowing Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker infiltrate Separatist General Grievous' fleeing flagship, the Invisible Hand, which subsequently led to the rescue of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.^[9]

EquipmentEdit

"Want to borrow my armor? It's nice and white."

―Unnamed clone trooper pilot, to Fi, during a mission to Fest^[src]

Warthog detail — Clone trooper pilot Warthog in his customized Phase II helmet

These specialized troopers were normally equipped with a bolt caster, a blaster pistol, and a supply dispenser containing five packs of medicine, bacta, and ammunition.^[4] However, in space they discarded their bacta, ammo, and bolt casters for time bombs.^[7]

ArmorEdit

When Phase I armor was in use, ground and starfighter pilots wore armor that featured yellow markings and red Republic symbols on their specialized helmets.^[5] Phase I pilots also had a box attached to their chest armor that supplied oxygen to their helmets. This armor was in use until the introduction of Phase II armor in late 21 BBY. Those who wore Phase II pilot armor were able to customize their armor.^[8] The pilots who flew capital ships wore a special type of armor, as seen in the Battle of Mon Calamari during the Clone Wars.^[6]

New armor for the pilots was also added with Phase 2 armor. As at that point Clone Z-95 starfighters were mainstream, they wore fully enclosed helmets like on the pilot in the picture on the above right. Later in mid 20 BBY, the armor was changed again to accommodate for the previously existing ARC-170 replacing the Z-95 as the mainstream starfighter.

Two sets of Phase II pilot armor^[9] were in use as of 19 BBY.^[3] The first set, which used a helmet that was not fully enclosed, was the more common set, as it was used by the majority of pilots.^[9] The second set, which had a fully enclosed helmet and armor that looked similar to that of an AT-AT pilot, was mainly used in the V-wing starfighter, which carried no life support system.^[8]

VehiclesEdit

ClonePilotHasbroGunship — Pilot with a helmet design resembling later imperial models.

Clone pilots typically operated a variety of vehicles and vessels, including:

TrainingEdit

Clone trooper pilots were randomly picked from the normal clone ranks to be pilots and technicians.^[11] As the war progressed, a new breed of clones were trained to fly the latest Republic starfighters.^[12] They could drive, fly, and pilot most things in the Republic's arsenal of vehicles, although many were trained to specialize in one particular craft.