Your guide to Star Wars memorabilia, toys, games and costumes

The Rebel Alliance Y-wing Starfighter

Cocky x wing pilots may jokingly call the Y-wing Starfighter a “wallowing pig”, but the truth is that the y-wing is a ship that commands respect from all. Although the Koensayr Y-wing Starfighter is the most destroyed ship in the Rebel Alliance, it’s not because of its lack of speed or power. Pre-dating the Incom X-wing, the Kownsayr Y-wing Starfighter was the most common ship used by the Alliance during the Galactic Civil War.

Named for the rear placement of its two engine nacelles, there are two basic types of Y-wings, the single-seat BTL-A4 and the double-seat BTL-S3. In the two-seater S3, the gunner sits facing rear, controlling the turret-mounted ion cannons. The ion cannons are used to disable the enemy so boarding operations can commence. This ability was invaluable to the Alliance in the early days of the Galactic Civil War when the Rebels depended on capture operations to obtain food, medicine and other supplies.

A durable titanium reinforced Alusteel alloy hull proves to be nearly impenetrable to Imperial pilots taking repeated laser blasts before cutting through the Y-wing’s hull. In the meantime, enemy pilots were at considerable risk from the Y-wing’s formidable arsenal of twin forward-firing laser cannons. Housed in a recessed slot in front of the cockpit, the y-wing’s closely positioned laser cannons make a well-aimed shot a devastating occurrence for the Imperial pilots of the faster, more maneuverable TIE Fighters.

When the Alliance needs to get in close, it’s the ground hugging Y-wing that often receives the order to pummel the enemy with its arsenal of eight proton torpedoes. Gold Squadron flew Y-wings in the Battle of Yavin where Y-wing squadrons were influential in helping defeat the Death Star threat. Y-wings were also present at the Battle of Endor,

In the later years of the Galactic Civil War, the B-wing Starfighter began replacing the Y-wing.However, several of the Y-wing’s excellent features have been modified for use in the Alliance’s T-47 snowspeeder. The cockpit is a modified Y-wing fighter cockpit refit and the T-47 is also equipped with refitted sections of Y-wing armor along its hull.