#Star wars rebel vehicles series

Running alongside its more powerful but slower big brother the AT-AT, the AT-ST was a nine-meters-tall, two-crew reconnaissance vehicle that could reach speeds of up to 90 kph on flat terrain and was able to subdue enemy fire from ground-based combatants using its powerful chin-mounted laser cannons. Made famous later by its appearance in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, the All-Terrain Scout Transport, or вЂњchicken walkerвЂќ as it is sometimes known, actually made its first fleeting appearance in Empire. Thankfully, the warriors of the rebellion were savvy enough to figure out a way to trip up these technological terrors, slowing their progress enough to allow for the evacuation of Echo Base to proceed.Д«ehind the Scenes: The familiar sound of the walker was created by the legendary Ben Burtt and used a metal stamping machine, made rhythmic to convey the walking motion and a dumpster lid for the knees. Oftentimes, their imposing size and strength was enough to make the enemy yield. Over twenty-two meters high, heavily armored, replete with heavy laser cannons, turbolasers and depending on internal configuration able to carry speeder bikes, scout walkers, E-web heavy repeating blasters and up to 40 troops, AT-ATs were often the first vehicle to enter the war arena. You can thank General Veers for bringing these mechanical monstrosities into the field of battle on the ice plains of Hoth as the EmpireвЂ™s Blizzard Force advanced toward the shield generator. A malleable vehicle, they could serve as troop transports, medical ships, rescue vessels or in any manner of roles but their lightly armored exteriors meant they had to be shielded and protected by the fleet.Д«ehind the Scenes: During the making of Empire, the Rebel transport was known as the вЂTuna ShipвЂ™ due to its slight pink hue.

At 90 meters long with a class 4 hyperdrive, these vessels were never built for speed, but were capable of carrying anything up to 19,000 metric tons of cargo, and of course many rebel soldiers, equipment, and consumables. We may have seen one come to a sticky end at the finale of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as it smashed into the ISD Devastator, but in Empire, 13 GR-75 medium transports made good their escape, blasting off from Hoth as the v-150 Planet Defender ion cannon fired from Echo Base, disabling the ISD Tyrant. Those designs later made their way into Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in the background of the Resistance base. The T-47 could be outfitted for water worlds, desert planets, and swamps, but the model would be forever associated with the snow-swept plains of Hoth.Д«ehind the Scenes: ItвЂ™s hard to imagine the snowspeeder being anything other than the design seen in Ralph McQuarrieвЂ™s concept paintings, but early ideas considered building the speeders from X-wing and Y-wing parts. Originally built as a cargo vehicle, the militarized version had a pilot to the fore and a gunner to the rear manning the magnetic harpoon and tow cable as well as controlling the laser cannons via targeting systems. Retrofit to maintain performance in the thin air of the icy skies of Hoth, the T-47 airspeeder - better known to audiences as the snowspeeder - was a swift and agile atmospheric vehicle capable of taking on the might of the Imperial war machine. One of the greeblies added to the surface of the huge Super Star Destroyer model was a toy soldier. A statement of intent from the Emperor, these dreaded destroyers may have been built in small numbers but starkly represented the might of the EmpireвЂ™s fist.Д«ehind the Scenes: Models made by the ILM model shop often employed what are known as вЂњgreeblies,вЂќ adding texture to the surfaces of ships and battle stations. Serving as the command ship of Darth Vader himself and heading up his aptly named Death Squadron, the Executor carried a flotilla of ships including numerous TIE fighters, TIE bombers, Imperial shuttles and more. LetвЂ™s take a look at these new additions to the galactic fleet.Д¬oming in at 19 kilometers long with 5,000 turbolasers, an ion cannon and a class 1 hyperdrive, this terrifying floating city dwarfed the imposing Imperial Star Destroyer (ISD) II (which also debuted in Empire), essentially relegating them to escort vessels as it jumped into rebellious systems across the galaxy. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back gave us a slew of iconic new vehicles, from the mechanical stomping AT-AT to the elegantly gliding cloud car.

#Star wars rebel vehicles series

To celebrate the classic filmвЂ™s landmark 40th anniversary, presents вЂњ Empire at 40,вЂќ a special series of interviews, editorial features, and listicles. On May 21, 1980, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back made its theatrical debut.