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The Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter, often simply known as the V-wing starfighter or Nimbus fighter, was a short-ranged starfighter deployed late in the Clone Wars by the Galactic Republic. V-wings were some of the more recent spacecraft in the Republic Navy, and frequently filled the role as combat support ships. The small silhouette, high speed, and great agility of this fighter made it hard to target and a very effective ship despite its small size. They were later succeeded by the Imperial TIE Fighter and its variants, as well as the Rebel RZ-1 A-wing interceptor, all of which incorporated aspects of the V-wing into their designs.The Alpha-3 Nimbus-class starfighter was a sturdy, wedge-shaped starfighter similar to the Delta-7 Aethersprite-class interceptors used by the Jedi Order. It was manufactured by Kuat Systems Engineering, the same company responsible for both the Delta-7 fighter and its successor, the Eta-2 Actis-class interceptor. Both the Delta-7 and the Alpha-3 models were designed by the engineer Walex Blissex, who would later co-design the Rebel Alliance's A-wing fighter with Jan Dodonna. The V-Wing featured folding wings similar to those fitted on the later Eta-2 interceptors. But when landing, the wings fold downward to form as landing gear. On each wing was a radiator panel which helped aid in heat disposal during combat. Nestled between each wing and the hull were two twin laser cannons, which could swivel on the vessel's wing hubs to provide a wide range of fire. A single forward concussion missile launcher could be fitted to the prow. Some models were equipped with Flak guns and Proton bombs. Aft of the starfighter's main hull were two deflector shield heat sinks, located above the two vertically stacked ion drive thrusters. These flaps also provided some protection for the V-wing's clone pilot.In keeping with the design of the Delta-7, the Alpha-3 featured an astromech droid socket aft of the oval cockpit. V-wing pilots were often assisted by spherical Q7-series astromech droids which provided in-flight navigation and maintenance skills that would otherwise require a copilot - which the compact V-wing could not accommodate. However, later incarnations of the V-wing used by the Galactic Empire omitted the astromech, with the pilot as the only occupant. In addition, some later incarnations utilized a similar engine to the later TIE Series, resulting in it having a similar engine roar to its successors.The V-wing starfighter was too small to feature an integrated hyperdrive, and like their jedi-owned counterparts, it required transportation into combat zones by carriers such as the Venator-class Star Destroyers. Additionally, V-wing fighters were also capable of using Syluire-45 hyperspace transport rings to go long distances like the Eta-2 and both Delta-7 models. The clone troopers who flew the fighter had specially adapted helmets. These helmets, along with their flight suits, were fully sealed due to the lack of a life support system. These suits allowed them to survive in space after ejection. Read more... |
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