Who designed the Star Wars spacecraft?
Colin Cantwell, the concept designer behind many Star Wars spacecraft, pictured in 2017. Photograph: RJ Sangosti/Denver Post/Getty Images Colin Cantwell, the man who designed the spacecraft in the Star Wars films, has died at the age of 90.
Who designed the X-Wing in Star Wars?
In 1974, Cantwell was introduced by friends who worked on American Graffiti to a director, George Lucas, who invited him to work on his next film, Star Wars. Cantwell designed the prototypes for several ships in the Star Wars franchise, including the X-wing, TIE Fighter and the landspeeder, as well as the film’s iconic Death Star.
Who was the model maker for Star Wars?
Cantwell was attached to the project as early as 1974. He was known as one of the defining model makers in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Cantwell's early Star Wars designs showcased the true genesis of what was to come as far as the designs of the ships.
What is the best Star Wars aircraft design?
The T-65 X-Wing is easily the best design in all of Star Wars. It's become an icon. The rapier thin cockpit section is reminiscent of modern-day fighters, giving the fighter a dangerous pointed look and an aerodynamic feel.
Who designed the Star Destroyer?
Perhaps one of the most awe-inspiring vessels of the Star Wars Universe, the Imperial Star Destroyer is one of sci-fi's most iconic spaceships. Designed by Industrial Light and Magic's Colin Cantwell, these ships were inspired by the look of real-life battleships, at least in part.
Who designed TIE Fighters?
One of the Empire's foremost military manufacturers, Sienar Fleet Systems developed and built the TIE fighter and its variants, as well as technologies such as the XX-23 S-thread tracker.
What were Star Destroyers based on?
According to the Anaxes War College System, the Sith Eternal's Xyston-class Star Destroyer, at 2,406 meters, was a battlecruiser. The Xyston was a model of Star Destroyer that was based on an upscaled Imperial I-class design.
What is the most iconic ship in Star Wars?
Millennium FalconMillennium Falcon I'd say this is the most iconic starship in all of Star Wars.
What is Darth Vader's ship called?
ExecutorThe mighty flagship of Darth Vader, the Executor led Death Squadron during the Empire's assault on Hoth and pursued the Millennium Falcon to Bespin, where Luke Skywalker and his friends narrowly escaped her tractor beams.
Who engineered the Death Star?
Bevel LemeliskBevel Lemelisk was an engineer and architect who designed, among other things, six superweapons with the power to destroy a planet: the Death Star prototype, the Death Star, the second Death Star, the Eclipse, the Tarkin, and the Darksaber.
Why are Star Destroyers so weak?
In Legends a single Star Destroyer could lay waste to continents and turn a planets surface into molten slag. A single ISD was enough to cause a star system to surrender. In canon we see Star Destroyers do about as much damage as a mortar.
How long would it take to build a Star Destroyer?
An Executor-class Star Destroyer, or other similar juggernaught warship would take longer, but could likely still be assembled with relative speed. Zsinj had nearly completed his second SSD by the time the NR even found out about it, so at most it takes a large shipyard about 4-5 months to finish one completely.
Could a Star Destroyer be built?
A Star Destroyer will cost $636 billion to build the parts on Earth, plus $44.4 trillion to get it all off Earth and to Mars. At that launch cost, it's definitely worth investing in asteroid mining and refining technologies first.
What was the fastest ship in Star Wars?
The Millenium Falcon is the fastest ship in the galaxy - just ask Han Solo, and he'll tell you that she "made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs." According to Han, the Falcon has a Class 0.5 hyperdrive, which is definitely the fastest canon hyperdrive.
What ship was KYLO Ren on?
The powerful flagship shared by General Hux and Kylo Ren, the dagger-shaped Finalizer is nearly twice the length of an Imperial-era Star Destroyer.
What was Luke Skywalker's ship called?
Luke Skywalker's starship (Harix), vessel Skywalker used on his missions to Harix.
Why are TIE fighters shaped like that?
Their overall design resembled the Human eye, which led to several members of the Rebel Alliance, including those of Rogue Squadron, to give them nicknames relating to eyes (such as "eyeball" for TIE/LN starfighters, "squints" for TIE/IN interceptors, and "brights" for the TIE Advanced series of starfighters).
How did they make TIE fighter sounds?
TIE Fighter sounds came from elephants and cars “Swoosh, the car would come by, and you heard this car plowing through the water,” Burt explains. “I took that sound still thinking that I was making a laser of some kind.” Once Burtt combined the elephant sounds with the car, the rest of his production team went crazy.
Why do they call them TIE fighters?
While in the Star Wars universe, TIE stands for "Twin Ion Engine," George Lucas gave the starfighter the name "TIE" simply because he thought that they looked like bow ties.
What is the most advanced TIE fighter?
The TIE Defender is the most heavily armed TIE to ever be developed. One variant was armed with 4 lasers cannons, 2 ion cannons, and a pair of missile launchers that could fire either proton torpedoes or concussion missiles. Plus, it even had a tractor beam projector that could let it trap other fighters.
How many Ben Mendelsohn are there in Rogue One?
23 of 32 Ben Mendelsohn in a still from "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." © Lucasfilm 2016 Show More Show Less
How many Forest Whitaker are there in Rogue One?
28 of 32 Forest Whitaker in a still from "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." © Lucasfilm 2016 Show More Show Less
How many Jiang Wen stills are there in Rogue One?
20 of 32 Jiang Wen in a still from "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." © Lucasfilm 2016 Show More Show Less
How many AT walkers are there in Rogue One?
11 of 32 AT-AT walkers in a still from "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." © Lucasfilm 2016 Show More Show Less
Who are the actors in Rogue One?
16 of 32 L to R: Actors Riz Ahmed, Diego Luna, Felicity Jones, Jiang Wen and Donnie Yen in a promotional image for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." © Lucasfilm 2016 Show More Show Less
Who is Colin Cantwell?
The name Colin Cantwell might not sound very familiar, but it should. The former modelmaker at Lucasfilm's Industrial Light and Magic VFX and Animation Studio had a big hand in the designs of many of "Star Wars"' most famous star ships.
Who is the director of 2001: A Space Odyssey?
See the full AMA here, and find out what it's like to work with Lucas and director Stanley Kubrick, with whom Cantwell collaborated for "2001: A Space Odyssey."
What was the ship in New Hope?
The small transport ship was the only one available as a means of escape from the Empire in hopes of getting the plans to Yavin 4. Don't let looks deceive as this innocent looking ship carried plans imperative to the destruction of the Death Star.
What is the fastest ship in the Rebellion fleet?
The fastest ship in the Rebellion fleet, the A-Wings made their first screen appearance in Return of the Jedi alongside B-Wings. Not only that, but fans often forget the heroic efforts of one A-Wing in particular in Return of the Jedi that sent the Super Star Destroyer crashing down into the Death Star 2. Arvel Crynyd, a rebel pilot, was hit by a TIE Fighter and took Vader's Executor with him. For his efforts, the A-Wings are remembered as a staple of the Rebellion, one that started the beginning of the end of the Empire.
What is a twin ion engine?
The Twin Ion Engine (TIE) fighter is the Empire's go-to boasting some impressive speed capabilities , not to mention the sheer number of these they have. Since A New Hope, the TIE Fighter has meant nothing but dread for the Rebellion, stopping at nothing to take down the Millineum Falcon and the rest of the Rebel fleet.
What is the relationship between Y wings and X wings?
Not only that, but Y-Wings are most commonly associated with X-wings, a dynamic duo of sorts. The reason being X-Wings are usually tasked with escorting the Y-Wings to their target, but unfortunately, that didn't quite work at the Battle of Yavin.
What is the B-wing in Star Wars?
A combination of the X-Wing and Y-Wing, the B-Wing is a bombing aircraft despite its thin shape. Instead of an X-Wing expanding its attack foils, this ship folds its wings flat against its body, making it capable of squeezing in and out of tight spaces.
What was the Y-wing bomber?
These pesky bombers may be slow, but slow and steady always wins the race. The Y-wings were the bombers of the Rebellion and made an unsuccessful trench run in the Death Star in A New Hope. But despite their failure, they're highly sought out for their tactical advantages and even came back for the Battle of Endor.
What is the Imperial Shuttle?
The Imperial shuttle acted as the Emporer's command and transport ship when he wasn't stationed at the Death Star. Though it only made a brief appearance, the shuttle's symmetrical design was stunning and saved Luke from perishing with the Death Star 2 in Return of the Jedi.
Why are Mon Calamari so unique?
Each Mon Calamari vessel was individually unique due to the artistry of their Mon Calamari builders, even those of the same "class". According to Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game sourcebooks, while smaller and carrying less weaponry than Imperial -class Star Destroyers, the Mon Calamari cruisers are often more than a match in head-to-head engagements. This is attributed to the Mon Calamari cruisers' multiple backup shields and multiple shield generators as well as more balanced all-around firing arcs. The franchise's books, comics, and video games from Legends describe and depict other Mon Calamari cruisers and successor designs, such as the MC80B Mon Remonda in the Star Wars: X-wing novels, the MC90 star cruiser Galactic Voyager, the Mediator -class battle cruisers, and Viscount -class Star Defenders (which were meant to be the answer to the Executor -class Super Star Destroyers) in R.A. Salvatore 's Vector Prime.
How big are the Mon Calamari?
These ships measure 1,187 m (3,894 ft) long , 157 m (515 ft) wide and 163 m (535 ft) high. Because it is primarily controlled via droid brain, it requires a crew of only 300 battle droids to operate, with storage space for an additional 40,000 battle droids. Their diverse armament includes a prow heavy turbolaser cannon, 4 heavy turbolaser cannons, 6 heavy turbolaser turrets, 5 turbolaser cannons, 30 dual laser cannons, 12 dual light laser cannons, and 60 point-defense light laser cannons. However their effectiveness in battle comes from overwhelming numbers, as between four to six Recusant -class ships are needed to outgun a Venator Star Destroyer. Their only true weakness is the single-minded nature of their droid brain, although the lack of self-preservation means they are not above deliberately ramming their target in order to destroy it.
How long is the Solar Sailer?
While only 16.7 m (55 ft) long, it is surprisingly spacious with room for Dooku's databook library and fast with a Class 1.5 hyperdrive.
What is the Lambda class?
Lambda -class T4a shuttles first appeared in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, and were later added to the Special Edition release of The Empire Strikes Back. Joe Johnston, Ralph McQuarrie, and Nilo Rodis-Jamero borrowed elements from the skyhopper designed for A New Hope when refining the shuttle's appearance. Earlier versions were boxy, boat-like, or had TIE fighter -like components. Industrial Light and Magic 's modelmakers made two shooting models, although CGI versions were used for the craft's Special Edition appearance in The Empire Strikes Back. The Theta -class shuttle in Revenge of the Sith was designed to appear like a predecessor to the Lambda class. A Lambda -class shuttle makes a cameo appearance during the docking sequence of Inara Serra 's shuttle in " Serenity ", the pilot episode of Joss Whedon 's Firefly.
What is an Imperial landing craft?
Imperial landing craft (Sentinel-class landing craft) Imperial landing craft (or Sentinel -class landing craft) were designed for the Special Edition release of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and created entirely with CGI. However, they first appeared in products of the Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire multimedia campaign.
How long is the GR 75?
Only 90 m (300 ft) long, these ships are described in Star Wars sources as largely consisting of a thick outer hull with its interior entirely open for modular cargo pods. These are held in place by a magnetic shield and allows the transport to accommodate 19,000 metric tons (42,000,000 lb) of cargo. Cheap and easy to maintain, these transports are only equipped with four twin laser cannons and minimal deflector shields, though some are retrofitted for combat.
What is the Executor's role in the Empire Strikes Back?
The Executor serves as Darth Vader 's personal flagship during the events of The Empire Strikes Back, leading the Death Squadron against the Rebel Alliance on Hoth and in pursuit of the Millennium Falcon. It features again in Return of the Jedi where, during the final space battle, it is destroyed after a Rebel A-wing crashes into the command bridge, causing the Executor to lose control and be destroyed as the second Death Star 's gravity pulls the flagship into its surface.
What is the best tie in Star Wars?
The TIE Interceptor is the best TIE design in any of the Star Wars movies. The biggest problem with the TIE/In design was the blocky wings, which would reduce pilot visibility and just looked bad. The Interceptor replaced these with slanted wings that tapered to a point and removed sections to increase visibility.
What is the Naboo Royal Starship?
Introduced in The Phantom Menace, the Naboo Royal Starship is a beautiful ship. Maybe it's the smooth lines, which were unlike what fans had seen in the ships of the original trilogy, or the way the dagger-shaped prow gave an impression of speed. Maybe it was the sweet chrome finish to the whole thing.
What class is the Star Destroyer?
Just about all of the Star Destroyer designs are great but the best one is the Venator -class. The mainline battleship of the Grand Army of the Republic during the prequel trilogy's Clone Wars, it takes the triangular design of its Imperial- class descendants and improves upon it.
What is the name of the hospital ship in Empire Strikes Back?
Known as the Hospital Ship from the end of Empire Strikes Back, the Nebulon-B is a ridiculous ship. The prow section looks pretty cool but then it's attached to the engines by a long thin boom that screams, "Target me." Even in a universe where the ships have shields, this design makes no sense.
What is the TIE interceptor?
Debuting in Return Of The Jedi during the Battle of Endor, the TIE Interceptor was a perfect tweak to the classic design. It made more sense and dagger-like wings made the whole thing look meaner.
What is the X wings?
The distinctive X wings give it both its name and a profile that is instantly recognizable. It was completely different from anything seen at the time, a mix of the real world and the fantasy world of Star Wars. It's one of the ships that people think of automatically when they think of Star Wars.
What is the best Star Wars fighter?
The T-65 X-Wing is easily the best design in all of Star Wars. It's become an icon. The rapier thin cockpit section is reminiscent of modern-day fighters, giving the fighter a dangerous pointed look and an aerodynamic feel. The distinctive X wings give it both its name and a profile that is instantly recognizable.
