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U-Wing Appreciation Thread

Discussion in 'Rogue One' started by Lock_S_Foils, Mar 14, 2018.

  1. Lock_S_Foils

    Lock_S_Foils Red Leader

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    Folks let's discuss one of my favorite rebel ships ever, the Incom UT-60D U-Wing Starfighter/Support Craft....known simply as the U-Wing.

    First thing I love is the utilitarian feel of the U-Wing, the multi-role aspect, and the rugged well-used military-grade interior. I've flown in many US Air Force C-130s in my life and the U-Wing compartment reminds me so much of the -130 cargo compartment. You may not have noticed it but the U-Wing used the same standard "troop seats" used on many USAF aircraft including of course the -130. I will never forget getting told I was deploying to Desert Storm with one day notice, going to get all my required shots (immunizations) including the painful "gamma globulin" shot in my butt.....then sitting on one of those red troop seats for 18+ hours on a KC-135E as I flew to Saudi Arabia......those troop seats are NOT made for comfort!!!

    Also loved that the U-Wing was "multirole" - Bistan manning the door gun on the U-Wing reminded me of the Huey (UH-1 helicopter) and how it could have door guns added.

    Would have loved to see more U-Wings in action but very few were used by the Rebellion......also did you catch the troopers yelling "For Jedha!" as they jumped out of the U-Wing onto the beach at Scarif?

    @Lt. Hija Have you done any design work on the U-Wing, maybe interior layout?

    Here is a -130 interior, configured for troop carriage
    c130-interior-shot.jpg
    Here are some U-Wing shots from R1
    Capture-R1 UWing.JPG
    Capture-R1 UWing2.JPG
    Here is Bistan on the U-WIng door gun followed by a Huey door gun
    Capture-R1 UWingdoor gunner.JPG
    Huey Door Gunner.jpg
     
    #1 Lock_S_Foils, Mar 14, 2018
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2018
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  2. Lazarus Dei

    Lazarus Dei Tree Dodger Extraordinaire
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    Here's a question for you to ponder @Lock_S_Foils...

    Why did the U-Wing featured in Rebels S4 (to which they intended to fit the hyperdrive stolen from the scuttled TIE Defender) only have 2 engines instead of the 4 engined version we saw in Rogue One?

    From Rebels, S04 E06 Flight of the Defender
    [​IMG]

    Rogue One
    [​IMG]


    Unnecessarily gratuitous extra pic, just because...
    [​IMG]
     
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  3. cawatrooper

    cawatrooper Dungeon Master

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    Interesting observation, @Lazarus Dei. I wonder if this is somehow related to the fact that Ryder's U-Wing lacked a hyperdrive.

    Or, at least maybe it was a visual cue to the audience that the U-Wing was not at full functionality.
     
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  4. Lazarus Dei

    Lazarus Dei Tree Dodger Extraordinaire
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    Possibly... though the hyperdrive Sabine and Ezra 'borrowed' was only a single unit. Perhaps the Rebel techs had to wire the drive unit up to two engines to fully modify Hera's U-Wing?

    If that's the answer it would be quite cool to think that Sabine and Ezra's mission ultimately meant that all the Rogue One versions were modded ships as the stock version was a sub-light craft.
     
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  5. cawatrooper

    cawatrooper Dungeon Master

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    That's true, but the hyperdrive was originally fitted for a Defender. I know very little about hyperdrives, but I'd imagine that like computer parts, they probably vary model to model.

    Ooh, I like that! It's a cool thought!


    Also, @Lock_S_Foils, I also really like the U-Wing design. Reminds me a little bit of the Republic gunships, but so much more versatile.
     
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  6. Lazarus Dei

    Lazarus Dei Tree Dodger Extraordinaire
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    Ah, damn it... I've just undone my own theory :rolleyes: :D

    From starwars.wikia.com

    'The older model U-wings lacked s-foils, and had two engines instead of the four that the newer models would go on to possess.'

    [​IMG]
     
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  7. cawatrooper

    cawatrooper Dungeon Master

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    Huh, oh well. :p

    Interesting that they're made by Incom. Maybe the popularity of X-Wings made them switch to an s-foil design with the U-Wings, too.
     
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  8. Lock_S_Foils

    Lock_S_Foils Red Leader

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    Of course, Incom is the PREMIERE starship manufacturing corporation in the Galaxy!! Incom has produced a wider range of much more capable craft than, say, Sienar Systems, that producer of Imperial designs.....
     
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  9. Viper78

    Viper78 Rebel Official

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    I'd have Corellian Engineering Corporation as up there with Incom with it's wide range of ship that can be customised for personal or military use.
     
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  10. Aurianna

    Aurianna Clone

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    The only Problem with this is that there are Mounts on top for the Top Engines, and while we never see the S-Foils open I think Ryder's U-wing was a stripped down Version of the Four Engine, Swing Wing S-Foil U-Wing.
     
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  11. Lock_S_Foils

    Lock_S_Foils Red Leader

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    @Aurianna Welcome to the Cantina! Your first post in a U-Wing thread, well-done and good taste! Hope you enjoy it here
     
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  12. Aurianna

    Aurianna Clone

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    Thanks already enjoying the threads. I play X-wing and love doing mods and repaints I'm currently working on converting a standard U-wing to Ryder Azadi's U-wing :D
     
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  13. Aurianna

    Aurianna Clone

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    Here's a Picture of my Progress so far. Yes I know the wings and engines are 3D printed but I just couldn't make the framework on the wings even on both wings, and I dremeled through one of the engines trying to remove a couple panels to make it look like Ryder's U-wing's Engines. Still having fun though ;)
     

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  14. Star Dude

    Star Dude Jedi General

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    Guys, a thread about starships and I didn’t knew? I’m getting too old for this stuff…

    I have some mixed feeling about the U-Wing.

    I like the mission profile and that this craft fills in where both the Alliance and the Empire have a blank spot in the classic area, at least from all that official crafts that we know (and I don’t count the rebel troop lander from the Shattered Empire comics on Endor).

    But compared to the LAAT from the CW era, it looks a bit flimsy, but this can be because it’s not a full blown gunship and low altitude troop transport. And of course the LAAT is one of the best SW craft design of all times. ;)

    Except for design reasons, I don’t really grab the concept of those long, back and forth swinging S-foils in the context of this ship.

    But the ‘pew pew pew’ sounds of my Revell toy at home are really cool!
     
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  15. RockyRoadHux

    RockyRoadHux Ginger General

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    Like Star Dude mentioned- there already is a thread on starships, but nevertheless this really is great idea of a thread!
     
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  16. Star Dude

    Star Dude Jedi General

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    I know that the Empire uses the Sentinel-class landing crafts, but they are much bigger and make formidable targets with their large wings, although being heavily shielded. As per Wookiepedia, they could carry up to 75 troopers, which I doubt. The views during that interdictor episode on Rebels were Kanaan and Rex dress up as Stormtroopers show a much more confined interior, for about 20-40 troopers. They also don’t look like as they would perform well in hot combat landing zones, at least from the weaponry.

    sentinel_class.png

    Even the republican Nu-class attack shuttle looks better suited for that task.

    nu_class.png

    So during the OT era, the U-Wing is kind of a unique design of the active crafts of a ‘Blawkhawk’ like class of dropship.

    Later, the First Order will utilize the AAL-1971/9.1 Troop Transport for the same mission profile, which I consider a design flaw in itself. Landing-troops have to disembark to the front, directly into enemy fire. Sure thing! One could thing that this might be appropriate when doing a beach assault by boat like in the Normandy (were the AAL design is from), nonetheless heavy casualties are pre-programmed if the enemy has automatic weaponry. A flaw, that neither the U-Wing and the LAAT don’t share.

    FO_troop_transport.png

    So all in all, the U-Wing makes up for an armored landing craft with a variable mission profile including limited air support (!) quite good, and is better than anything else post Clone Wars so far.

    U-Wing_Action.png


    Edit: I guess @RockyRoadHux is referring to this one:

    https://thecantina.starwarsnewsnet.com/index.php?threads/new-and-old-vehicles-in-rogue-one.9420/
     
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  17. ThisIsNoCave

    ThisIsNoCave Rebelscum

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    Bumping this thread up because I just discovered it. And in light of the fact that ROGUE ONE is now in rotation on TNT? I've been watching it even more.

    The U-Wing is a really cool addition to the Rebel fleet. We hadn't seen a Rebel starship that could fill this kind of troop carrier role before. And it differs from other film based troop carriers in large part because it's got a hyperdrive capability.

    I also really appreciate the consistency in design between the U-Wing's cockpit/canopy and that of the Y-Wing. Combine that feature with the external engine pods that are very similar to those of an X-Wing fighter, and you wind up with a craft that has a profile that is in keeping with other Rebel starships.

    Now if only Hasbro can make a toy version that actually resembles the one in the movies!!!!
     
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  18. Rodney-2187

    Rodney-2187 Guest

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    The Lego U-Wing looks great to me. Not exactly "screen acurate" as they say, but I just love all the Lego Star Wars vehicles.
     
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  19. ThisIsNoCave

    ThisIsNoCave Rebelscum

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    I have got to hope that with the Cassian Andor television series in development that Hasbro might get another crack at making a U-Wing that resembles the ship we saw in ROGUE ONE.
     
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  20. Lock_S_Foils

    Lock_S_Foils Red Leader

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    Hey @ThisIsNoCave (GREAT name by the way....) are you a model builder and if so do you have one of these?

    bandai-star-wars-1144-u-wing-fighter-and-tie-striker.jpg
     
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