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Inspired by this question about the naming of spaceships, I was wondering if there was any explanation on canon about the actual decision of the design of the ships.

It’s not that usual for a single manufacturer (or even different manufacturers for the same kind of craft) to come over with different designs for several practical reasons. On our world most planes are fairly similar on their categories and even across categories. Fighters are usually alike in design and significant changes in shape and form are only introduced for special needs (I.e stealth or cargo capacity).

Is there any in universe canon explanation about the different form factors of X, B, Y and A wings explaining why a particular shape is used and how that makes that particular ship better than other on its tactical function? I ask this specially given the fact aerodynamics would be of little concern for this kind of ship.

I understand out of universe it’s very likely just due to the rule of cool (warning: tv tropes link).

Jorge Córdoba
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  • Just as the vacuum of space in the Star Wars universe seems to allow for the transmission of sound, aerodynamics obviously work differently as well. Afterall, Zeb (a less-than expert pilot) flew a Tie Fighter sideways through an atmosphere. – GeoffAtkins Jan 10 '22 at 11:43
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    Planes are all quite similar? Au contraire; https://www.boldmethod.com/blog/lists/2014/09/13-of-the-strangest-aircraft-that-actually-flew/ – Valorum Jan 10 '22 at 11:58
  • The question is whether there’s a canon explanation on the different shapes, specially given there seems to be a backstory if I remember correctly. I seem to recall xwing designs were stolen from the empire or something like that. If the difference is just marketing or cosmetic reasons that’s fine too. – Jorge Córdoba Jan 10 '22 at 12:08
  • All modern planes are pretty similar to each other and when they differ they do so for a reason. Maybe to allow vertical takeoff, for stealth reasons or to provide more cargo space. Usually once you reach a good optimised design you only change it for particular reasons of efficiency or cost and most of the industry follows that standard. That covers almost everything in manufacturing and it is the basis of mass production. – Jorge Córdoba Jan 10 '22 at 12:11
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    We see "families" of design - the X-Wing and the Z-95 Headhunter for example (the split s-foil of the X-wing allowed double the number of lasers, as well as better manoeuvrability), both made by Incom. The Delta series flown by the Jedi in AotC and the A-wings (both made by Kuat). – HorusKol Jan 10 '22 at 12:15
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    The differences tend to go by role - A-wing/Delta are fast and highly manoeuvrable - with an interceptor role (like an F-102, Su-15 or Lightning - which are darts with engines), the X-wing/Z-95 are sturdy and fill a multi-role capacity (F-14 - a pretty heavy beast requiring variable wing geometry for low speed lift), while the Y-Wing was a heavy fighter/bomber (Me-110). The B-Wing is the odd one out, but is an experimental design from Ackbar - it sits somewhere between the X and Y-wing in capability. – HorusKol Jan 10 '22 at 12:22
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    Why I think the designs in Star Wars can not be seen as analogous to real world planes is that all planes are constrained by the technology we have. While the in-universe fact that something like the Millennium Falcon can fly like the most agile dogfighter (even in an atmosphere) demonstrates that in Star Wars, engine technology is sufficient to propel something shaped like a brick, so the entirety of design is down to individual philosophies, tastes, and function. – GeoffAtkins Jan 10 '22 at 12:24
  • @HorusKol - Ackbar's involvement in, at least the initial, development of the B-Wing has been retconned. – GeoffAtkins Jan 10 '22 at 12:25
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    @GeoffAtkins at this point, most of Star Wars is a retcon - I still love to watch, read, and play, though – HorusKol Jan 10 '22 at 12:27
  • @HorusKol - By which I mean, it's not just been demoted to "Legends", it's been explicitly contradicted in canon. Specifically Rebels S2E7 - Wings of the Master. Funnily enough, the design of the B-wing is lightly mocked by the characters, "Uh... That's a ship? Is it upside down? Looks like it's been through a garbage masher." – GeoffAtkins Jan 10 '22 at 12:30
  • I strongly disagree about modern warplanes all being the same shape. Compare F-117A, F-22, AV-8B, V-22, E-2C. Yes; they all have wings and engines and cockpits in the front (although I could bring up F-8 and P-51). Otherwise they have very different shapes. Beyond that, their designs are governed by aerodynamics, which is not a factor in spacecraft design. Only the B-Wing really stands out to me as a very different design. X, A, and Y wings all have similar overall structures. – Todd Wilcox Jan 10 '22 at 13:05
  • @ToddWilcox you literally proved my point and the reason for the question. All the planes you quoted on your comment have a different shape because they have a different purpose. Fighter, stealth, vertical takeoff, vertical OR normal takeoff or communications. There’s a reason each of them is significantly different. I’m asking for the same (if it exists) on SW terms – Jorge Córdoba Jan 10 '22 at 13:21
  • I was responding to the assertion that most planes today are similar across categories or within categories. I guess it depends on how similar you mean by “similar”. Same category: F-14, F-15, F-22. That said, the four primary rebel fighters are designed for at least three different categories. Arguably four. Just like the three different TIE fighters. – Todd Wilcox Jan 10 '22 at 16:49
  • @GeoffAtkins Another possibility: While you can get equivalent performance out of a brick (the edge of the envelope is determined by something other than engine power) the shape makes a difference to what it costs to do so. They paid extra to make the Millennium Falcon look like a freighter but fight like a nimble fighter. – Loren Pechtel Jan 11 '22 at 03:37

2 Answers2

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This is going to break down to two different aspects of the question:

Why different shapes?

Unlike the real world, technological limitations in Star Wars don't dictate almost all aspects of design. Real planes are designed to work based on the ability to generate sufficient lift and thrust to get airborne, which is further complicated by the capabilities of the materials available, the weight the plane will have to lift, and the performance requirements of the aircraft once aloft.

Star Wars technology has moved beyond such things. The Millennium Falcon is capable of atmospheric flight and demonstrates the ability to perform aerobatic manoeuvres that would rival the most agile of model aircraft.

Therefore we can determine that Star Wars starfighters aren't constrained by the need to balance weight to lift/thrust, or worry about aeronautical control surfaces, or anything else that real world designers would be required to focus on.

As such, each manufacturer is free to design their vessels on different criteria. Design philosophies are one factor, each manufacturer tends to have a distinctive style for their respective lines of starfighters (and star ships). There's also the required function of that vessel; A-Wings for instance have comparatively large engines, as befits their status as fast interceptors, while X-wings have comparatively massive guns.

Beyond the different manufacturers you have the fact that different species entirely are involved in the designs here. The rounded cockpit of the B-wing seems to favour the design aesthetic Mon Cal prefer (both Legends and Disney Canon share that the B-wing's designer was a Mon Calamari), but the X-wing and Y-wing are both distinctly angular. Whereas all real life planes are designed by humans (or at least, computers designed by humans), and humans are all more alike than we are different - especially as aircraft designers borrow ideas from each other.

This leads us to conclude that real world homogeny is neither necessary or even present in the in-universe design of starfighters in Star Wars.

The second aspect of the question I want to address is:

how that makes that particular ship better than other on its tactical function?

The answer here is... it doesn't follow from what we see on screen that it does.

The Rebellion is generally depicted as scrounging for whatever they can get. Whereas the Empire, with all its resources make ships and starfighters that follow similar lines in vast numbers, the Rebels are shown using whatever they can get. Yes, they may have a few truly exceptional custom works of art amongst their fleet (the Millennium Falcon and the Ghost as examples), but it's shown that they begged, borrowed, and stole most of their starfighters and small star ships.

It's only the B-wings that were designed and built entirely by the Rebellion during the course of the civil war, and these are never shown in number.

GeoffAtkins
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    "[T]hat would rival the most agile of modern aircraft". I wonder what aircraft you have seen that I have not :) – Joachim Jan 10 '22 at 15:56
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    @Joachim - My bad. Spellcheck corrected a typo in "model" for "modern". I was considering those highly manoeuvrable toys that seems to pop up everywhere last year. – GeoffAtkins Jan 10 '22 at 16:21
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    It's mentioned many times that the Millenium Falcon is a cobbled-together mess of parts that barely work together. Imagine a 57 Chevy with a dragster engine, a Honda radio from the 1980's, wheels off your grandma's 78 Buick, and an aftermarket remote start system. Now, give that car to someone like Han who regularly drives it to the limit, smuggling huge crates of contraband and getting into car chases with the fuzz. That's the Millenium Falcon. – Robert Columbia Jan 10 '22 at 16:58
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Unfortunately I don’t have references readily available for this, but I think I have the answer you’re looking for. Perhaps someone can edit this and add in sources.

  • X-Wing: Space Superiority Fighter - heavier, durable, designed for dogfighting with some attack capability.
  • Y-Wing: Attack fighter - primarily for attacking static targets and capital ships, with some defensive dogfighting capability.
  • A-Wing: Small, fast, agile space interceptors - designed for dogfights with essentially no attack capability.
  • B-Wing: Attack bombers with some defensive capabilities.
Todd Wilcox
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    Yeah, the Y-wing is sort of a cross between an A-10 and a light bomber. It hits with a powerful punch but isn't the best dogfigher. – Robert Columbia Jan 10 '22 at 17:03
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    Note: some of my “knowledge” of these craft comes from the X-Wing and Tie Fighter video games and the West End role playing game. I don’t know what the canonicity is for this, so keep that in mind. One thing we do see in the original trilogy is these craft being used in these ways (not so much the B-Wing). The battle of Yavin definitely shows the X-Wings providing cover for Y-Wing attack runs until there are no more Y-Wings. – Todd Wilcox Jan 10 '22 at 17:09