It has been 47 years since the release of the first Star Wars feature film and over those years we have been introduced to many Star Wars vehicles both on and off screen. The vehicles have come from movies, television, books, comics and so much more.
For the Capes and Tights Star Wars week we have compiled a list of our favorite, most amazing Star Wars vehicles of all-time.
10. SANDCRAWLER
Sandcrawlers are huge treaded fortresses used by Jawas as transportation and shelter. The sand-pitted vehicles, many meters in height, are equipped with a magnetic suction tube for sucking droids and scrap into their cargo chambers.
9. ANAKIN’S PODRACER
Built in secret by the young slave Anakin Skywalker, this shiny blue and silver Podracer was boasted to be the fastest ever to compete in the Boonta Eve Classic. It wasn’t idle puffery by its creator — when thrown into the cutthroat racing competition, this Podracer’s performance gave Anakin the edge he needed to win the race and his freedom. Smaller and leaner than all the other competing Podracers, Anakin’s vehicle follows the same basic design found throughout the sport: a small cockpit pulled by two high-powered engines. The engines are locked to each other via an energy binder, and durable control cables connect the engines to the cockpit.
8. SPEEDER BIKE
Speeder bikes are common sights throughout the galaxy, with manufacturers turning out both civilian and military models. One of the best-known speeder bikes is the Aratech 74-Z, which saw service during the Clone Wars and remained a mainstay of Imperial forces during the Galactic Civil War. All speeder bikes are capable of high-speed travel and require skill and fast reflexes.
7. SLAVE I
A powerful pursuit craft made famous by Jango Fett in the days of the Republic, this ship was inherited by Boba Fett for his career as a bounty hunter. The aged but effective ship is loaded with hidden defensive and offensive weaponry and equipment, and has a reputation earned from decades of successfully capturing fugitives.
6. IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER
The wedge-shaped Imperial Star Destroyer is a capital ship bristling with weapons emplacements. Turbolasers and tractor beam projectors dot its surface. Its belly hangar bay can launch TIE fighters, boarding craft, land assault units, hyperspace probes, or be used to hold captured craft. In the days of the Empire, its bustling bridge would be staffed by the finest crewers in the Imperial starfleet. Its presence in a system mark matters of extreme Imperial import. Though, as is typical of the Empire, not even the Star Destroyer was enough to sate the Imperial hunger for displays of power. Larger vessels, such as the Super Star Destroyer, dwarf even these giants.
5. AT-AT
The All Terrain Armored Transport, or AT-AT walker, is a four-legged transport and combat vehicle used by the Imperial ground forces. Standing over 20 meters tall with blast-impervious armor plating, these massive constructs are used as much for psychological effect as they are for tactical advantage.
4. TIE FIGHTER
The TIE fighter was the unforgettable symbol of the Imperial fleet. Carried aboard Star Destroyers and battle stations, TIE fighters were single-pilot vehicles designed for fast-paced dogfights with Rebel X-wings and other starfighters. The iconic TIE fighter led to other models in the TIE family including the dagger-shaped TIE Interceptor and the explosive-laden TIE bomber. The terrifying roar of a TIE’s engines would strike fear into the hearts of all enemies of the Empire.
3. DEATH STAR
The Death Star was the Empire’s ultimate weapon: a moon-sized space station with the ability to destroy an entire planet. But the Emperor and Imperial officers like Grand Moff Tarkin underestimated the tenacity of the Rebel Alliance, who refused to bow to this technological terror…
2. X-WING
The X-wing is a versatile Rebel Alliance starfighter that balances speed with firepower. Armed with four laser cannons and two proton torpedo launchers, the X-wing can take on anything the Empire throws at it. Nimble engines give the X-wing an edge during dogfights, and it can make long-range jumps with its hyperdrive and its astromech droid co-pilot. Luke Skywalker is famous for destroying the Death Star behind the controls of an X-wing.
1. MILLENNIUM FALCON
An extensively modified Corellian light freighter, the Millennium Falcon is a legend in smuggler circles and is coveted by many for being the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy. Despite her humble origins and shabby exterior, the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs has played a role in some of the greatest victories of the Rebel Alliance and the New Republic.
The Falcon looks like a worn-out junker, but beneath her hull she’s full of surprises. A succession of owners, including Lando Calrissian and Han Solo, have made special modifications that boosted the freighter’s speed, shielding and firepower to impressive – and downright illegal – levels. The price of such tinkering? The Falcon can be unpredictable, with her hyperdrive particularly balky. Despite her flaws, she’s beloved by her owners – Han Solo and Chewbacca spent years searching the galaxy for the ship they once called home, rejoicing when they finally reclaimed her.
