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- "Flights stay together, don't stray too far from the Deliverance until you're told."
- ―Commander Wyl Lark, to his forces
Fourth flight from Red Squadron participated in the Battle of Yavin.
A flight, or flight element, was a type of starfighter military unit that was smaller than a squadron. The Rebel Alliance's Red Squadron was composed of at least four flights and also maintained Red Flight. The Galactic Empire also utilized flights, with one being Delta Flight. The First Order also utilized flights of TIE/fo space superiority fighters.
Description[]
Overview[]
A flight,[2] or flight element,[3] was a small starfighter military unit, usually making up parts of a starfighter squadron[2] or operating independently.[4]
The Galactic Republic deployed flights during the Clone Wars and organized them within the Republic Starfighter Corps. A flight group consisted of several flights, which could number only two craft.[5] Flights were utilized by the Galactic Empire, with four flights also making up a squadron. The 204th Imperial Fighter Wing, along with its six subordinate squadrons, were composed of flights.[6] Flights were also stationed on Imperial planets and operated patrols.[7] Flights[8] in the Empire consisted of four starfighters, and could serve as sentries.[9]
The Alliance to Restore the Republic utilized flights within its Starfighter Corps. Alliance squadrons were composed of four numbered flights,[2] although flights also served independently.[4] Flights were a part of starfighter unit structure within the New Republic, making up the forces of a squadron within a fighter wing. In the New Republic, five bombers formed a flight.[1] The First Order utilized flights within their military organizational structure, and could be composed by five TIE/fo space superiority fighters.[10]
History[]
During the Clone Wars[]
Flights were used by the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars. Clone Flight Squad Seven consisted of several squadrons, of which a bomber flight of two BTL-B Y-wing starfighter/bombers were part of. The flight participated in the Battle of Umbara[5] against the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Umbaran Militia, and bombed a ridge near the 501st Legion.[11]
During the Imperial Era[]
During the Galactic Civil War, the Imperial capital ship Avenger participated in an attack on a deep space installation used by the Alliance to Restore the Republic. A flight of three RZ-1 A-wing interceptors participated in the battle alongside other rebel fighters and fought against Imperial starfighter forces.[12] All four flights of the Alliance Red Squadron— first flight, second flight, third flight, and fourth flight— participated in the Battle of Yavin against the Empire's Death Star. Despite the Alliance victory, all members of Red Squadron were killed except Wedge Antilles and Luke Skywalker.[2] Following the Battle of Hoth, Red Squadron and its flights participated in an attack on an asteroid mining station that was operated by pirates.[13]
The Imperial Theta Squadron, which unlike other squadrons consisted of twenty-four fighters, consisted of several flights, with one flight consisting of six fighters. The flight and the rest of Theta Squadron were launched by the ISD Avenger as it hunted the Millennium Falcon in the aftermath of the Battle of Hoth.[12]
During the New Republic Era[]
During the First Order-Resistance War, the First Order participated in the Battle of Grail City, the First Order's invasion of Ikkrukk. Upon encountering Resistance starfighter forces, the heavy cruiser Fortitude launched its complement of TIE fighters, including an entire TIE flight. Ultimately, First Order forces were defeated.[10]
Appearances[]
Sources[]
- Lead by Example (First identified as flight element)
Star Wars Helmet Collection 4 (Weapons & Uniforms: Alliance Pilots)- Star Wars Helmet Collection 6 (Helmets: TIE Fighter Pilot)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 45 (Databank A-Z: Petranaki Arena–Proton Torpedoes)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 71 (Helmets: General Merrick)
- Star Wars: Build Your Own X-Wing 62 (Starfighter Aces: R2-D2 – Going Solo)
Non-canon sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Victory's Price
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Duty Roster" — From a Certain Point of View
- ↑ Lead by Example
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Star Wars Battlefront
- ↑ 5.0 5.1
Star Wars Helmet Collection 45 (Weapons & Uniforms: Odd Ball's Pilots in Action)
- ↑ Shadow Fall
- ↑ "Mercy Mission" — The Rise of the Empire
- ↑ Star Wars Helmet Collection 6 (Helmets: TIE Fighter Pilot)
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Poe Dameron 31
- ↑
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Darkness on Umbara"
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Amara Kel's Rules for TIE Pilot Survival (Probably)" — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back
- ↑ "Rendezvous Point" — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back