The Y-Wing was the Rebel Alliance's first starfighter with a hyperdrive and still plays an important role in the Alliance forces. But before the well-known Y-wing starfighters were produced in series, a prototype fighter was developed, the BTL-P1. But unlike its predecessor, the BTL-S3 - the Rebels' standard varaiant - the prototype was a three-man vessel. The crew consists of the pilot, the gunner for the Ion Cannon Turret, and one sensor operator. One of the prototypes special features, for, was the sensor pod below the cockpit (see picture). This sensor pod made it also a perfect craft for reconnaissance duty. The prototype thus is a compromise between an assault fighter and reconnaissance vessel.
The prototype Y-Wing was also slightly more manoeuverable and had faster sublight engines than the production models. But the test pilots encounteres technical problems during atmospherical flights at maximum speed. The following researches revealed that the engine construction was not stable enough for such extreme manoeuvers. The wound point was the the cross wing at the rear of the central spar where the engines are attached. In order to save the pilots' lives, manoeuverability and sublight speed were slightly scaled down for the both production models (BTL-S3 and BTL-A4 Longprobe). Also the sensor pod was removed for the following Y-Wing models. A much weaker sensor unit was installed instead, hence the out of focused sensors about which many pilots are complaining about when flying an BTL-S3.
Another difference to the later models is that the prototype was not equipped with an astromech droid, instead had a small nav computer which was able to store two jumps. This was changed for the production models due to the Rebels' tactics - to drop out of hyperspace, quickly attack their targets, and immediately flee into hyperspace again - operations that were managed more successfully with an astromech droid storing ten jumps.
This early model did, however, not yet have a complement of proton torpedoes, instead, a pair of forward-mounted blaster cannons was installed. But with the evelopment of the production models (BTL-S3 and BTL-A4) and the Rebels' need for more heavy weaponry to strike against capital-scale vessels, replaced by the BTL-S3, carrying proton torpedoes, for heavy assault missions and the BTL-A4, a one-man reconnaissance fighter. The two mission profiles now were separated, and there was no need for the BTL-P1 any longer.
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| Stats: | Christopher Deck & Thomas Thursby |
| Images: | Star Wars Chronicles, Chronicle Books. Ralph McQuarrie in Galaxy Guide 8, West End Games. |