BTL Y - wing starfighter The BTL Y - wing starfighter was a fighter - bomber built by Koensayr Manufacturing . First used during the Clone Wars , then throughout the Galactic Civil War , it was a mainstay of the Alliance Starfighter Corps . It was often used as an assault bomber to attack enemy capital ships directly in conjunction with the later B - wing starfighters . Design . Affectionately known as a " wishbone " to Rebel Alliance and New Republic pilots , the Y - wing starfighter was deployed as a fighter - bomber , designed to fight its way to its objective , deliver its payload of high explosives , and fight its way out again . Its weaponry included two laser cannons , two ion cannons , and two proton torpedo launchers . An astromech droid , such as an R2 unit , could be plugged into a socket behind the cockpit to act as a co - pilot and manage the ship ' s various systems . The Y - wing was a resilient , well - shielded craft , but was slow and ungainly compared to other Alliance fighters . Its deficiencies were partly compensated for by the heavy proton torpedo load it could carry , and its ability to paralyze craft with ion cannon fire without destroying them , a unique ability until the B - wing starfighter was introduced after the Battle of Yavin . In addition to the Rebel Alliance , many planetary defense forces , mercenaries , and pirates fielded the craft . The design had many flaws , and required constant maintenance . The Y - wing was originally entirely sheathed in an aerodynamic , elegant fuselage , but its high - maintenance nature led to many aggravated maintenance crews getting fed up with constantly having to remove the superficial hull plating and disposing of it altogether . Due to this , many Y - wings had no hull plating ( except on the cockpit ) , exposing the internals of the main hull . Pilots found that this would lighten the spaceframe and keep components cooler , noticeably boosting performance . In at least one Y - wing , special features were included which assisted in the event of crashing on the surface of a planet . Inflatable balloons were deployed which kept the ship afloat in case of a water landing , and the cockpit could be ejected from the rest of the ship and driven as its own vehicle . It is unknown whether this was a standard feature or a customization . Usage . Despite its shortcomings in speed and maneuverability compared to space superiority fighters such as the X - wing ( or especially compared to interceptors like the A - wing ) , the Y - wing was an extremely durable craft , with heavier armor and shielding making it a favorite among some Alliance pilots during the Galactic Civil War . The Y - wing also had a larger torpedo magazine . The Y - wing was not a sluggish fighter overall , as its speed and agility exceeded that of its intended replacement , the B - wing , but its lack of mobility meant that the Y - wing was not effective as a space superiority fighter . When properly used by such commanders as General Grisserno and Horton Salm , Y - wings would accelerate towards their capital ship targets , relying on their gunners and wingmates in X - wing starfighters and A - wing interceptors to distract enemy fighters and the enemy ships ' gunners . This would allow the Y - wings and B - wings to focus their fire on capital ships . This tactic was similar to the A - wing Slash , which involved solely X - wings and A - wings . Models . There were three common designs of Y - wing , one used during the Clone Wars and two during the height of the Galactic Civil War , as well as five less common variants . BTL - B Y - wing . The first known model was the BTL - B , which served the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars . Unlike its successor designs , the BTL - B model had a full hull covering on both the primary fuselage and engines . A bubble - turret , which swivelled 360 degrees , provided a clear view for the gunner of the surrounding space . The ship was designed to operate mainly as a bomber and the Republic used them well in this capacity . On later models , this bubble feature was replaced with a turret operated from within the main cockpit . BTL - S3 Y - wing . The BTL - S3 was a two - man strike fighter , and was the most common Y - wing configuration . The weapons systems officer typically operated the ion cannon turret when needed . Luke Skywalker used this variant on his mission to Panna in 0 ABY , as did Leia Organa and C - 3PO on their journey to the Circarpous system . Many Y - wings of this variant were modified to become the S3B variant , with defensive rapid - fire blaster turrets replacing the ion cannon turret , and particle cannon s installed in place of the dual laser cannons on the nose . These Y - wings were used as heavy capital ship destroyers , and were eventually phased out by the new B - wing starfighters . BTL - A4 Y - wing . The BTL - A4 was a one - man version of the S3 , which removed the gunner position and locked the overhead ion cannon in a forward - facing position . Shield strength was also reduced to boost engine speed . It was commonly used by pirate , mercenary , and private defense forces , and therefore was also used by the early Rebel Alliance as the primary starfighter for bombing and disabling roles . However , the lack of a gunner and reduced shields typically proved lacking and made the A4 unpopular among pilots . Notably , only one A4 fighter from the Alliance ' s Gold Squadron survived the attack on the Death Star at the Battle of Yavin . As the BTL - S3 became the primary Y - wing variant of the Rebel forces , the A4 was still kept in many units as a supplementary craft . However , Red and Gold Squadrons favored the A4 variant of the Y - wing and used it with distinction in several climactic battles , such as the Battle of Yavin , the capture of the Death Star II plans from the Imperial freighter " Suprosa " , and the subsequent Battle of Endor . BTL - A4 Y - wing " LongProbe " . An additional ( though less common ) BTL - A4 variant known as the " LongProbe , " designated BTL - A4 ( LP ) , was equipped with a nav computer , backup hyperdrive , advanced scanners , and an extended fuel supply in place of the weapons systems officer . While this was not enough to make it into a true scout craft , its heavy armament gave it a better chance of survival and allowed it to occasionally cause damage to the targets it was scouting . The LongProbe was used primarily for long range scouting missions . On such missions , LongProbes operated in recon teams known as LongProbe Y - wing Recon Teams . One such team was sent to Alashan to check a Rebel archeological dig that failed to report back . In contrast with most other Y - wings , this variant was considered too valuable to remove from active duty by the New Republic . BTL - S3 Courier variant . Alliance Intelligence utilized specially modified Y - wings for long - range courier duty . This variant of the BTL - S3 had no ion cannons ( which were removed for baggage space ) , a larger main cockpit area able to carry up to five people , and a special canopy split down the middle for rapid embarking or disembarking of a passenger during brief landings . This canopy also allowed a passenger to bail out at high altitude and paraglide to their destination . The customization was rare enough that no special designation was created for these modified Y - wings . Some of the last Rebel soldiers to evacuate Hoth used Y - wings of this type . The variant was used by Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker on missions to Velmor and Ventooine . A Y - wing modified similarly by Rendili StarDrive was used by Skywalker while he was working for the Senate Planetary Intelligence Network and helping the Jedi Prince Ken . Light Y - wing . The Light Y - wing was a light bomber , which lacked the support pylons on the engine . Heavy Y - wing . The Heavy Y - wing was a bomber with heavier ordnance and four engine pods . History . Koensayr Manufacturing designed the Y - wing for use by the Galactic Republic in the Clone Wars , and although the BTL - B model saw combat , as flown by Anakin Skywalker and a group of clone troopers to disable the " Malevolence " , the more commonly known BTL - S3 was too late . The Y - wing also served during the Battle of Ryloth , Battle of Kamino to stop Separatist frigates and used at the Battle of Malastare to help secure the Electro - proton bomb by Vulture Droids . When the Galactic Empire declined to buy the design , Koensayr began selling to various parties , and Y - wings found their way into pirate and mercenary forces ; thus the fighter ended up with Rebel groups early on in the Galactic Civil War . BTL - S3 Y - wings were in service at least as early as 18 BBY , and it was a critical vessel in the Rebellion ' s early days , bearing the brunt of all of its early space battles with the Empire . The Rebels lost more Y - wings in the Galactic Civil War than any other fighter , due to the simple fact that they flew more Y - wings than any other fighter . Even after the introduction of the X - wing , which largely succeeded it in most roles , it continued to serve as an important part of the Alliance arsenal . The Y - wing was best suited for heavy assault missions due to its larger warhead payload and stronger hull and shields , while the X - wing and A - wing were more focused on dealing with enemy starfighters . It was also invaluable for disabling craft since it was for a time the only predominant Alliance starfighter with ion cannons . The more heavily armed and more advanced B - wing was supposed to supplant the Y - wing for such assault and capture missions . However , the Y - wing still retained an edge over the B - wing in armor . As the Y - wing was a proven design and easier to pilot than the B - wing , which was available in limited numbers , the Y - wing continued to play a role as late as the Battle of Endor . By the time of Grand Admiral Thrawn ' s campaign against the New Republic , Y - wings were relegated to planetary defense duties , leaving attack missions to X - wings , A - wings , and B - wings . Their age made them more difficult to repair , and many expected them to leave service as newer fighters came into production . One exception to this general demotion of Y - wings from active duty was the BTL - A4 " Longprobe " scout , which filled a vital niche in the reconnaissance role . Although partially replaced by the T - 65BR X - wing variant , these fighters were considered too valuable to withdraw . Instead , they were upgraded , extending their usefulness until the final years of the long conflict with the Empire , if not beyond . Additionally , stubborn old Y - wings , in varying states of repair , were still found throughout the Galaxy long after the Galactic Civil War . During the Yuuzhan Vong War , the Fia of the Galantos Guard employed Y - wings in defense of their homeworld , though pilots of the Galactic Alliance referred to the starfighters as " old " and " clumsy " . Other Y - wings found their way into private ownership , and continued to fly during the Second Galactic Civil War . In 44 ABY , an antique Y - wing was docked at Skifter space station orbiting Kuratooine . Famous Y - wing pilots included Jon Vander , who led Gold Squadron during the Battle of Yavin ; Keyan Farlander , the only surviving member from Gold Squadron in the attack , Davish Krail , who had flown them for five years ; and Horton Salm , one of the New Republic ' s foremost Y - wing pilots . Salm led the Alliance ' s Gray Squadron at the Battle of Endor , surviving the run through the second Death Star ' s superstructure , later leading Aggressor Wing through the Battle of Brentaal IV which saw him promoted to the rank of general ; he continued to command the Aggressors during the evacuation of Ciutric . Behind the scenes . " " erroneously refers to the BTL - A4 Y - wing starfighter as the " BLT - A4 Y - wing " . This error was fixed in the latest book , " " . Because of the conflict in continuity between the Y - Wing ' s appearance in the new " Clone Wars " series and its history prior to the aforementioned " Clone Wars " series , Jason Fry attempted to combine the different sources neatly in the Y - Wing ' s sensor profile in " The Essential Guide to Warfare " .