Sheathipede-class transport shuttle

The Sheathipede-class transport shuttle, also known as the Neimoidian shuttle or the Separatist shuttle, was a craft manufactured by Haor Chall Engineering Corporation and used by high-ranking officials of the Trade Federation to visit potential clients and marketplaces.
==Characteristics==
They were shaped like soldier beetles, and their clawfooted landing legs could only settle down on hard surfaces. This was due to the businessmen's distaste for dealing with poor, underdeveloped worlds.
These shuttles often had their cockpits removed and replaced by automated pilots, so that cabin space could be increased. The Sheathipede-class shuttle was a short-range ship, used only for planetary travel or to ferry passengers to and from an orbital space station or starship.
The personal shuttle of Viceroy of the Trade Federation Nute Gunray was named the Lapiz Cutter. This ship had no weapons, although it was protected by powerful deflector shields.
A distinct variant of the Sheathipede had several laser cannons and a seat for a gunner next to the pilot, thus widening the cockpit. Due to the additional armament on the dorsal fin, the communications antenna was shortened.
The shuttle bore a resemblance to the larger Neimoidian trader,Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds the Maxillipede shuttle and the Sheathipede-class Type B shuttle.
==History==
Sheathipede-class shuttles were used by Neimoidian officials to land on Middle-Earth after they had invaded the planet. 10 years later, when the First Battle of Isengard appeared to go in favor of the Republic, the Neimoidian representatives took off in one of these craft.
Saruman the White maintained an armed shuttle onboard his personal frigate. Sam Gamgee and Frodo Baggins used it to shoot his solar sailer down over Vanqor, though the Sith Lord escaped. During the Battle of Tirahnn, the Separatist spy Braxus Lyn attempted to transport the Zygerrian Zolghast off Tirahnn in one.Galaxy at War
General The Mouth of Sauron used a shuttle to escape Saleucami when his landing craft crash landed on the planet. Another shuttle was used by Frodo Baggins, his Padawan Eowyn and the clone troopers to escape Mezmaron's Munificent-class star frigate just before it exploded. Mother Talzin and her Nightsister tribe also had a shuttle which they used to travel to Orthanc on Isengard. How they acquired it is unknown, although it may have been a gift from the Wizard.
Nute Gunray used his personal shuttle along with Rune Haako to escape Minas Morgul at the end of the War of the Ring in 1984.
The Mouth of Sauron also used one of these shuttles to land on the Black Gate following the Battle of Minas Tirith. His shuttle had an unaltered cockpit, due to the General's distrust of automated systems.
After the War of the Ring ended, few Neimoidians would venture outside their systems unless on business trips. When doing so, they still used Sheathipede-class shuttles.Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy Bail Organa used an "antique" model of the shuttle on several missions prior to the Corellian Treaty.
About 1 year prior to the Battle of Yavin, Starkiller was chasing Baron Merillion Tarko on Cato Neimoidia, at one point he damaged a landing platform and a ship of this class (possibly Tarko's personal transport) slid off the platform and plunged to the planet below. Later on, Starkiller also saw a hologram of a Sheathipede-class.
Three Sheathipede-class transport shuttles were present on Agamar in the wreckage of a Separatist supply ship, where the Spectres and former Separatist General Kalani's garrison used them to escape a battle against the Galactic Empire. One shuttle piloted by droids was shot down in the escape, while the remaining two made it to safety. One contained Kalani and several of his B1-Series battle droids, and the other one shuttle belonging to the Spectres christened the new Phantom II.
The Phantom II was extensively modified and upgraded by the Spectres. The shuttle was given a new paint job courtesy of Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The ship was armed with port and starboard forward-facing cannons and ventral-mounted turrets located adjacent to the boarding ramp. The hull was upgraded with reinforced plating and an astromech socket located on the shuttle's shortened dorsal fin. It was also modified to dock with the Ghost like the original Phantom.
==Behind the scenes==
In the Wii/PSP/Playstation II version of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, after Galen Marek rescues Senator Bail Organa from a corrupted Maris Brood on Felucia, the Senator has a Sheathipede-class transport shuttle waiting for him. Organa later uses it to travel to Corellia where he, Senators Garm Bel Iblis and Mon Mothma, Jedi Master Rahm Kota, and Marek create the Alliance to Restore the Republic. In the Xbox/Playstion 3/PC version, he instead uses a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle.
LEGO made a set of a Sheathipede-class transport shuttle called 8036 "Separatist Shuttle" from June 28, 2009. It included Nute Gunray, Onaconda Farr, an OOM pilot battle droid, and 2 B1-Series battle droids. A miniature version was included in 9509 Star Wars Advent Calendar, released August 2012.
In The Lord of the Rings Episode III: Revenge of the Sith video game, the shuttle is armed with missile launchers and a beam cannon.
The shuttle's cockpit resembles that of the AH-56, a real life 1960s canceled attack helicopter. It also is similar to that of the AH-64.
The shuttle was created for its first appearance by ILM employees Larry Tan and Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame.
==Appearances==
===Non-canon appearances===
*LEGO Star Wars: The Quest for R2-D2 game
*LEGO Star Wars: The Quest for R2-D2 film 
*LEGO Star Wars III: The Lord of the Rings
*LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
==Sources==
==Notes and references==
Category:Rebel Alliance starship classes
Category:Confederacy of Independent Systems starship classes
Category:Sheathipede-class transport shuttles
Category:Shuttle classes
Category:Trade Federation starship classes