B-wing Bomber
The B-wing Bomber is an advanced heavy assault starfighter available to Alliance Starfighter Pilot Aces. Designed for devastating anti-capital ship operations, the B-wing sacrifices speed and maneuverability in favor of overwhelming firepower and survivability.
Equipped with four weapon hardpoints and two ordnance bays, the B-wing is capable of delivering some of the heaviest sustained damage available to Rebel pilots. Although difficult to master, experienced pilots consider the B-wing one of the most dangerous starfighters in the Rebel arsenal.
Overview
The B-wing is primarily used as a heavy bomber and anti-capital ship platform. It excels against gunboats, transports, and larger Imperial vessels thanks to its massive weapon capacity and durability.
While it struggles in prolonged turning engagements against highly maneuverable interceptors, it performs exceptionally well in direct attack runs and head-to-head engagements.
One of the B-wing's most unique features is its unconventional roll axis. Because the cockpit remains centered independently from the rest of the fuselage, pilots can combine rolling, pitching, and yawing maneuvers to make the ship surprisingly difficult to hit in combat.
Skilled pilots can leverage this trait to compensate for the ship's otherwise sluggish handling.
Combat Performance
The B-wing is capable of mounting:
- 4 projectile weapons
- 2 ordnance launchers
- Astromech-compatible flight computer systems
Because of its large reactor and mass capacity, pilots commonly outfit the ship with:
- Four re-engineered Level 8 weapons
- Three Level 8 weapons and one Level 10 weapon
- Heavy Nova engines
- Specialized utility systems for mining or PvP combat
PvE Recommendations
Many veteran pilots recommend using only three primary weapons during PvE combat. Against NPC targets, it is uncommon for all four weapon streams to land consistently, making the additional weapon inefficient for reactor management.
PvP Recommendations
In PvP combat, however, all four weapons are often used to maximize firing spread and burst damage during jousts or close-range engagements. The B-wing can overpower many starfighters in direct exchanges thanks to its exceptional durability and concentrated firepower.
Mining Usage
Despite its military role, the B-wing can also function effectively as a mining ship. Its large mass capacity and multiple weapon mounts allow pilots to equip:
- Mining lasers
- Tractor beams
- Cargo expansions
- Defensive weapon systems
Pilots commonly place the tractor beam in the first weapon slot located on the cockpit assembly. Mounting the tractor beam elsewhere can make collecting asteroid fragments significantly more difficult due to the ship's unusual geometry.
Star Wars Lore
Perhaps the most visually distinctive starfighter in the Rebel Alliance fleet, the B-wing was designed specifically to counter heavily armed Imperial escort frigates protecting supply convoys.
The Alliance had relied heavily on X-wings and Y-wings to raid Imperial shipping lanes, forcing the Empire to deploy stronger escort vessels in response. The B-wing was created to restore the Rebels' advantage in anti-capital ship warfare.
The ship features a unique gyroscopic cockpit system that keeps the Pilot upright regardless of the starfighter's orientation during flight maneuvers.
Despite its handling difficulties, the B-wing proved highly effective during the Battle of Endor, where Rebel squadrons used the craft to devastating effect against Imperial capital Ships.
B-wing/E Variant
An upgraded variant known as the B-wing/E (Expanded) was later developed following the Battle of Yavin. This model featured:
- An elongated cockpit
- A dedicated gunner position
- Improved survivability
- Increased combat effectiveness
The B-wing/E2 variant also served as a personal military shuttle design used by Admiral Ackbar.
Ship Statistics
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Certification | Alliance Ace Pilot |
| Role | Heavy Bomber |
| Crew | 1 Pilot |
| Mass | ~240,000 |
| Weapon Mounts | 4 Projectile |
| Ordnance Bays | 2 |
| Astromech Support | Flight Computer |
| Acceleration | 300 |
| Deceleration | 350 |
| Yaw Rate | 75 |
| Pitch Rate | 75 |
| Roll Rate | 50 |
| Speed Modifier | 0.90 (S-foils Closed) |
| Speed Modifier | 0.85 (S-foils Open) |