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B-wing B-wing is the one of the largest starfighters in the fictional Star Wars universe. It was designed by the Verpine company Slayn & Korpil in cooperation with Admiral Ackbar of the Rebel Alliance. It has a somewhat ungainly appearance resembling, when fully unfurled, a seahorse with wings. It carries an unusually high payload as part of its primary function as a fighter specifically designed to attack capital ships. As originally designed, the B-wing carried three ion cannons, two proton torpedo launchers, one laser cannon, and two auto-blasters. Most B-Wings had their two auto-blasters replaced with laser cannon to improve survivability and firepower. Some years after the Battle of Endor Slayn & Korpil engineers designed a two-seat version. The addition of a dedicated weapons systems officer greatly improved its performance. The internal magazine carried fewer torpedoes; it is possible that larger ones were carried. An external magazine could be mounted on the "neck" between the engine compartment and the cockpit but this adversely affected the fighter's already-poor maneuverability. While its strong shields and great firepower allow it to be somewhat survivable in fighter engagements, it usually must have an escort on the way in. However, with the firepower of many naval corvettes, it is a dangerous foe against many light ships like enemy escort frigates. While the B-Wing was designed to replace the aging Y-Wing, its difficulty to fly meant that it never fully succeeded in this respect. The fact that its entire hull could rotate separately from its cockpit made the B-Wing a challenge to master, as well as very delicate. Too many sharp turns could cause extreme strain to the spaceframe. Only a few pilots were qualified to fly the ship before the battle of Endor, resulting in a smaller number of B-Wings present than expected. These difficulties forced the Rebel Alliance to invest in a upgraded Y-Wing, rather than an entirely new ship, to fulfill their needs in the starship attack area. It was seen in Return of the Jedi as a key Rebel craft in the Battle of Endor, despite their limited numbers.
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