Whether they be the T-65s of the original trilogy or the updated versions seen in the teaser for The Force Awakens, the "snub-nosed" X-Wing Starfighters are obviously more awesome than TIE fighters. Why? They have lasers and proton torpedo launchers, as well as hyperdrives, allowing them to outdistance their pursuers if necessary. Little wonder that these 12-and-a-half-metre-long vessels can outperform enemy ships in dogfights. For The Force Awakens, the wings of these fighters have been modified: rather than having top and bottom wings that fold flush with each other, the fighters now have back and front wings that fold into a single, thinner wing. Presumably this improvement allows the X-Wing to fly more aerodynamically in atmospheres. Only one spaceship features in more films than TIE fighters and X-Wing starfighters, which, don't worry, will pop up soon.
Mike has lived in the UK, Japan and the USA. Currently, he is based in Iowa with his wife and 2 young children. After working for many years as a writer and editor for a large corporation, he is now a freelancer. He has been fortunate enough to contribute to many books on Doctor Who over the last 20 years and is now concentrating on original sci-fi & fantasy short stories, with recent sales including Flame Tree, Uffda, and The Martian Wave. Also, look for his contribution on Blake's 7 to "You and Who Else", a charity anthology to be released later this year.
You can find him on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/blog/culttvmike
