Asajj Ventress cut a sinister profile across the galaxy with her signature Ginivex-class fanblade fighter, known as the Banshee.
Asajj Ventress was feared across the galaxy during the time of the Clone Wars. The sinister Sith apprentice carried out the orders of the dastardly Count Dooku across multiple fronts of the Clone War. She was personally responsible for sowing death and destruction and the Dark Side throughout the Repulic and Outer Rim. And her presence was often announced by the arrival of her distinctly shaped starfighter, the Geonosian manufactured, Ginivex-class fanblade fighter sometimes known as the Banshee.
The Ginivex-Class Fanblade Fighter: Design and Capabilities
The Ginivex-class fanblade fighter was originally a model manufactured by the Huppla Pasa Tisc Shipwright’s Collective. Its sleek design benefited from the addition of a massive solar sail, which allowed the craft greater speed at the cost of an increased sensor profile. Meaning it was easy to spot on other ships’ sensor suites.
However, the Ginivex-class fighter made up for its higher visibility with a number of benefits. With sail deployed, a single fanblade fighter could reach speeds of 1,250 kilometers per hour. But the ships designed for the Sith had upgrades to them. Starting with the sail.
The solar sails deployed on Asajj Ventress’ personal craft were designed with the principles of deflector shield projection technology in mind. This meant they could create a fan of energy that captured radiation from the surrounding area and redirect it to the onboard systems. Additionally, with the sail spread, the deflector pattern of the ship was stronger, making it more capable of shrugging off enemy attacks.
Couple this with the ship’s powerful laser cannons, which were often boosted by ambient energy converted through the sail, and you have a recipe for destruction. Especially since on Ventress’ craft, the laser cannons were mounted on the ends of the fanblade, with rotatable deployment arms and turret mounts, allowing for a 360 degree firing arc. Both cannons, in concert, could pierce the hull of a Venator-class Star Destroyer.
But the real power behind Ventress’ Ginivex-class fanblade fighter was the craft’s responsiveness. When handled by a Force sensitive pilot, the fanblade could perform flips and spins on a Republic credit. That, and the fact that Ventress actually had six of these.
Six Fans – Sith Fighters
Over the course of the Clone Wars, six Ginivex-class fanblade starfighters were built for Asajj Ventress. Not all at once, mind you. But the Sith apprentice had a reputation that rivaled Anakin Skywalker’s recklessness with regards to equipment. Still, they were seen at pivotal moments throughout the Clone Wars.
One was sighted at Cato Neimoidia, when Ventress was there to try and frame the Jedi for a Separatist bombing of the Cadesura district of the city of Zarra. In the ensuing fight, Obi-Wan Kenobi forced her ship to crash after damaging its hull with his lightsaber and successfully foiling the Sith plot. She took another ship to Naboo on the hunt for a Jedi artifact—a mission which first showed the true feelings of her master, Darth Sidious.
And yet another she used to attack the Halcyon in an attempt to extract Senator Zast Tri’vak—though she ended up killing him instead. Another was seen at the battle of Sullust, where Anakin Skywalker forced a crash landing. And this would prove to be the last—after this, Ventress escaped and began using another ship. But that’s a story for another time.
May the Force be with you!
Don’t Miss:
Read more at this site