Arwing
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The Arwing is the personal starfighter used by the Star Fox Team. Despite numerous revisions and redesigns over the course of the team's history, the many models of Arwing mantain a favorable balance of speed, power and performance.
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[edit] Original Arwing
Used by the original Star Fox team of James McCloud, Peppy Hare and Pigma Dengar, the single- seater Arwing featured four advanced G-Diffuser on board engines as large blue structures atop and underneath each wing. A single beam laser cannon (which could double as a Nova Bomb launcher) was located underneath the nose. Twin and Hyper laser upgrades instead utilized a pair of more powerful laser cannons between the G-Diffuser, with one just below each wing. The rear of the ship housed the engine exhaust, which would change color with the environment- Red for in-atmosphere, and blue for outer space operations. The original Star Fox team flew these ships to Venom to investigate the upsurge of activity by exiled scientist, Dr. Andross. Upon arrival, Pigma defected to Andross' side. James' Arwing was shot down, seemingly killing it's pilot. However, despite massive damage and the loss of an entire wing, Peppy Hare's Arwing survived the attack, and Peppy was able to fly the nearly destroyed fighter all the way back to Corneria- A testament to the ship's durability.
[edit] Arwings over Sauria
Due to the lack of funds in the possession of the Star Fox team during the Sauria Crisis, the Arwings owned by the Star Fox team were in serious disrepair. Even an ace pilot would have trouble keeping the ship together, due to the modifications made by Slippy Toad; these included the stripping of the targeting computers in exchange for hard currency, as well as the bomb magazines restricted to only one at a time. Although the navigational computer was still in working order, the Arwing's engines suffered somewhat, making the ship harder to control, but that could be attributed to the fact that the nose had been elongated to allow for cargo space. The installation of landing gear was another asset, due to the fact that Arwings would have had to work independently from Great Fox for elongated periods of time. To provide remote assistance ROB 64 would transmit fuel cells to power the Arwing, but these were commonly scattered about, leaving the team to search for them in unorthodox places. It was this stripped down, aging ship that was responsible for the final defeat of Andross.
[edit] New Ships for a New Enemy
After the Star Fox team was paid handsomely for their action during the Sauria crisis, they opted to upgrade their weapons, armor, their mothership, the Great Fox and their Arwings. These new, feather-like ships boasted four G-diffusers which allowed for the ship to come to a complete stop, as well as make more advanced maneuvers repeatedly, such as loops and Immelmann turns. The ships however has no bombs present on board, but can equip them in flight, so as to keep the weight down. The flexible wings on the sides allow for easy transition from flight mode to all-range mode, and come equipped with a transponder to allow for these ships to be transmitted to the surface of a planet, similar to the upgraded Landmaster Mark II. These ships saw the team through the Aparoid invasion, performing remarkably through the perils of this brutal war.
[edit] A New Crisis
Following the Aparoid invasion, the Star Fox Team was outfitted with new ships. Each pilot picked one for himself. Fox acquired the Arwing II, a ship resembling the Arwing in Lylat Wars. Slippy had the Bullfrog, a more massive ship. It has a thick nose with small wings. It is slow and difficult to maneuver, but makes up for this with it's ability to use plasma cannons, the strongest primary weapon available. Unfortunately, the Bullfrog's cannons lack the ability to charge and lock-on to enemies. Falco had the Sky Claw. This ship resembled the Arwing II, but with wings directed forward, more round-shaped and with claws on the end. It has a pointed nose. Though it is equipped with the simple single laser, it is the fastest and most maneuverable ship in existence and has the ability to perform multiple somersaults and Immelmann turns. It also has the ability to lock on multiple enemies when charging its laser. Krystal, because of her leaving from the Star Fox Team, flew a Cornerian Starfighter, but in one of the possible pathways of the game, Slippy made a new ship for her - the Cloud Runner. There, the design of the Arwing almost completely disappeared to resemble a pterodactyl. Dash's Monkey Arrow also resembled an Arwing, possibly due to dash being a big fan of Star Fox.
[edit] Other Info
The Arwing seems to be a generalized fighter, based on several different aircraft designs in both popular culture and military service. However, its usage, handling and description in the games leads it to be very similar to the X-Wing from the Star Wars trilogy. In Star Fox: Assault, the updated Arwing seems to have been the basis for the redesigned Cornerian Starfighter (Or perhaps vice-versa), which looks extremely similar to the Star Wars V-Wing fighter. It's name could also hint this, since by hearing it it sounds like R-Wing, following up the Star Wars theme of naming a ship after a letter followed by "Wing".
[edit] In Super Smash Bros.
In Super Smash Bros. Fox used the Arwing to enter the stage. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, the Arwing appeared as a trophy along with the Wolfen. In Super Smash Bros Brawl, it appeared as a trophy and was used for Fox's entrance.
In the Subspace Emissary, Fox used it to attack the Battleship Halberd twice, but it was destroyed in both tries. The first time by a claw on the Halberd, the second time by Shiek.
Falco also used it to arrive in the nick of time to save Fox and Diddy Kong from Bowser and his Dark Cannon.
Fox later has his Arwing repaired and attacks the Subspace Gunship along with other Ships from different series in Nintendo.
[edit] Trophy Information from Super Smash Bros. Melee
The Arwing is the symbol of Star Fox. Like an F-Zero racer, it's equipped with an opposing-gravity device. It can barrel roll and flip with ease thanks to its quick acceleration and flexible control. In battle, the ship uses retractable wings for precise flying. Every Arwing has smart bombs as its sub-weapons.
[edit] Trophy Information from Super Smash Bros. Brawl
A fighter ship that comprises the main combat unit of Team Star Fox. Boasting antigravity systems known as G-Diffusers, Arwings can perform barrel rolls, quick bursts of speed, and loops. They're also equipped with variable wings that can be switched in and out of combat mode. Their main armaments are their laser cannons, and their secondary weapons are smart bombs.
