Are Tie Fighters equipped with landing feet

In the original trilogy, we see the Imperial Tie Fighters constantly flying across the screen and not once have we seen one make a touchdown landing. If they were equipped with landing feet, wouldn't we have seen this feature in the Trilogy Special Edition.

Actually, I do recall seeing a Tie Interceptor model with landing feet, but they were made soo long and narrow that I do not see how they could retract into the ships body frame. I also remember seeing this Star Wars video arcade game where they show the Imperial fighters in the hangar bay of the Death Star, stacked behind one another and attached to a launching track, hanging overhead. The fighter pilot enters the cockpit from the top, then the ship detaches from the track and flies out into space.

 

"...stacked behind one another and attached to a launching track, hanging overhead. The fighter pilot enters the cockpit from the top, then the ship detaches from the track and flies out into space."
That is exactly how it happens.

TIE's do not have landing gear of any type, however, they are structurally able to land on their 'wings'. This would only be done in an emergency.

 

They have no landing feet. Theoretically(sp?), they can stand on their wings, but they are totally dependant of their mother ship. The main reason why the Empire did not equip the Tie fighters with landing gear is to reduce their mass and manoeuvrability(sp?)

Info taken from the (french edition...translation by me) Essential guide to ships: the secret plans.

 

"The main reason why the Empire did not equip the Tie fighters with landing gear is to reduce their mass and manoeuvrability"

And another reason: so that the TIE Pilots must rely completely on higher authority.

 

hmm interesting, I don't remember that. Have a pic?

 

in the N64 video game Star Wars:Rogue Squadron there is a misson on a snow covered planet with bases similar to the one in ROTJ that Luke was brought into,and on the roof there are several Tie Fighter's just sitting there on their wings, it seems that the empire has a special insurance policy on them so if they scratch the bottom of the wings they can just repair them easily without much cost,although there is little insurance coverage for inept pilots that continue to slide without stopping on time after landing and crash land on the ground below.

 

Video games are video games, those TIEs are there just for looks. If I remember correctly, Force Commander had a RotJ-ish platform and TIEs landed on their wings there.

 

I cannot tell anything from those pics, the second is so small..........

 

No landing gear. The wings are meant to double as both that and landing gear.

 

I've seen TIEs launch from special ground-based launchers (Battleground: Tatooine)...but I've never seen any reference to how they get on the ground?

It's a great trick...but I can only do it once?

 

I've got a TIE Interceptor model from (at latest) the early '90's that has long and skinny feet.

I always figured TIEs required the overhead racks under normal conditions.

 

According to my technical schematics, TIEs don't have repulsorlifts, only ion engines.

 

There's nothing in the Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels that mentions repulsorlifts...could you tell me where you found they have landing capabilities?

Even if it has repulsorlifts...that could mean that TIEs hover, allowing for docking attachments to grab hold of the fighter. I don't think TIE-Fighters are designed for touching down on a planet/capital ship surface (without other means of assistance).

 

Well I don't know if this can be categorized as EU, but I have an ANH Vader Tie Interceptor Prototype, made by Revell models circa 1984.

The set has a plastic circle where you can set the model so that it looks like it's flying but it also came with landing gear that could be attached so that you can put it as in a hangar. I used the clear plastic but I'm pretty sure I have the landing gear stored with my models stuff. I think I also have the model's assembly instructions.

If someone is interested for a pic, just post.

 

I'm interested ObidioJuan.
But I think that might be an exception because Vader's TIE prototype was a different model than the standard TIE/IN.

 

I realize that, but at least it gives the idea on how it can be.

I just despise the idea that TIE land on the panels!,

I'll try to make a scan of the instructions to post here, in a couple of days.

 

I've always wondered that question myself. I mean, but now it all makes sense!

 

[image=http://web.tiscali.it/star_wars/image/schede/big/tie-fighter.jpg]

Lets look at this image and assume for a minute that they do in fact have landing gear. Because of the height of the 'wings', the landing gear would have to be some sort of telescoping mechanism attached to the central pod. This doesn't make much sense to me. Imagine 2 lines coming down from the pod, the 'wings' already do the same thing and in fact are more stable because of their size.

The wings on Vader's TIE prototype are smaller and closer to the main pod. So this would allow for landing gear.

But in the standard TIE/IN, from all the evidence I've seen, I'm still gonna have to say no.