Obi-Wan's Astromech

I was thinking about R4-P17 and R4-G9, and realized that some things didn't add up.

The databank entry for R4-G9 (says that: "When the Jedi starfighter development program transitioned from the wedge-shaped Delta-7 Aethersprite model to the forked Eta-2 Actis interceptor, Obi-Wan Kenobi was one of the first Jedi to pilot the next generation model. In doing so, he temporarily left R4-P17 model behind, since the truncated astromech was specifically designed for the Delta-7. In the interim, he was briefly assigned R4-G9. "

If that is true, then why does Obi have R4-P17 with him in the Battle over Coruscant?

Second, supposedly R4-P17 served with Obi-Wan throughout the entire Clone Wars. Yet, in Dreadnoughts of Rendili #2, Quinlan Vos blows up Obi-Wan's starfighter, with the droid! How did R4-P17 escape that? Or why didn't Obi-Wan bring his faithful droid on that particular mission?

 

I've been wondering that myself. Not only that, but the R4 series has a totally different dome. R4-P17 was explained as being an R4 unit which got its dome replaced by Anakin by one from an R2 unit. What's the explanation for R4-G9, though? Or Anakin's 'Arfour' from the Clone Wars cartoon? Or Anakin's other 'Arfour' from Dreadnaughts of Rendili?

 

Errr... I actually think that's supposed to be a joke or something of the producers': that R4 never dies. They actually intentionally and obviously "kill" the poor guy several times and he resurfaces every time...

 

I've been wondering that myself. Not only that, but the R4 series has a totally different dome. R4-P17 was explained as being an R4 unit which got its dome replaced by Anakin by one from an R2 unit.

it wasn't just one droid that was modified, it was all of them. in other words, all the Delta-7's had built-in R4 units, and for whatever reason, all those R4 units had their head domes replaced with ones from R2 units.

it's a bit clumsy, i know, but that seems to be the official story.

 

[image=http://gwiezdne-wojny.pl/grafika/2004/cze/R4-M9.jpg]
Probably had something to do with field of vision. R4 heads are way too tall. For rear-mounted astromechs, it's less of an issue.