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The 181st Imperial Fighter Wing^[2] was a fighter wing of the Galactic Empire's Imperial Starfighter Corps. The group was known for the red stripes that adorned their starfighters, a menacing display to their victims that inspired fellow Imperial squadrons to adopt similar designs.^[1]

At some point before the Dissolution of the Imperial Senate^[1] in 0 BBY,^[3] a member of the senatorial body advocated for the 181st to execute a raid on the Alliance to Restore the Republic. The mission proved to be disastrous, with the wing losing at least two men,^[1] including brothers of fellow TIE fighter pilot Havina Vonreg, to a volley of Alliance torpedoes. Hedrian, the youngest of the brothers, survived the initial attack and returned, injured, to his hangar before dying.^[4] She held the senator accountable for her brothers' deaths just as much she did the rebels.^[1]

During the Battle of Endor, the 181st Imperial Fighter Wing alongside the Imperial Sector Fleet and Scythe Squadron, and other Imperial units fought against the forces of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Scythe Squadron and members of the 181st pursued Red Squadron and Gold Squadron into the DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station.^[2] Around 4 ABY,^[5] the pilot later mentioned the doomed mission to another member of her own starfighter unit, Titan Squadron.^[1]

Behind the scenes[]

The 181st Fighter Wing was mentioned in the current Star Wars canon continuity in the 2020 video game Star Wars: Squadrons, developed by Motive Studios. The "Ashen Cardinal," a paint job based on the wing's signature red stripes, is available as a "Rare" skin for the Imperial faction's starfighters in multiplayer modes. It can be unlocked by spending 400 Glory, one of the game's currencies.^[1]

The 181st Imperial Fighter Wing first debuted in the Star Wars Legends continuity through the 1997 comic X-Wing Rogue Squadron 21, written by Michael A. Stackpole.^[6] In Legends, they were notably portrayed as an elite Imperial TIE/IN interceptor unit known as the 181st Imperial Fighter Group,^[6] commanded by Baron of the Empire Colonel Soontir Fel. The group was also led at different points by Colonel Evir Derricote^[7] and General Turr Phennir.^[8] The trademark bloodstripes that donned the unit's TIE Interceptors were awarded to pilots with over ten kills.^[9]

Appearances[]

• Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi (First appearance)
• Star Wars: Squadrons (Mentioned only)
• Count to Three on Electronic Arts' official website (article) (backup link) (Indirect mention only)

Sources[]

• Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 33 (Starship Fact File: Imperial TIE/IN Interceptor) (First identified as 181st Imperial Fighter Wing)
• Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire

Notes and references[]