I mean clearly nobody can see a DARN THING so why does it even have windows? seems like it's just a purposeful weak point in the armor. Why make windows on the side but none in front?

Well, obviously, you have to hang your head out of the window, like a hippie in deep space.

I mean clearly nobody can see a DARN THING so why does it even have windows?

The image from the front is displayed on a screen.

But name a single Star Wars ship of that size that doesn't have windows... Heck even ISD's have windows.

Why do men have nipples?

Same concept I dare say.

Speaking of the ISD..... or moreso the super star destroyer...... the super vulnerable bridge has got to be the dumbest design flaw ever. I mean, a massive massive ship taken out by a screaming A-wing pilot just because it crashed into a room full of the ship's operators...... it's almost as bad as designing a planet killing space station with a millennium falcon sized hole that leads directly to the core.

Speaking of the ISD..... or moreso the super star destroyer...... the super vulnerable bridge has got to be the dumbest design flaw ever. I mean, a massive massive ship taken out by a screaming A-wing pilot just because it crashed into a room full of the ship's operators...... it's almost as bad as designing a planet killing space station with a millennium falcon sized hole that leads directly to the core.

Well, in defense of the Death Stars, exhaust ports are necessary for basically any power generator, particularly nuclear reactors, and the second Death Star was incomplete enough that they could find a way to its core from the outside. Now, as far as Star Destroyers having their bridges and primary operation staff on a super exposed extremity at the top of the ship... no real excuse, but it IS a pretty common flaw in a lot of Star Wars capitol ships. Star Destroyers, the Rebel Transport, and many CIS ships have the same flaw.

I mean, a massive massive ship taken out by a screaming A-wing pilot just because it crashed into a room full of the ship's operators...

It's not nearly that simple though, it's not just the A-Wing that killed the ship.

That ship had lost it's shields from the pounding it was taking from the Rebel Fleet, it also happened that the A-Wing just happened to smash into it before they could bring the forward batteries firing to prevent that from happening. It would also most likely not taken long for them to bring some sort of shields back up to protect the bridge.

Having a single fighter smash into the bridge if in theory it had taken no other damage but had it's shields down for some reason, wouldn't of been enough to kill a star destroyer of any size.

I think most of the "exposed" bridges goes back to the fact that the fighter/bomber tactics were based off of WW2/Vietnam era planes/jets and because of that fact, the capital ships were probably more based on Naval ships from the same era, all of which have/had exposed bridges/control towers.

Why does your hose have windows? It doesn't even move so you don't need to see where you are going!, it just makes it vulnerable to thieves.

My hose doesn't have windows. It is green, and water flows through it. Since I can see it come out the end, there really is no need to see it while it is traveling through the hose.

Now sometimes, it gets kinks or unintentional windows, but I call those holes.

Part of the other problem that doomed the Executor was getting pulled into the gravity of the second Death Star. I remember reading that the crew didn't have enough time to reroute C&C functions before they penetrated the outer hull. Had it just been a battle in empty space it just would have been out of the fight for a bit.

I think most of the "exposed" bridges goes back to the fact that the fighter/bomber tactics were based off of WW2/Vietnam era planes/jets and because of that fact, the capital ships were probably more based on Naval ships from the same era, all of which have/had exposed bridges/control towers.

That makes perfect sense. It does make it easy to see, being up high over the water or ship superstructure. However, I would also consider submarines. Their bridge and control area is in the tower that extends up over the superstructure. Submarines don't have windows. Now, submarine combat is obviously quite different, but it seems to be a trend in human designed warships.

It's the way you get in and out of the ship. The front is a viewscreen, I believe.

Go to 23:23 to seem Kyle 'land' in his seat, and then drop from where he had docked, implying he got in to the cockpit from above.

Why does the NASA Space Shuttle have windows?

Maybe I'm wrong here, but the vast majority of Star Wars fighters and freighters were also capable of atmospheric flight and planetary landings. Windows are more useful in those situations...

Part of the other problem that doomed the Executor was getting pulled into the gravity of the second Death Star. I remember reading that the crew didn't have enough time to reroute C&C functions before they penetrated the outer hull. Had it just been a battle in empty space it just would have been out of the fight for a bit.

Yup. From what I remember reading a long time ago, there was a whole lot more to destroying the SSD than the A wing... Actually, iirc they were pretty much dead before the A wing crashed. As everyone is aware, the shields were already down on the Executor... But I believe the engines were failing/offline as well, and the ship was already getting pulled into the gravity well of the second death star. When the A wing crashed into the command post, everything should transfer to the back up command center, deep within the ship. But again, the ship was already caught in the DS2 gravity well and was going to be destroyed regardless of Arvel's sacrifice.

As for it being a design flaw, there is a back up command center that will control the ship should anything happen. This prevents it from being a true weakness, though you would presumably lose your "A Team" on the bridge. But it provides a good view of the fight, which cannot be taken away from knocking out sensors/cameras stationed around the ship. Plus... shields...

Because Mac sucks.

I mean clearly nobody can see a DARN THING so why does it even have windows? seems like it's just a purposeful weak point in the armor. Why make windows on the side but none in front?

GO SUPER NERD GOooo...!!!

Why do men have nipples?

Same concept I dare say.

Someone breaking bad meme that please. You know the one I mean...

Edit: I'm sorry for using logic. I know it can be frowned upon these days.

We all know what really happened to the Executor:

- The bridge got destroyed

- The backup crew selected a new manoeuver, but accidentally used a Tie Interceptor dial because they were distracted.

- When it was their turn to play, Ackbar realized it, called them a cheat, called the TO and then chose their manoeuver for them, plunging the SSD in the death star.

... true story

Back to the HWK, the answer is: because it's a civilian transport.

This ship obviously shares a starship engineer with the E-wing.

You know, they guy who said "We can fit the cannon right here, over the cockpit!"

I guess I'm needed here.

AHEM.


Okay, so. You have a slightly valid point. However, you don't know a lot about the seating. The HWK-290 has a split viewport at the top- if you ever wondered why it's asymmetrical, that's why. In the various iterations, there has been both no room, and enough room, to see forward.

Now, I bet you're wondering, "Why asymm.?" I honestly do not know. It is rather silly, but it does look pretty cool. However, the real answer lies in Jan Ors.

Well, I mean, Kyle Katarn lies with and in Jan Ors, but for the first time in history, Kyle Katarn is not that answer. Shocking, I know.

Jan? Jan, look over here real quick would you, hotness? Just once?



*takes picture in a non creepy fashion*

Kay, so there we go. Look at her head. So, you see that? The goggles? Gentlemen, there is your answer.

The Corellian Engineering Corporation (fo reelz? You sure that sh*t ain't incom?) HWK-290 is a weird little ship, but it actually has amazing visibility... So long as you wear the goggles!

THE GOGGLES! THEY DO NOTHING SOMETHING!

They project a holographic 3D area in front of the ship, giving you a perfect view of what you're flying towards. I'd venture to guess it also informs you of the ship's surrounding area too, because the designers aren't completely pants on head retarded.

But let's remember, these ARE the same guys who thought asymmetrically placed cockpits were a F*CKING BALLER idea on Transports, so they're really not the brightest designers of the bunch, no that goes to Sienar Fleet Systems and Kuat Drive Yards.

Not Kuat Systems Engineering though. The Firespray is an engineering marvel and nightmare.

But back to the flawed bird. The situational awareness of the pilot is grand. And the co-pilot? Well, we don't really know! But I always assumed they had a handy viewscreen in front of them.

Aside from horribly misproportioned seats, the cockpit is much like this. Now, when you consider TIE, E-Wing, Y-Wing cockpits... You know, that's REALLY not too bad..!

And then we have this lovely contribution to the analyzation of The Moldy Crow and other HWK-290s from our very own Millennium Falsehood!

So there you have it folks. There's why it has a weird viewport configuration, and there's why it's really not so bad! It was a very nice bit of electronics to make up for it.

Now, if it had a more conventional cockpit design, would it work leagues better, and would Mr. Katarn likely not have crashed it?

Yes.

So points off for that ill fated... Fate? Iunno. But still. It could be worse. Much, much worse.

Because otherwise you can't fly casual:

Also, I heard Kyle asked for it to watch Jan getting in and out of the plane

Sorry I'm not sold. WIndows on the sides are cool, but if you don't have windows in the front them it's just dumb. And I don't drive my house anywhere, so the windows don't even make sense.

Sorry I'm not sold. WIndows on the sides are cool, but if you don't have windows in the front them it's just dumb. And I don't drive my house anywhere, so the windows don't even make sense.

Well, you don't actually need windows anywhere on a ship with sophisticated sensors and on-board navigation computers. I would posit that the side windows are just there for the intended consumer of the product - civilians who like to look out the window at all the pretty sights.

Also, I heard Kyle asked for it to watch Jan getting in and out of the plane

Hell yeah. Well fitted jumpsuit + Ladder + fairly decent entry height = "That's a good view, let's just appreciate that for a while."

Sorry I'm not sold. WIndows on the sides are cool, but if you don't have windows in the front them it's just dumb. And I don't drive my house anywhere, so the windows don't even make sense.

If it's any consolation- and it probably isn't, any time I've depicted the HWK in someone else's use, it had a modified cockpit and a more slanted top so the viewports could actually be used.