I assume that each ship has its own manufacturer's recommended kit, which varies wildly among models due to the lack of uniformity among rebel ships.

Throw in performance specs for each ship and you wind up with different g-force requirements, different life support interfaces, etc.

Finally, the helmets would function very differently for the different ships. A-wings would need headgear capable of dealing with extreme g-forces, so probably boosted airflow if you put the rebreather on, as well as perhaps some sci-fi bloodflow boosters to keep the brain oxygenated. X- and basic Y-wings would generally not need anything special. B-wings and Y-wings with working turrets would both benefit from helmets with upgraded HUD and optical aiming systems due to their need to handle more numerous and more advanced weapon payloads.

Pretty much what I posted except the pos g protection function with A-Wing caps. I dont think it will help the way its designed. Those ships got g compensators and dampners. There tech is also advanced enough they dont need to go the rout IOM NAVY pilots for Furries do with blood oxy enhancers.

Found it thanks!

I'd assume it's just some kind of operational designation so awing pilots stand out from xwing pilots, etc for the flight suits. Or maybe its that the different helmets "look stupid" with orange uniforms so they change them up somewhat.

Could also be that the awing and bwing were essentially experimental still and thats why they are designated with different colors

Do we ever actually see a tie bomber or tie interceptor pilot to know that they actually do share the same uniform or are we just assuming that?

Like pre prequels Kenobi is Owen Lars brother and Lukes uncle.... thats rubbish compared to the way they link him to luke in the prequels...discovering a legendary force user by accident and protecting and championing is much better

Don't mean to derail the thread but what on earth are you talking about here? I think you are very confused about that particular part of the prequels. Owen Lars is the son of the man that marries Anakin's mother after Anakin leaves Tatooine to become a Jedi. Anakin and Owen are step brothers. Obi-Wan has no family relationship to either of them.

I always thought the bright orange flight suits were for high visibility in a rescue situation. As the war progressed, the newer flight suits became more subdued, more military in appearance.

Something I may have missed but... has anyone thought about...

Unit colors/flightsuits. Seems they all conform to certain unit colors and suits.. might simply be a way to recognize the unit you belong to. I'm gonna assume they all work similarly, so only reason to have different ones is to discern unit, or ship type flown.

The Empire all fly the same suit because... military uniformity.. and life support.. cant fly a ship with no air in it if you dont have your oxygen tank..

Could be but if thats the case the flight suits dont match group colors for most part.

Red has orange maybe blue gray and red

Blue has white maybe red

Gold has red and... every color really

Green has Green

Gray has whitish gray and maybe red and white

Maybe squadron colors within groups...?

. IMPs have special markings too.

Something I may have missed but... has anyone thought about...

Unit colors/flightsuits. Seems they all conform to certain unit colors and suits.. might simply be a way to recognize the unit you belong to. I'm gonna assume they all work similarly, so only reason to have different ones is to discern unit, or ship type flown.

The Empire all fly the same suit because... military uniformity.. and life support.. cant fly a ship with no air in it if you dont have your oxygen tank..

Could be but if thats the case the flight suits dont match group colors for most part.

Red has orange maybe blue gray and red

Blue has white maybe red

Gold has red and... every color really

Green has Green

Gray has whitish gray and maybe red and white

Maybe squadron colors within groups...?

. IMPs have special markings too.

I see where you're at..

Some units will grab a specific suit.. if allowed.. and go with that for all pilots, the suit color doesn't have to match the unit designation. Also the orange suits, as seen in the movies, are quite generic and widely used.. possibly they took that for ease of replacement, or for blending in with the crowd. Plus with them being a hobbled together group, they could have just used what they had, or could scrounge.

As for the Imps, the elites will always add things.. ie the red piping on 181st pilots. You could guess the Royal Guard might have a red flightsuit that would call them out as ultra elite units, or they could conform and have special piping in the Royal red.

IDK.. just some thoughts I had...

While the different flight suits for the rebels is great sport in conjecture, the uniformity of the empire, like Oneway said, has not only to do with the singular, uniformed look to instill fear (think stormtroopers) but also is a G-suit with a life-support system built on, as TIE craft don't generally have pressurized cockpits. Still, I think that there's at least a chance that the suits really don't have much bearing as I'd think that the rebellion would be in the take-what-we-can-get-when-we-can-get-it framework.

While the different flight suits for the rebels is great sport in conjecture, the uniformity of the empire, like Oneway said, has not only to do with the singular, uniformed look to instill fear (think stormtroopers) but also is a G-suit with a life-support system built on, as TIE craft don't generally have pressurized cockpits. Still, I think that there's at least a chance that the suits really don't have much bearing as I'd think that the rebellion would be in the take-what-we-can-get-when-we-can-get-it framework.

My first post actully has stuff from the new book Star Wars costumes the orignal trilogy =)

TIE Pilots have a great system that keeps the pilot always in zero gravity. I also dont think TIE Pilots are as "uniform as we thought all these years. In this new book it shows gear that has armored shoulder plates, and a lit back pannel. This suit was used in ESB and ROTJ but apparently 90% of us missed it.

I'd assume it's just some kind of operational designation so awing pilots stand out from xwing pilots, etc for the flight suits. Or maybe its that the different helmets "look stupid" with orange uniforms so they change them up somewhat.

Could also be that the awing and bwing were essentially experimental still and thats why they are designated with different colors

Do we ever actually see a tie bomber or tie interceptor pilot to know that they actually do share the same uniform or are we just assuming that?

Like pre prequels Kenobi is Owen Lars brother and Lukes uncle.... thats rubbish compared to the way they link him to luke in the prequels...discovering a legendary force user by accident and protecting and championing is much better

Don't mean to derail the thread but what on earth are you talking about here? I think you are very confused about that particular part of the prequels. Owen Lars is the son of the man that marries Anakin's mother after Anakin leaves Tatooine to become a Jedi. Anakin and Owen are step brothers. Obi-Wan has no family relationship to either of them.

Read what i said PRE prequel the story in 'essential guide to characters' based on EU books/comics etc was that kenobi was related to lars.

Thats my exact point the film totally rewrites their relationship

They are not suits designed to withstand g forces the ship's have inertial compensators even the cheap tie fighter is capable of fully protecting pilots.

I have no idea why they are different from fighter to fighter I always took it as just part of the aesthetic.

Maybe it has something to do with the individual ships ejection systems?

Maybe each ship type is suposed to have it's own uniform because the ships are all diffrent designs, and it's the Imperials that dress the same because all their ships ar TIE variants.

I hope he bins the armour too... its well uncomfortable. trust me!

I can see the Tie pilot now as he knocks over the CR-90 corvette looking for the dice. How can you see with the lens tinted like that?

That helmet isnt too bad. Light green tints in that one. fitted them myself. My old tie lid (still got it, still for sale....) has smoked grey ones and you can see bugger all even in good daylight.

With the green ones you can see things even when its dark outside. Its not great but its no worse than wearing green tinted sunglasses, just less peripheral vision. The main reason for taking the helmet off was that until i fit the voice changer and amplifier you cant understand a word anyone says in a padded tie lid unless you shout.

The gloves were impossible to play in properly so came off quickly but we played in flightsuits, chest boxs and boots all game!

Real pilots wear different suits depending on the craft and the mission. Some are pressure suits geared for heavy G forces, while others are mainly fire retardant. Just like every job, use the right equipment for the job.

G-forces are ruled out though aren't they? After all, they've got the Inertial Compensators installed to deal with that.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Inertial_compensator

Wedge assumes that having it set to full was what did Porkins in as he didn't notice something was wrong with his X-Wing.

Different colours might be because suits are tied to ship types, digitally (according to wookieepedia http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Rebel_flight_suit) so it'd be easy to pick a suit if you're in a hurry.

G-forces are ruled out though aren't they? After all, they've got the Inertial Compensators installed to deal with that.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Inertial_compensator

Wedge assumes that having it set to full was what did Porkins in as he didn't notice something was wrong with his X-Wing.

The suits do protect from high pos neg gs, but its more of a backup for the system you mentioned. Imps come with pos g boots but they a kept in a anti g fieldwhich is better than what anyone else uses.

I always assumed that it was due to whatever the rebellion could scavenge as they went.

I always thought squad colour since we only see the different ones in Jedi when the A and B are introduced. In A New Hope I figure it makes perfect sense there was only one type of flight uniform due to the still reletively small force prescent at Yavin's hangar so Gold and Red squadrons used the same orange garb due to neccessity.

I like how that wiki page says the helmet was an experimental type that the military didn't use. lol it was in wide spread use for over twenty years.

Lucas probably only went with different colored flight suits just for the toys. That way Kenner could make different pilots lol. I kid, but to be serious it was probably just to mix things up a bit on screen and made it somewhat easier to follow which pilot was which, and give them a bit more of an identity rather than just another generic orange flight suited pilot.

Probably every morning they announce the flight suit color of the day over the ship's comm. It all goes well until that one pilot shows up that washed his red flight suit with his white flight suit and now it's pink and hopes no one will notice. But they do and so he tries to pass it off like it's just his really old red suit that is just that faded, but no one believes it. Then the squad leader makes the rest of the pilots run laps around the hanger in full gear with helmets on until that pilot gets back from supply with the correct flight suit of the day.

Sadly, I think the real answer is much simpler ..

They can sell more toys.

Same reason the power rangers suits come in different colours?

Same reason the power rangers suits come in different colours?

So we know who the hot one is??

You see i think 'film wise' it mean a cockpit interior shot made it easier for 'non experts' to tell what ship they were in.

In ANH unless you really love your star wars lore its hard to tell if a pilot is in a y wing or x wing (clearly *every* one here could tell the difference but like my wife would be guessing)

If you make the pilots look different per ship then a cockpit close up tells you its an 'awing pilot' without having to show the whole ship

that makes sense to me

Same reason the power rangers suits come in different colours?

So we know who the hot one is??

You know it!