I asked this some time back and do wonder with the new ships that are out what would you all think?

Does the Yugo count as an earlier era fighter? Because if so, I'm voting for the Scyk. Now I know, I know, the Yugo doesn't fly... but neither has the Scyk!

/drumroll

/taps microphone

I said neither has the Scyk

/taps microphone

This thing on?

lol thats funny.

Would suggest a Le car made by Renault also lol.

I'll go full modern here, then. Be aware that some of this will be based primarily in Star Wars canon and not X-Wing capabilities.

I'll start with the Incom line- Z-95, X-Wing, T-70.

Z-95: F-5E Tiger II.

X-Wing: F/A-18C Hornet

T-70 X-Wing: F/A-18E Super Hornet

The reasoning here is that the Z-95 and the F-5(to me) share a pretty close physical similarity as well as practical role in combat as an exceptionally cheap but generally well performing fighter for the cost that many many many nations use. The F/A-18, as few know, has a airframe derived from the F-5, much like how the X-Wing is pretty heavily derived from the Z-95. In purpose they also serve a similar purpose as a cost-effective, agile fighter that primarily likes dogfighting but is more than capable of carrying out light strike missions. The T-70 is similarly much like the Super Hornet in that it looks similar to the X-Wing but is a completely different airframe, as well as significantly boosted combat effectiveness in all areas.

B-Wing: A-10C Thunderbolt II

Bristling with weaponry, incapable of dogfighting, slow and sporting poor maneuverability, and covered in heavy armor and shielding, there's no other pick i'd use to compare to the A-10. The B-Wing is exclusively designed for heavy strike missions on Star Destroyers and heavily entrenched ground targets, and excels at the role of Close Air Support due to it's slow speed and vast array of ordnance from anti-infantry/light vehicle autoblasters to ion cannons to it's single heavy laser cannon(a comparison i draw to the A-10s GAU-8 cannon), and finally to it's large capacity for torpedoes, the B-Wing is, for everything but a starfighter, the grim reaper.

Y-Wing: A-7 Corsair II

Neither exactly excelling in terms of maneuverability, outdated by the time of their respective major conflicts, but still an undeniably effective fighter-bomber, with the varied ordnance and weapons to both engage in the air and targets on the ground.

E-Wing: F-35A Lightning II

Designed from the beginning as a "do-it-all" multirole fighter, both suffered from significant teething and design flaws. While the outcome of the F-35 isn't known yet, the E-Wing eventually solved it's issues and ultimately became an effective fighter at it's many different roles, and i suspect that the F-35 will be forced to do that as well. Nonetheless, both craft utilize extremely advanced technologies that no other craft on the market have, and this makes them very attractive choices for a military looking for a step up.

ARC-170: Can a comparison really be drawn here...?

The problem with the ARC-170 and why it cannot be compared to modern craft is that it's design is... inherently retro. It feature a tail gunner, yet is a Fighter-Bomber. Very, VERY few craft meet that criteria, none of them modern aircraft. Fitting, then as the ARC-170 is a very old starfighter.

A-Wing: Eurofighter Typhoon

A brand-new, purpose built dogfighter that turned out to excel at a variety of missions. Fast, agile, but lightly armored, they both utilize some of the latest technology available, and carry just enough ordnance to make them effective at light strikes.

K-Wing: B-25 Mitchell

Again, a comparison to a modern craft cannot be drawn. A relatively light bomber with decent speed and a heavy payload, with lot's of turrets all over it.

TIE Fighter: MiG-21 Fishbed

Excessively numerous, bare-bones and yet still fast and agile combat-effective fighters.

TIE Interceptor: MiG-29 Fulcrum

Fast, common, and generally as bare-bones as the MiG-21 but sporting increased firepower, speed, and agility.

TIE Defender: F-15C Eagle

Hi-tech for it's time, with a strong array of firepower, high speed and agility, and with a reputation for taking on the best the enemy can offer and coming out unscathed. Both sport a nick-name for killing enemy craft; The F-15 for "Being the world leader in distribution of MiG parts" and the TIE Defender for being an "X-Wing killer"

TIE Bomber: A-6E Intruder

A light, small decently armored, very capable fighter-bomber with a surprising amount of ordnance and exceptional accuracy in delivering that ordnance. Neither are particularly capable in an air-to-air fight.

TIE Phantom: F-22A Raptor

A stealthy, air-dominance fighter that outclasses nearly every fighter available in both firepower and battlefield control. Exceptionally maneuverable to a ridiculous degree, and more than capable of taking on superior numbers without taking a scratch.

TIE/FO: F-16C Fighting Falcon(AKA Viper)

A fast, ultra maneuverable light dogfighter that is more than capable of a wide array of missions, from dogfights to escort to interception to strike missions to CAS, these are two workhorses of ships, with just enough technology to help them survive and a small enough cost to make them practical to field in large amounts.

TIE Advanced: Su-37 Flanker-F

An experimental fighter of which not a particularly large amount were made; Yet supremely threatening in it's own right. A frighteningly effective craft at a wide array of roles, it is both fast and maneuverable yet decently armored for it's size and weight. It's extremely technologically advanced; to the point where it's no longer practical by it's cost.

annnnnnd i'm bored of naming everything so that's all you get for now.

Ok i guess to start this off. I will say id compare the y-wing with the btl-a4 title with (insert turret) to maybe an a-10.

Some USAF Equivalents for Rebel fighter and bombers.

Y-Wing: P-47 Thunderbolt - Conceived as a fighter, came into its own as a durable ground attacker.

X-Wing: P-38 Lightning - Highly distinctive, exotic appearance, heavily armed with excellent speed but not designed as a dogfighter.

B-Wing: B-25H Mitchell Gunship - 10 forward facing machine guns on a hulking frame.

A-Wing: P-51 Mustang - Faster and more compact than the P-38, game changing escort fighter.

K-Wing: B-17 Flying Fortress - Lots of bombs, lots of turrets.

Raz. Sir that was a very great write up and i thank you sir. For now i am beyond words to express my gratitude at what you have posted beyond a very humble Thank you

striatic thank you as well sir

The Arc 170 would be close to the Defiant from WII which looked like an enlarged Hawker Hurricane (fighter bomber, eventually) with a turret stuck on the back. The defiant had no forward firing guns, unlike the Arc 170, so once the Germans figured that out, the Defiant had a very short career.

If we're talking about WW2 aircraft, the ARC-170 is obviously the P-61 Black Widow, because that's what it was actually based on. Lucasfilm directly copied the P-61's cockpit layout after all.

This thread be awesome.

A-Wing: Eurofighter Typhoon

A brand-new, purpose built dogfighter that turned out to excel at a variety of missions. Fast, agile, but lightly armored, they both utilize some of the latest technology available, and carry just enough ordnance to make them effective at light strikes.

I would rather go with the JAS-39 Gripen. Basically the same thing but lighter, and is in service with many air forces all over the world. Much like the A-Wings which we see regularly blowing up in Rebels. Also designed for easy maintenance, using highways as runways, which makes it a great little rebel fighter.

Good point Red XIV. I was thinking of rear facing turrets on fighter like planes. Then again, looking at the Arc 170 picture you posted its rear turret isn't a swivel, so you are twice fold right. Kudos.

Nah, the ARC-170 is a Douglas Devastator.

That's in comparison to the Y-wing's SBD Dauntless and B-wing's Curtiss Helldiver (aka technically better than the aircraft it replaced, but full of gremlins).

The X-Wing is a Spitfire, the Y-Wing is a Mosquito and the TIE/ln is an ME-109. After that point it all kind of breaks down. Closest would be the TIE/sa to the Stuka and the TIE/IN to the ME-262

Razgriz25thinf you hit a total home run with one exception. The y wing is absolutely unequivocally the a 10. Why because BRRRRRRRRRRRRRT.

Also for thr arc, if i recall correctly the us navy used a really old prop plane for sub hunting up until someting like the 70s or 80s, but my military avaition knowledge is spotty now

Razgriz25thinf you hit a total home run with one exception. The y wing is absolutely unequivocally the a 10. Why because BRRRRRRRRRRRRRT.

Also for thr arc, if i recall correctly the us navy used a really old prop plane for sub hunting up until someting like the 70s or 80s, but my military avaition knowledge is spotty now

I disagree. The Y-Wing lacks the enormous firepower and huge guns that the B-Wing has. Specifically the B-Wing has a Heavy Laser Cannon, the spiritual cousin to the A-10's GAU-8. The Y-Wing is much more of a multi-role craft than the A-10 is. It has two mid-powered laser cannons, 2 ion cannons, and a torpedo launcher. The B-Wing has a cluster of 3 autocannons, 3 ion cannons, a heavy laser cannon, and 2 torpedo launchers. Additionally, due to a lack of standard laser cannons(and poor speed and maneuverability), the B-Wing is incapable of fighting other fighters without using it's torpedoes, just like the A-10. In RotJ, we see Y-Wings engage fighters.

The A-10 is a strictly CAS/heavy vehicle attack platform, and is only capable of engaging aircraft through it's standard armament of 2 AIM-9X Sidewinder close range missiles. The Y-Wing is much more a multirole platform, able to engage fighters, do bombing runs, escort missions, and recon. The B-Wing however is that strictly CAS/heavy attack platform, so much so that when enemy fighters are expected, B-Wings require escorts.

It has, as such, always bothered me when the Y-Wing is compared to the A-10, which in my opinion it is not similar in mission profiles or capabilities at all.

Might I be right in thinking that the contrast between X-wings and Tie Fighters is (intentionally?) analogous to the contrast between US and Japanese fighters in WW2, where the latter (like the Zero) were faster and more agile but certainly more fragile?

TIE Fighters are ME-109s and X-wings and Y-wings are Mosquitoes ... this is clear from Lucas' source material -- 633 Squadron.