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Storm IV Twin-Pod cloud car

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Storm IV Twin-Pod cloud car

Production information
Manufacturer	Bespin Motors^[1]
Product line	Cloud car^[1]
Model	Storm IV Twin-Pod^[1]
Class	Atmospheric repulsorcraft^[2]
Cost	75,000 credits (28,000 used)^[1]
Technical specifications
Length	7 meters^[3]
Maximum speed	1500 km/h^[3]
Maximum altitude	100 kilometers^[3]
Engine unit(s)	Incom TX-2^[4] Kyromaster^[4]
Armament	Blaster cannons (standard configuration: 2)^[2]
Crew	Pilot (1)^[1] Gunner (1)^[1]
Cargo capacity	10 kg^[3]
Consumables	1 day^[1]
Usage
Availability	Licencsed^[1]
Role(s)	Patrol vessel^[1]
Era(s)	Rise of the Empire era Rebellion era^[1] New Republic era^[5] New Jedi Order era^[6]
Affiliation	Bespin Wing Guard^[2] Galactic Republic

[Source]

"If you can bribe a member of Bespin's Wing Guard into taking you on a spin around Cloud City, you won't regret spending the credits. The views are stunning"

―Excerpt from Ullok's Underground Guide to Bespin^[src]

The Storm IV Twin-Pod Cloud Car was an atmospheric vehicle known as a cloud car which was designed and manufactured by Bespin Motors on Bespin's Cloud City.

1 Description
2 History
3 Behind the scenes
4 Appearances
- 4.1 Non-canon appearances
5 Sources
6 External links
7 Notes and references
- 7.1 In other languages

DescriptionEdit

This high-atmospheric aircraft consisted of two armored pods connected by a strong engine block that housed the small yet powerful Kyromaster dual ion engine system and the secondary repulsorlift systems.^[4] The ion engine operated as the cloud-car's main propulsion system and allowed it to attain speeds of 1,500 kph while the repulsorlift drive was used for difficult maneuvers and increased the car's speed.^[3] Much of the engine area was exposed to reduce engine heat and to allow maximum air-cooling. As it was designed solely for atmospheric flight, the vehicle also had a system of flaps, jets, vanes, and rudders to improve control.

The cloud car's pods had a cockpit each with pilot seated in port pod on the left side and the gunner manning the starboard pod on the right. The pilot's pod was equipped with advanced navigational systems and a communications array while the gunner manned a pair of twin blaster cannons. Although not outfitted for advanced life support, the vehicle had pressurized cockpits for high-altitude flight and it was able to achieve low orbit using its repulsorlifts system.

Though the weapons emplacements could hold a wide range of weapons, most of the original vehicles had a small power generator which limited it to supporting blaster cannons. Although inferior to the more powerful starfighters, the cloud car's cannons allowed it to take on starships such as the Millennium Falcon.

HistoryEdit

The Storm IV Twin-Pod Cloud Car was the first high-atmospheric aircraft to be categorized as a cloud car.^[source?] It was designed and produced by Bespin Motors to patrol the skies surrounding the floating mining colony and gambling resort Cloud City. The Storm IV was originally employed by the Bespin Wing Guard, who were responsible for the security of Cloud City.^[2]

When the Galactic Empire occupied Cloud City in 3 ABY shortly after the Battle of Hoth, Bespin Motors began selling the vehicle to other markets. Eventually rival starship manufacturers adopted the cloud car design and began producing similar-looking vehicles.^[source?] Thus, the Storm IV and other cloud car designs could be found across the galaxy on other worlds such as Taloraan as both civilian and military vehicles.^[7] The Storm IV was still in use on Cloud City as late as 36 ABY.^[6]

Behind the scenesEdit

The Storm IV cloud car first appeared with the release of 'Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. In the 2004 video game Star Wars: Battlefront depicts the Storm IV as a Fighter-Bomber armed with rockets like the TIE Bomber and the Y-Wing, though this may be game mechanics.