May the 4th: Design of the X-Wing

The X-Wing is one of the most iconic sci-fi craft ever designed [1]. Together with the Millennium Falcon, it represents the paradigm-shifting and genre-setting implications of the Star Wars universe. While the Millennium Falcon may be the most popular spaceship, the design of the X-Wing is particularly useful for design analysis because of its multiple variations and generational changes.

Figure 1: An image of X-Wings from Star Wars: A New Hope [2].

Birth of a Legendary Design

The impetus of the X-Wing design actually came from a game of darts. Colin Cantwell, the designer, watched a game in a British pub and was inspired to use a dart as the base of a design [3, 4]. The X-wing was intended to recall a similar aesthetic as a 1950s muscle car, and it was intended to contrast with the comparatively alien-looking TIE fighter. Indeed, for an American culture fond of sleek car designs and coming out of the Vietnam War, the X-Wing was a sports car vibe for a menacing superiority fighter. 

The design of the X-Wing makes use of several important techniques. Like many of the best products, it is relatively simple: a sleek nosecone conjoined with a X-shaped wing design. In Figure 1 above, the X-shape is not yet visible, and this also enhances the design. When the X-Wing changes its wing configuration from the basic flight mode shown to the attack mode illustrated in Figure 2, there is a change in tone of the starfighter. The design is so successful because the spaceship almost has its own body language.

Figure 2: A fan-generated design of a landing X-Wing [5].

Multi-Generational Design

For a science fiction design, the X-Wing feels like it is a plausible design. While the average consumer of Star Wars could not describe the laws of aerodynamics, he or she is still used to seeing wings. Thus, of the many iconic designs in Star Wars, it also feels the most organic. No other spaceship designs use wings like the X-Wing does, and astrophysics aside, it feels more familiar to the airplanes and jets that people know and love.

Figure 3: A painting of three X-Wings skimming above the surface of water [6].

Another factor that endears us to the X-Wing is seeing its evolution on the big screen. Each Star Wars film has a whole slew of new and exciting spacecraft, but the X-Wing is a near-constant. The ARC-170 in the prequels and the Z-95 in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series form the technological background of the starfighter, and the design iterates in the original three films, the sequels, and the spinoffs.

Design Intentionality

As most rigorous fandoms are prone to doing, there are a host of in-universe design considerations (like the hyperdrive) and statistics that round out the X-Wing and make it feel more lifelike. The X-Wing is so beloved because its design required real thought. It was not a quick sketch nor prototype, but a classic and defining masterpiece that people poured their thoughts and ideas into. Seeing the X-Wing is so awe-inspiring as a result [7].

Figure 4: A GIF from Star Wars: The Force Awakens [8].

The legitimate viability of X-Wings as a flying machine even inspired Boeing and Disney to pair up and make a drone-powered flying version, now displayed at the Smithsonian [9]. In the movies, this aura is facilitated by the respect that pilots give their cherished craft. The film’s perspective of the design anchors the audience’s perception, and its on-screen flying prowess cements its reputation [10].

Figure 5: An X-Wing shoots down a TIE fighter [10].

Whether designing a real product or a sci-fi spaceship, there are many overlapping principles. The best designs take inspiration from something similar and well-known, making them feel natural to users and consumers. Simple functionality elevates the design from a passive model to one with personality. When people understand the design iteration, they also increase their appreciation for the original design. Finally, when a design is respected and thought-through, the target audience also learns to appreciate the design. When you synthesize these principles together, you may design something as eye-catching as the X-Wing.

References

[1] Colangelo, BJ. “The 12 Coolest Spaceships In Sci-Fi Movie History.” SlashFilm, 22 Feb. 2023, www.slashfilm.com/1207094/the-coolest-spaceships-in-sci-fi-movie-history/.

[2] “X-wing Starfighter.” StarWars.com, Lucasfilm, www.starwars.com/databank/x-wing-starfighter.

[3] Siegal, Jacob. “Star Wars Got The Design For The X-Wing While Its Creator Was At A British Pub.” BGR, 18 Mar. 2026, www.bgr.com/2122621/star-wars-x-wing-inspired-by-dart-pub/.

[4] Laman, Douglas. “How a Trip to a British Pub Inspired the Star Wars X-Wing Design.” Giant Freakin Robot, 11 Oct. 2022, www.giantfreakinrobot.com/ent/x-wing-star-wars-deisgn.html.

[5] Gumush, Metin. “Behind the Scenes: X-Wing Landing VFX.” BlenderNation, 23 Nov. 2020, www.blendernation.com/2020/11/23/behind-the-scenes-x-wing-landing-vfx/.

[6] “X-Wing Star Wars Canvas Wall Art.” Amazon, www.amazon.com/Wing-Star-Wars-Canvas-Various/dp/B07GDN4S74.

[7] Limer, Eric. “The Incredible History of the X-Wing.” Popular Mechanics, 4 May 2020, www.popularmechanics.com/culture/movies/a32347131/x-wing-history/.

[8] u/Tandem_Unicycle. “Still My Favorite X-wing Shot.” Reddit, 17 Aug. 2020, www.reddit.com/r/StarWars/comments/ibkt7m/still_my_favorite_xwing_shot/.

[9] DaSilva, Steve. “Boeing Built A Flying Star Wars X-Wing: Here's Why.” Jalopnik, 16 Sept. 2025, www.jalopnik.com/1965245/boeing-star-wars-x-wing/.

[10] Rosenfeld, Everett. “A Real-Life Aerospace Engineer Explains Why the X-Wing Is a Masterpiece.” Business Insider, 8 Jan. 2016, www.businessinsider.com/star-wars-x-wing-fighter-engineer-2016-1.

To cite this article:
Conover, Dylan. “May the 4th: Design of the X-Wing.” The BYU Design Review, 4 May 2026, https://www.designreview.byu.edu/collections/design-of-the-x-wing.