For fans of Star Wars, may 4th (May the 4th be with you) became the sacred date of the year to honor and one of the most popular franchises in cinema and pop culture. Given its great importance, some airlines took advantage of its popularity to promote the work of George Lucas, launched in 1977 with Episode IV Uma Nova Esperança.
In recent years, ANA, LATAM Brasil, United, Alaska Airlines and Virgin Atlantic have taken the opportunity to create special creative paintings, stamping not only characters, but also scenarios of intergalactic battles.
LATAM BRASIL and its Boeing 777-300ER inspired by the Stormtrooper
One of the most iconic aircraft in Brazil, the Boeing 777 PT-MUA from LATAM is considered one of the most beloved planes by Spotters and irers of special liveries in Brazil.
Despite being a very striking painting, some people still wonder what the meaning of the painting is, which has a kind of 'mask' in its beak.
Even if it is an easy answer for fans of the Saga, the nose of the aircraft was inspired by the helmet of a Stormtrooper, a kind of soldier of the imperial troop dedicated to defending the interests of the Galactic Empire against the Rebel Alliance or Rebels (we will stop here not to give Spoilers).
In addition to the nose of the aircraft, the Boeing 777-300 also has another Stormtrooper on the tail of the aircraft and the promotion of the theme park opened at the end of 2019, located at Disney Hollywood Studios, part of the Walt Disney World Resort, in Florida.
SEE HOW THE AIRCRAFT PAINTING PROCESS WAS:
All Nippon Airways (ANA): the first airline to use the entire fuselage of an airplane to honor a robot character from the franchise
In the case of ANA, the company customized three aircraft, one Boeing 787-9 inspired by the R2-D2 robot and two other Boeing 777s with the colors of C-3PO and BB-8. Interestingly, due to ANA's new fleet restructuring plans, BB-777's 8 was withdrawn from the fleet.
Check below the ANA Star Wars fleet and the respective characters that served as inspiration:
United Airlines: Which Side of the Force Are You On?
United Airlines, in a t action with Disney to promote the movie Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, painted a Boeing 2019-737 at the end of 800.
The predominantly black aircraft has two variations of colors inspired by lightsabers, with red on one side of the aircraft representing the dark side of the force, and blue on the opposite side, representing the Jedi force, with its X-star ships. Wing and TIE Fighter exposed in the fuselage.
Check out the movie trailer:
Alaska Airlines: Intergalactic Battle
Alaska Airlines has announced May 4, 2022, its first Star Wars-themed aircraft that even Chewbacca would be proud of! For the special mission, a Boeing 737-800 (N538AS) was painted space black with the iconic Millennium Falcon emblazoned on the tail pursued by TIE fighters.
Like the Boeing 777 from LATAM Brazil, this Booeing 737-800 from Alaska also served to publicize the Disney theme park inspired by the franchise.
Virgin Atlantic: the 'Queen of Heaven with her Millennium Falcon emblazoned on the fuselage
Virgin Atlantic is also part of the select list of airlines that have already boasted a Star Wars-themed plane, this time with the legendary Boeing 747-400 also known as the 'Queen of the Skies'.
However, in September 2019, the G-VLIP registration aircraft began to bear the Millenium Falcon spacecraft in its fuselage, however, the plane was retired from the fleet during the coronavirus pandemic after 18 years of service. The plane also served to publicize the Disney theme park located in Florida.
