The "Jade Saber" is a heavily customized transport given to Mara Jade by Luke Skywalker on the eve of their engagement. The new ship is a much larger craft than Mara's "Jade's Fire". It is equipped with powerful ion engines and is very fast and heavily armed. The rear hold is modified to fit an X-Wing starfighter, and normally houses Luke's XJ-class. Mara's own Z-95 Mk.1can also be housed instead. The "Jade saber" is furnished with several rooms for its personnel and crew, plus a lounge and a training room. The "Jade Saber" has proved a potent addition to Mara's personal fleet.

• 3 X capital-ship turbo-laser cannons.
• 2 X heavy turbo-ion cannons.
• 2 X lateral auto-turrets w. dual laser cannons and single ion-cannon.
• 1 X dorsal auto-turret w. dual laser cannons.
• 2 X concussion missile clusters w. 53 rounds each.
• 4 X heavy warhead launchers w. 8 rounds each.

The Model

There's little concrete description of the "Jade Saber", other than that its rear hold can hold an X-Wing. That, and the required interior spaces needed for the bridge-like cockpit and the interior rooms determined the size of the model. The model ended up being 35" in length and 21" in span in 1/48 scale. It's probably a bit smaller than it should be, but it's plenty big enough for a model. The cockpit, training room and the hanger all have lighting. I wanted to have Leia and Jaina training with lightsabers with R2 and Luke watching, but after not being able to find a suitable figure to easily turn into Luke, only R2 is in the room watching. Mara is in the cockpit. All the figures were converted/sculpted from pieces of other 1/48 figures.

The model was kept to simple lines, making it easier to build and fitting in with the converted-freighter-look of the Star Wars universe. The whole thing is made with 0.060 styrene sheets over a framework and detailed with kit parts. The hanger bay has an opened physical door and a clear piece of plastic to represent a force-field. I also put a little opening hatch for an extended refueling probe (which is actually a separate piece that I slip in when the hatch is opened) that can support one of my Star Wars starfighters.

Image: Front/left

Image: In formation with X-Wing

Image: A-Wing on refueling probe

Image: Midships detail

Image: Rear detail

Image: Hangar Bay, with X-wing

Image: Closer look at the hangar bay

Image: Saber training

Image: Close-up of the cockpit/command deck