Prior to the Battle of Yavin, the Rebel Alliance struck at an Incom Corporation facility and stole several T-65 X-wing starfighters for use by the Rebels at the Battle of Yavin.
The objective of the mission was to collect X-wings for the pilots of the Yavin 4 base. The attack plan was devised by General Jan Dodonna.
Biggs Darklighter shoots a TIE fighter from space.
Captain Biggs Darklighter led a squadron of Imperial TIE fighters that had recently defected, to strike the base. The use of TIE fitted with hyperdrive surprised the Imperials and let them time to leave the planet. All the TIE fighters of the base, piloted by ISB members, quickly took off to intercept the Rebel TIEs.
While TIE fighters were pursuing other TIEs in space, a group of Rebel spies infiltrated in the facility neutralized all Imperial guards.
Rebel pilots steal X-wings from the Incom facility.
The Rebel TIEs were modified in order to be controlled by astromech droids. The four former Imperial pilots discretely ejected from their fighters and let the droids take over the TIEs and lead the Imperial fighters in a chase to the edge of the system. A Rebel transport escorted by two Y-wings soon arrived in the system to recover the pilots who could survive in space thanks to their TIE pilot space suit. A Y-wing was shot down by an isolated Imperial fighter but Biggs managed to destroy it with his heavy blaster rifle. The pilot were then collected by the transport.
Bigg's pilots and several other Rebel pilots, including Wedge Antilles, eventually landed at the facility on the transport and seized two dozen X-wings without any resistance. They then brought them back to the Yavin 4 base in the Rand Ecliptic because the X-wings were unable to navigate through hyperspace without astromech droids.
An infected Klivian after the mission.
The mission was successful, however Peate Kurin died while ejecting, and Hobbie's right shin and foot were cut off. He was to be given a replacement, but the injury became infected. This prevented him from flying for quite some time and kept him grounded for the Battle of Yavin.
As a result of the mission, Yavin Base now had X-wing starfighters, albeit without the astromechs necessary to navigate in hyperspace. A mission was quickly organized to recover some R2 astro droids from smuggler Nera Dantels on Commenor.
- The Official Star Wars Fact File130