Digger crawler

Digger crawlers, utilized by the Corellia Mining Corporation, were driven by archaic Ka/La steam-powered nuclear fusion reactors. Their massive treads enabled traversal across challenging landscapes. To maintain stability during intense sandstorms, these crawlers needed to be exceptionally balanced, making them the optimal choice for Jawas navigating the harsh deserts of Tatooine. This also allowed them to avoid confrontations with Tusken Raiders, who generally avoided approaching these colossal vehicles.

Approximately half of a digger crawler's total space was allocated to cargo—originally for hauling ore, but these areas were quickly modified to serve as storage for Jawa-collected salvage. The remainder of the vehicle housed workshops for repairing and modifying technology discovered in the dunes.

Captured droids and various pieces of equipment were drawn into the storage zones using an extendable magnetic suction pipe, which was previously employed for extracting ore. A front-loading hatch that could be retracted also facilitated the Jawas in acquiring larger items. Any recovered scrap was incorporated into the labyrinth of debris scattered throughout the cluttered hold, or it was melted down in the expansive central smelting area.

Located atop the sandcrawler, the vehicle's bridge was encircled by a series of small windows. This command center, offering an excellent view of the desert, was frequently occupied by the clan's leader. Scouts, aided by metal detectors and scanners, also maintained a vigilant watch for any glimmers of metal that could signify hidden riches. Only a small portion of the crawler was designated for the crew, with Jawas often crammed six individuals into a cabin comparable in size to an average humanoid's closet.

The sandcrawler had a length of 36.8 meters and a height of 20 meters, with the capacity to transport 40 tons of cargo at speeds reaching 30 kilometers per hour.

Given the frequent need for repairs, many digger crawlers underwent modifications over time, resulting in altered appearances as components were added or replaced. Consequently, some exhibited significant variations in appearance or capabilities. A common modification involved the addition of crane arms, either mounted on top or extending through side panels.

Corellian miners introduced the digger crawlers to the planet with the intention of extracting ore resources. However, when their plan failed, the crawlers were abandoned, along with the rest of the mining equipment.

The indigenous Jawas subsequently adopted these sandcrawlers for millennia, utilizing them as vehicles for scavenging and trading. Consequently, the crawlers evolved into a crucial element of Jawa society, serving as both a home and a means of transportation for scouring the desert in pursuit of droids, wrecked starships, and scrap metal, which formed the foundation of their economy.

Traditionally, half of a Jawa clan would remain in their village or desert fortress, while the other half would inhabit a sandcrawler to provide support for the rest. Despite the substantial protection afforded by the tank-like vehicle's thick armor plating, a sandcrawler could be disabled with a few well-placed blaster shots.

Due to their age, the sandcrawlers were in constant need of maintenance, though many moisture farmers observed that their Jawa owners seemed capable of maintaining them indefinitely. Sandcrawlers were rarely seen in groups, except during the annual Jawa swap meets held in the mysterious Dune Sea. At these secret gatherings, numerous clans would meet to trade scraps, sell droids, purchase technology, and even arrange marriages between clans.

Following the Battle of Tatooine in 0 BBY, Jawas captured R2-D2 and C-3PO, both droids affiliated with the Rebel Alliance, and placed them aboard a sandcrawler. Subsequently, the Jawas sold them to Owen Lars, the guardian of Luke Skywalker. Skywalker then evaded an Imperial search party and joined the Rebellion.

Six months later, Skywalker journeyed back to Tatooine and engaged an Imperial unit of viper probe droids. A sandcrawler was situated nearby during the encounter.

In 14 ABY, during a mission to Tatooine, Jaden Korr was required to negotiate with some Jawas and entered a digger crawler. Among a collection of disabled droids, Jaden recovered an R5 astromech droid.

During the production of A New Hope, only the lower section of the sandcrawler was constructed for close-up shots in the Tatooine desert. The moving shots of the sandcrawler were accomplished using a miniature remote-controlled model.

A sandcrawler colored blue makes an appearance in an episode of The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, a TV program on the Cartoon Network. However, in the episode, the sandcrawler is owned by a Tusken Raider (who is unusually friendly to the show's main character) instead of Jawas, and is also blue.

The end credits of The Beginning: Making Episode I, a documentary, feature a sequence of brief clips from The Phantom Menace enhanced with visual gags created by ILM. In one of these clips, a sandcrawler is depicted racing a Podracer across the Tatooine desert.