Editing Sandcrawler

{{short description|Type of vehicle in the Star Wars universe}}
[[File:Star Wars Sandcrawler.png|thumb|A sandcrawler as seen in ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'']]

The '''sandcrawler''' is a fictional transport vehicle in the ''[[Star Wars]]'' universe that is found on the desert planet [[Tatooine]]. The vehicle, as it appears in its major appearances in ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope]]'', is 37 meters long and 18 meters tall. Only a 27-meter length of its lower hull was constructed as a set for the film. Other appearances were simulated with matte paintings and a remote-controlled model.

== Origin and design ==
The design of the sandcrawler was first inspired by photographs of a [[NASA]]-designed rover created to explore alien planets.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=The Making of Star Wars|last=Rinzler|first=J.W.|publisher=Ballantine Group|year=2013|isbn=978-0345542861|edition=Enhanced}}</ref> It was conceived as large, old, very rusty, and having treads.<ref name=":0" /> The front of the vehicle was envisioned to have a mouth-like scoop that lowered with hydraulics to pick up things, like a garbage truck.<ref name=":0" /> While its original design was streamlined, it was modified to be taller and more awkward-looking.<ref name=":0" /> The final design was created on April 5, 1975.<ref name=":0" />

== Production ==
The prefabricated movie set of the sandcrawler was shipped from England and took special effects expert [[John Stears]] and his crew four days to move it thirty miles into the [[Tunisia]]n desert.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Skywalking: The Life And Films Of George Lucas, Updated Edition|last=Pollock|first=Dale|publisher=Da Capo Press, Incorporated|year=2009|isbn=978-0786749768|pages=132}}</ref> It was two stories tall and ninety feet long when it was fully assembled,<ref name=":1" /> with the caterpillar tracks being almost twice as tall as a person, and covered in sand and mud to give them a "used" look.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Cinema Alchemist : Designing Star Wars and Alien.|author=Christian, Roger|date=2016|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=978-1785650857|oclc=947085905}}</ref> The night before the scene with the Jawas was to be shot, a [[Dust storm|sandstorm]] blew apart the set, and it took a day to put it back together and an additional day to shoot the scene.<ref name=":1" /> Afterwards, it was transformed into a burned-out hulk, taking another day.<ref name=":1" />

The construction of the sandcrawler piqued the interest of the [[Libya]]n government, who sent inspectors across the border to make sure it was not an actual military vehicle of some kind.<ref>{{Cite book|title=George Lucas : a life|last=Jay|first=Jones, Brian|isbn=978-0316257459|edition=First|location=New York|oclc=964657196|date = 2016-12-06}}</ref>

== Depiction ==

Most sandcrawlers are homes to [[List of Star Wars races (F-J)#Jawa|Jawas]].  They were originally constructed in [[Corellia]] for the purpose of serving as ore haulers during mining operations, and many were brought to [[Tatooine]] when it was first settled as a [[mining]] [[colony]].  When the mining industry collapsed they were abandoned and the native Jawa took them over. The number of sandcrawlers is unknown on [[Tatooine]] because most Jawa clans only meet during the annual "swap meets" when Jawa clans meet to trade with each other. Jawa clans usually worship the Sandcrawler they have inhabited for generations. The Sandcrawler is powered by eight massive turbines to power the treads which pull it over the dunes of the desert. Since repairs are not done thoroughly, sandcrawlers are liable to fail at any time. Within the Sandcrawler are a maze of tunnels, living quarters and rooms which keep spare parts, machinery and captured [[droid (Star Wars)|droid]]s. The front of the Sandcrawler opens to form a large ramp though there are also hatches between the giant treads that provide access to and from the crawler. They are powerful enough to withstand [[Tusken Raiders]] but are no match for [[Imperial Stormtroopers]].

The Sandcrawler first appeared in the 1977 film ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope]]'', where [[R2-D2]] and [[C-3PO]] were transported across the desert terrain of Tatooine. They make a cameo appearance in ''[[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace]]'' in the establishing shot for the [[podrace]], and also appeared in the ''[[Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones]]'' when [[Anakin Skywalker]] asks a Jawa leader for directions to a [[Tusken Raider]] camp. One also appeared in the post credits of a documentary on ''The Phantom Menace'' DVD. It was shown during the podrace, moving faster than and overtaking [[Sebulba]]'s podracer. A Sandcrawler and Jawas are also seen in the final sequence of ''[[Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker]]'' when [[Rey (Star Wars)|Rey]] arrives on Tatooine.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Kirsten Acuna |title=42 'Star Wars' references you may have missed in 'The Rise of Skywalker' |url=https://www.insider.com/the-rise-of-skywalker-star-wars-references-2019-12 |website=Insider.com |access-date=4 January 2020 |date=26 December 2019}}</ref> Sandcrawlers, or early predecessors, have made appearances in many ''Star Wars'' video games, such as ''[[Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (video game)|Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic]]'' (used by the Czerka Corporation), and ''[[Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy]]''.  A digital [[pinball]] table based on ''Star Wars'' droids has a cabinet that moves and is shaped like a sandcrawler.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Marchiafava |first1=Jeff |title=Star Wars Pinball: Heroes Within |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/games/star_wars_pinball_heroes_within/b/xbox360/archive/2014/03/25/star-wars-pinball-heroes-within-impressions.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808030911/https://www.gameinformer.com/games/star_wars_pinball_heroes_within/b/xbox360/archive/2014/03/25/star-wars-pinball-heroes-within-impressions.aspx |url-status=live |archive-date=August 8, 2019 |website=GameInformer |access-date=6 December 2020 |date=25 March 2014}}</ref>

The vehicle appears in the [[Disney+]] series ''[[The Mandalorian]],'' in a scene where the titular character pursues a sandcrawler carrying the scavenged parts from his ship.

==Cultural references==
A 17-inch, radio-controlled toy Sandcrawler was released in 1979 as part of the original [[Kenner]] Star Wars toy line; a recolored version with a more "authentic" painted surface was issued in 2004. In 2005, [[Lego]] came out with a detailed model.

[[Lucasfilm]]'s Singapore base is shaped and named after the Sandcrawler.<ref>[https://www.lucasfilm.com/campuses/singapore/ Singapore], Lucasfilm. Retrieved 10 April 2019.</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=Neil Arun |title=The mystery of Star Wars and Tunisia's rundown Brutalist hotel |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-47819137 |access-date=10 April 2019 |publisher=BBC News |date=10 April 2019}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{databank|category=vehicle|subject=sandcrawler|text=Sandcrawler}}
* {{Wookieepedia|Sandcrawler}}

{{Star Wars universe|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Star Wars vehicles]]
[[Category:Fictional elements introduced in 1977]]
[[Category:Fictional fortifications]]