Death Star Attack Run

[AnonymousRedShirtEnsign]

I was wondering why the rebels bothered with going through the Death Star trench when attacking the ventilation shaft. It would have been safer and an easier shot if the rebel fighters approached from directly above the shaft. So, assuming that the Rebels aren't stupid, there must be some explanation for why they went through the trench. I would posit that there was some sort of physical barrier over the top of the vent preventing a strait shot, and that Luke bounced the torpedos off that object.

On a nearly unrelated matter, I am also wondering where those hundreds or thousands of fighters that are claimed to be stationed on the Death Star are during the battle of Yavin?

[GStone]

I think those that staid along the surface were a distraction, so those that went in the trench wouldn't be noticed, but then, they were found out.

[Mike DiCenso]

There's no real good reason for the Death Star trench run. The real reason, of course, was because it was done to provide action-packed drama. The trench run, like so much of SW, being inspired by WWII movies, in this particular case the 1954 movie, "The Dam Busters":

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046889/


That being said, the only thing that I can really think of was that the trench run attack was done to avoid the majority of the DS surface defense guns. Unfortunately, that really doesn't work too well since the trench wasn't wide enough to allow the starfighters enough room for effective maneuvering.

Hell, the Rebel's tactics as a whole seemed odd, since they didn't have Luke, Bigg, and Wedge's group of X-wings attack Vader and his wing when he attacked Red Leader's group in the trench....
-Mike

[Trinoya]

I've always assumed it was to limit the ability of the ties to manuver and to keep the guns and fighters focused on those fighters above. Upon being found out, Luke and his group simply didn't get there in time to help... Having been fighting above the trench for awhile, and knowing that more ties were on the way, they most likely took the approach that allowed them a shot still, and eliminated the vast majority of the guns. They knew the ties would come in from behind, but having a straight line and only needing to dodge fire coming from in front or in back of them most likely also helped inprove their overall time, which they were pressed for.

Just what I always thought...

[Mike DiCenso]

The problem with that is that being even in the trench in the first place makes it a bad place to be with regards to enemy fighters. As one of the pilots said "No room to maneuver". The other fighters also seemed unable to stop Vader and his escorts. Even in the ANH novelization there is no indication of any attempt by the other Rebel fighters to stop or delay them beyond what the wingmen in the trench were doing for their respective lead fighters.

Another thing that bugs me; when the Rebels first get to the Death Star surface, they don't do any systematic shooting up of turbolaser batteries around the exaust port before the trench runs are made. Even today we have air combat tactics that dictate the destruction of enemy anti-aircraft batteries around given targets. Were the Rebels so pressed for time that they couldn't do more than attack randomly at targets here and there?
-Mike