THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: JOHN KNOLL- THE NEW 'JOHN DOE'!

Filming his scenes presumably on the ILM blue screen stage- John Knoll as Bravo 4.

There are always casualties in any war, and the Battle of Naboo is no exception, especially among the human pilots of Bravo Squadron. The first onscreen death belongs to Bravo 4 pilot: Lt. Rya Kirsch, played by a familiar face to all fans of the behind the scenes team that would bring the modern Star Wars films to life: Effects supervisor and all-round genius John Knoll, clearly loving his 'John Doe- cameo role experience!

With goggles on, as briefly seen in the movie.

"I'm holding out for an action figure. The exploding fighter set."

John Knoll - Empire magazine - 1999

Bravo 4 bites the dust in spectacular fashion.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: RIC DIVES IN!

Bravo Squadron brings its brightest pilots to bear in attacking the heavily armed and defended Trade Federation Droid Control Ship (noticeable via its huge antenna array). But its shields prove too strong to destroy, despite continued torpedo attacks.

Bravo Squadron dives to attack the antenna array of the Droid Control Ship.

Seen on screen assisting Ric Olie's Bravo Leader -  Bravo 2 (Benedict Taylor), Bravo 3 (Clarence Smith) and Bravo 5 (Celia Imrie). Presumably, the naming of the Naboo Starfighters as Bravo Squadron was a homage/celebration reference to the kind of squadron names given to the brave British fighters in their planes during World War II.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: DROIDEKA TAKE OUT!

With Padme's forces pinned down in a corner of the hangar, Anakin's efforts to help his friend and break the siege pay off as he unleashes his fighter's weaponry on the Droidekas moments before the craft's auto pilot system takes him skywards. A great image showing a practical effect detonate on set during filming.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: NABOO'S AIRBORNE HEROES!

The gritty, used X-wing fighters may not be a part of this phase in Star Wars history yet with the prequels, but the slick and gleaming chrome, Art Deco-esque Naboo fighters are a step in the right direction, as seen in this great production art by Doug Chiang, zooming skyward into battle.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: FIGHTERS AWAY!

"Get to your ships!"

Queen Amidala and the Jedi surprise attack on the Theed Hangar Bay has gone well, buying battle time for Ric Olie and his squadron pilots to take to the skies, and soon battle, against the Trade Federation Droid Control Ship.

DELETED SCENE: A TRIUMPHANT RETURN!

The Trade Federation control ship has been destroyed and the war for Naboo has been won. As Queen Amidala's brave pilots return to the Theed hangar, the identity of the pilot who took down the enemy with such bravura skill and bravery is surprisingly revealed to Ric Olie: that boy Anakin Skywalker!

A nice little scene filmed at Leavesden Studios, UK in 1997 for the finale to EPISODE I that was deleted but ultimately made its way to the 2011 Blu-ray set.

CLASSIC IMAGE: PANORAMA's 'PHANTOM'

No matter how big or small the coverage, STAR WARS, old or new, sells magazines and newspapers, as seen here with the cover to the Italian magazine PANORAMA, which likely increased its circulation figures aplenty with their cover for the then approaching EPISODE I in 1999, alongside a summer movies preview of which the first of the Prequels was the main highlight section opener.

DELETED SCENE: FIERY FATE!

Time is running out for Ric Olie's Naboo squadron as their bold efforts to knock out the Trade Federation droid control ship seemingly comes to naught, as one fighter after another fails to take out its shielding. An intriguing deleted moment shown in an early trailer for EPISODE I, with a Naboo fighter on fire spinning downwards.

Okay, so there's no fire in space, but it's still a great shot!

CLASSIC ART: BOOM!

Poe Dameron may have the skills and the ego to be the Resistance's top pilot for the opening STAR WARS sequel, but he still has much to learn from young Anakin Skywalker, momentously destroying a Trade Federation Droid Control Vessel with plucky courage sixty years earlier, during the climactic events that unveiled The Phantom Menace. A great art piece from an EPISODE I online children's book of a few years back.

CLASSIC IMAGE: STAR SQUADRON!

Ric Olie's fighter squadron takes to the air, away from Naboo and into battle with the Trade Federation, in this lovely composite shot for EPISODE I which visually conjures up the kind of Flash Gordon-esque imagery that first inspired Lucas to make his fantasy saga back in the early seventies.

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: INTO THE STARS!

A Naboo pilot and his trusty Astro Droid take to the skies, ready to attack the immense and weapons packed Trade Federation Droid Control Ship, in this specially rendered ILM image for EPISODE I from 1999.

CLASSIC IMAGE: MAN AGAINST THE MACHINE!

A gleaming Naboo fighter attacks a Trade Federation Droid Starfighter during the big scale space battle finale of EPISODE I.