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This might have been covered before, sorry if it has. When the Rebel fleet assembles we see several of the same type of transport ships seen fleeing Endor among the assembled attack fleet. Everything I can find on them and the implications from ESB indicates these are unarmed vessels. So what are they doing there? Rebel supporters/funders comming along to gawk for the Death of the Emperor?

They could of been holding fighters and then left after they were dropped off - kinda like the Flurry - but they had their weapons stripper to put on mon cals and fighters

An interesting possibility, but we saw some fighters being deployed before the jump and IIRC I saw a few transports after they jumped into Endor. So if they were just bringing fighters along it seems strange they would have come along for the ride to Endor as we know the jump was short enough for Rebel fighters to not need to be carried in transit.

could be holding Z-95's - if the rebels still used them- and most of them don't have hyperdrives
or they could of been supply/reload vessels that fled when under attack
you mean they fled when the imperials attacked right? they wouldn't of wanted to lose the rare supplies

According to the novel cargo ships loaded with explosives were used in kamikazee style attacks on Imperial ships.

MrAnderson wrote:According to the novel cargo ships loaded with explosives were used in kamikazee style attacks on Imperial ships.

Where they slave rigged or were the crews going to eject at the last second?

Admiral Johnason wrote:

MrAnderson wrote:According to the novel cargo ships loaded with explosives were used in kamikazee style attacks on Imperial ships.

Where they slave rigged or were the crews going to eject at the last second?

They were crewed. The crews plotted a course, bailed out and watched the ships slam into Imperial vessels.

I believe it was in the Thrawn Trilogy (Dark Force Rising?) where Thrawn says the idea of using bulk cruisers as carriers had been thrown around for a while and it wasn't until that particular engagement that he was engaged in was it seen. I'm not sure, I haven't read it in years and years.

The Rebel Gallofree Yards Transports were rigged with explosives and used as ramships in the Battle of Endor according to the canonical Return of the Jedi novelisation.

Illuminatus Primus wrote:The Rebel Gallofree Yards Transports were rigged with explosives and used as ramships in the Battle of Endor according to the canonical Return of the Jedi novelisation.

It's a pretty open and shut case, though it never specifies the transport type, that type of transport is the only type seen in the film. Of course, the novelization points out a whole host of other ships too- I wish I still had my copy.

While I agree with Illuminatus, I can imagine also that the MCs are filled so heavily with redundant and weapon systems that they lost almost all their cargo area, so they rely on supply transports carrying spare parts, food etc.

Boba Fett wrote:While I agree with Illuminatus, I can imagine also that the MCs are filled so heavily with redundant and weapon systems that they lost almost all their cargo area, so they rely on supply transports carrying spare parts, food etc.

And you'd bring those into a fleet action why? The Rebels didn't known it was a trap, but they did clearly expected the Executor given that the commando team wasn't surprised by there presence, they probably brought the explosives laden ships specifically to deal with her.

Good point Skimmer!

You're right.

But in that case these transports must have been fitted with some extra heavy shields and a big engine booster to be able to reach their target.

Otherwise they would be toasted in TL fire easily.

Maybe it is wrong of me, but I think I know why the transports were there.

ILM had run out of money, so they decided to use the Transport models rather than building new models of more types of Rebel capship

Nah, seriously with the comment from the novelisation, I think that the question is answered. It just shows you how desperate the rebels were and, possibly that this was their "last chance" operation after the Hoth debacle.