MTV-7 Multi-Terrain Vehicle

The MTV-7 Multi-Terrain Vehicle was a single-track, double-wheeled groundcar used by the Imperial Army to scout planetary terrain during the height of the Galactic Civil War. The MTV-7, adaptable in multiple mobile configurations, was operated by a single pilot and armed with a single laser cannon. The Galactic Empire utilized MTV-7s among its ground forces as part of the Imperial invasion of Echo Base, the Rebel Alliance headquarters, during the Battle of Hoth in 3 ABY.

Characteristics[]

The MTV-7 Multi-Terrain Vehicle^[1] was a single-track groundcar with two large wheels, each featuring grooved surface treading.^[2] In addition to the vehicle's basic upright position, the MTV-7's wheels could extend outward from the main body to adopt a low, ground-hugging configuration.^[1] Such versatility made the MTV-7 adaptable to many environments, and the vehicle was easier to deploy than the Galactic Empire's All Terrain Scout Transport walker. Armed with a single^[2] rotating laser cannon,^[3] the MTV-7 held room for a single pilot in an open-air cockpit—unlike speeder bikes, the MTV-7 did not require a pilot possessed of suicidal tendencies.^[2] A forward-facing, grilled headlight was positioned at the front of the vehicle.^[1]

History[]

During the Galactic Civil War, the Imperial Army utilized the MTV-7 Multi-Terrain Vehicle among its ground forces.^[2] At least three MTV-7s participated in^[1] the Battle of Hoth,^[2] the massive Imperial campaign^[4] in 3 ABY^[5] to crush the Rebel Alliance High Command headquarters of Echo Base on the Outer Rim Territories ice planet Hoth.^[6] Both snowtroopers and Imperial Army pilots of the Empire's invasion force operated the MTV-7s^[1] to scout Hoth's hostile terrain.^[3]

Behind the scenes[]

"They crawl, they fly, they climb, they go just about anywhere! MTV-7 is a MULTI-TERRAIN VEHICLE used by the Empire to scout the hostile ice planet, HOTH. It carries one Action Figure. It has spring-loaded legs and a movable laser cannon."

―1981 Kenner Toy Fair Catalog^[7]

MTV7Kenner — Kenner's original MTV-7 Multi-Terrain Vehicle toy packaging

The MTV-7 Multi-Terrain Vehicle was an original creation of the Kenner toy company as part of its 1981 Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Mini-Rig vehicle series.^[3] The Mini-Rig vehicles, which did not appear in any of the three films of the Star Wars original trilogy, were fairly inexpensive models designed to carry one character and thereby increase play value at a lower cost than Kenner's larger toy vehicles.^[8]