I play a mod on Freelancer called Freeworlds. in the mod there is a fighter called a T-34 or T-47 In EU universe it was supposed to be in compitition to the X-wing however because of imperial security concerns and obvious obsession for the Tie series the fighter design was halted until after the battle of Endor. The fighter was a improvement over the x-wing in weapons and speed menuverbility and shield strength were about equal. The Alliance were too fond of there X-wing series and the T-47 I think thats the model name saw limited use in its forces. At the same time the Alliance had concerns about having a military class fighter in other hands. to compasate the company made a civillian varient the T-34 which was in most respects the same fighter with a different number. It looks like that last viper you made from the top view. Ill see if I can get a picture but it does look similar.
Here's an updated WIP of the top of the Scorpion Mk IV. I replaced the cockpit, added detailing to the fore fuselage, replaced the tail, and cleaned up the nacelles. Next up is the aft fuselage, engines, and wings.
I also started work on a new Stealth Viper, I hated the earlier attempt I did. If I get enough done tomorrow, I'll post a WIP pic.
As always, great work! It's amazing the amount of plausible variations you come up with!
In fact, between you and B.J. I've been inspired to try my hand at fighters from the Firefly 'Verse. Most likely another project I'll start and not finish...
I came up with three different top views. I'll post a thread on them as soon as I can work out the side views.
Thanks SAS. I look forward to seeing what you come up with for Firefly fighters. After I watch my brand new 2.5 BSG dvds, I need to go back and watch Firefly. Man, I love that frakking show.
I'm pretty satisfied with the top view now. The engine nozzles are based on the F-135, wings on the F-16. Also pictured is what it looks like with the wings folded for storage, reentry, and hypersonic atmo flight.
I've been thinking about folding the canards. The main reason I haven't, so far, is because of space concerns in the forward fuselage. As it stands, their range of motion is they rotate 90 degrees forward on short landings (which also has the huge flaps extended very far) to brake the craft and conserve thruster fuel, if loaded. With the wings spread, I've though about having the canards angle upwards, folding down to horizontal when the wings retract. Hmm, they could fold 90 degrees downward when the ship is parked.
I had some time to work on Vipers this evening so I finished these. They are cleaned up side views of the Viper Mk IVB and the Viper EW.Mk I which features the Scarlet Viper wings.
I haven't had much time to draw anything but I wrote this up during class today. It's background text for the Mk V Viper. Hmm, time to start figuring out aggressor schemes now. The Weapons School insignia is visible in the pilot's ready room on Galactica, particularly in "Act of Contrition" right after the accident. I'll update the Mk VII background to take the changes I've made into account.
Viper Mk V
Several decades after the Cylon War, Colonial Fleet planners were in a panic. Their newest fighters, modernized Viper Mk IVs, dated back to the years immediately following the end of the war. Several companies submitted designs for the competition to produce a new, more economic design. Known as the "Light-weight Viper" program, it was one by an in-house Fleet design bureau. This design was smaller and less expensive than the aging war-era craft. This design utilized the latest in design and construction techniques, reducing cost, weight, and construction time. For the armament, Voram designed an updated and modernized version of the war-era MEC-A6 cannons. Computer simulations showed the new fighter to be a solid, if unremarkable design. It failed to show enough of an improvement over the Mk II/IV to warrant full-scale production but limited numbers were built, equipping several fleet squadrons and the aggressor units at the Viper Weapons School. The fighter was accepted into service as the Viper Mk V. The Mk V was ideal for the aggressor role, being smaller and more manuverable than the Mk II/IVs in standard service. Due to normal attrition, the Mk V did not last very long in fleet service, lasting only a little over a decade in normal service before all the remaining Mk Vs were transferred to the Weapons School to provide spare parts and airframes. The Mk V still fullfilled the role of dissimilar aggressor at the time of the Cylon attack. These aggressors were stripped down of most of there equipment to make them even faster and more manuverable, lacking, for example, missiles and their associated electronics, inflight refueling equipment, and advanced long-range navigation equipment.
I got some more time to get stuff done while waiting for Lost to start (yes, I actually got time to draw ). The pics are, from left to right, the Viper T.Mk VII trainer and EW.Mk VII electronic warfare craft, basically a poor man's Raptor without the troop-carrying capacity. Unlike the EW.Mk I/II, it still has the tail mounted cannon, giving it a little firepower.
Woow Talos, must've missed that Scarab update! It's the ideal way to build aircraft using the limited space available in Battlestar launchtubes. I really dig that design, I wouldn't mind seeing it rendered
Thanks Borgman. Yeah, I really like the Scorpion/Scarab designs too. It all comes from an idea I had after I drew the earlier Mk VII pic I did. I wondered if I could fit in forward swept wings on the airframe and keep them within the wingspan of the Mk VII. It didn't look right so I was forced to increase the span. I decided to make it variable-geometry around that time and modified the wing so it would fold forward. You can see the earlier fixed wing in the hanger pic I posted a couple pages ago. Its on the two-seat Scarab in the lower right-hand corner. I was pleased with the look of the design so when I did the newer and much more accurate Mk VII based on VA's plans, I decided to keep the body the same, even though the proportions are different than the Mk VII. It ends up being a smaller half-brother to the VII. The only major parts I replaced are the engines, cockpit, and tail, the rest is still the same as the earlier ship, just detailed better. In a bit of interesting returns, the cockpit of the Scarab was used on the Viper T.Mk VII and EW.Mk VII a couple posts ago.
I'd love to see these two ships, the Scarab and Scorpion, rendered in 3d, as well as some of my other designs, like the Viper Mk I/32, Viper Mk IVB, and Viper Mk V. Unfortunately, I have zero 3d skills so I can't do it. If anyone wanted to, I'd love to see what they come up with. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge )
Like the forward swept variable geometry wings would you consider moving the cunards back a bit so when thier swept fully forward theyd be flush with the cunards? Ive been semi toying with a similar wing set up for a colonial Python bomber.
Hmm, I could try, Starslayer. The reason I haven't yet is that I'm trying to keep the wingtips clear of the canards when sweeping. I'll take a look at it later and see what I come up with. Thanks for the suggestion.
I had too much time this morning waiting for BSG S3 to start so I threw together this pic, putting together all of the Viper Mk VII variants, including the Scorpion and Scarab. All of the VIIs have been tweaked and cleaned up a bit.
It's BSG day (finally...), so I will be doing a couple other things today (got out of college at 10:00.) At least I'll finish the top view of the Mk IVB and tweak a few things with the Mk V.
Thanks S@S. That was my goal. The fleshing out and believability. When I clean them up, I'll bring together top views of the Mk I and II variants as well, plus the T.Mk Is.
Okay, I cleaned up and fixed the Viper Mk I block pic. All of the Vipers have been tweaked, have new upper-forward fuselages, and corrected wings. Also, I started adding cockpits to them, I'll finish the last couple tomorrow, then start on the T.Mk Is.
Well, I got my hands on a copy of CorelDraw from my school and I've been playing around with it, practicing by redrawing the Mk V in it. This is the result so far. I'm getting used to the program but it seems good, until I get up to speed in it, MS Publisher is what I'll do stuff in.
Posts
Mav, which fighter are you talking about, this I gotta see.
I also started work on a new Stealth Viper, I hated the earlier attempt I did. If I get enough done tomorrow, I'll post a WIP pic.
In fact, between you and B.J. I've been inspired to try my hand at fighters from the Firefly 'Verse. Most likely another project I'll start and not finish...
I came up with three different top views. I'll post a thread on them as soon as I can work out the side views.
I'll update the Scorpion in the previous post later, I changed the aft fuselage and cleaned up the tail.
I've been thinking about folding the canards. The main reason I haven't, so far, is because of space concerns in the forward fuselage. As it stands, their range of motion is they rotate 90 degrees forward on short landings (which also has the huge flaps extended very far) to brake the craft and conserve thruster fuel, if loaded. With the wings spread, I've though about having the canards angle upwards, folding down to horizontal when the wings retract. Hmm, they could fold 90 degrees downward when the ship is parked.
Viper Mk V
Several decades after the Cylon War, Colonial Fleet planners were in a panic. Their newest fighters, modernized Viper Mk IVs, dated back to the years immediately following the end of the war. Several companies submitted designs for the competition to produce a new, more economic design. Known as the "Light-weight Viper" program, it was one by an in-house Fleet design bureau. This design was smaller and less expensive than the aging war-era craft. This design utilized the latest in design and construction techniques, reducing cost, weight, and construction time. For the armament, Voram designed an updated and modernized version of the war-era MEC-A6 cannons. Computer simulations showed the new fighter to be a solid, if unremarkable design. It failed to show enough of an improvement over the Mk II/IV to warrant full-scale production but limited numbers were built, equipping several fleet squadrons and the aggressor units at the Viper Weapons School. The fighter was accepted into service as the Viper Mk V. The Mk V was ideal for the aggressor role, being smaller and more manuverable than the Mk II/IVs in standard service. Due to normal attrition, the Mk V did not last very long in fleet service, lasting only a little over a decade in normal service before all the remaining Mk Vs were transferred to the Weapons School to provide spare parts and airframes. The Mk V still fullfilled the role of dissimilar aggressor at the time of the Cylon attack. These aggressors were stripped down of most of there equipment to make them even faster and more manuverable, lacking, for example, missiles and their associated electronics, inflight refueling equipment, and advanced long-range navigation equipment.
I'd love to see these two ships, the Scarab and Scorpion, rendered in 3d, as well as some of my other designs, like the Viper Mk I/32, Viper Mk IVB, and Viper Mk V. Unfortunately, I have zero 3d skills so I can't do it. If anyone wanted to, I'd love to see what they come up with. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge
It's BSG day (finally...), so I will be doing a couple other things today (got out of college at 10:00.) At least I'll finish the top view of the Mk IVB and tweak a few things with the Mk V.
These are the cleaned up Viper Mk IVB, a modified Viper Mk V, and the Viper PR.Mk I photo-recon bird.
EDIT: Fixed.
I replaced the Mk V pic in my above post, its corrected and has some new stuff added to it.
I've said it before and I'm not afraid to say it again, your creations really flesh out the Viper lineage. And all are very believable!
Nice work Talos!
Okay, gotta fly, commercial during BSG is done.