The end goal will be something like a A-10/C-130 platform. It will be fully armed with the standard runabout phaser setup, but will also be able of piggy-backing "micro-torpedo" or other weapon system "packs", or it can be striped and used as a cargo craft or dropcraft...
Looks pretty cool, Matt. Maybe integrate the same nacelle technology as the fighters so as to show some sort of correllation with other MACO engineering team standards.
I tried that initially, but due to how bulky this is just because of what it is, it did not blend well... I even contemplated the "swing-wing" but that didn't work either...
working on redesigning the nose, so I can get a cleaner cockpit installed...
It now has the interior roughed in. The cockpit is "finalized", but not done. and I have the cargo area roughed out. Also added placeholder nacelles, as there were issues with the previous ones... also added the deflector array.
Might be a little less extravagant with the interior decor if this is a MACO troop/supply runner. You know, rough it up with metal deck plating and all. Blood doesn't work well on carpet- LOL
Looks great Japme, you are doing an outstanding job on this. Been loving this whole Shuttle/Launch Bay with the MACO ships and now this awesome troop carrier. Be great when finished to see it with your other varying weapons packs.
Have the nacelles roughed in. Still need to work on them.
Also added the first of the weaponry. Like the HAWK, the Cimarron will rely on a mixture of kinetic and energy based weapons. Here you can see 2 of the 3 (the third is under the nose) turrets. Firing a 25mm super condensed round at up to HIGH subwarp velocities, these rail-guns are scaled down versions of the heavy rail-guns found on the HAWK, and are capable of extremely high-rates of fire.
I'm thinking of adding hardpoints, just back of the cockpit, similar to the Vietnam era F-8 Crusader:
Overall I like the design, just a couple of crits.
#1 are those seats big enough for a trooper in full gear with all their kit? If this is an assualt craft you'll want to make sure that they can deploy straight from their seat without having to grab all their gear seperately.
#2 are the turrets to defend against aerial assualt or ground troops? If there are more for suppression then I would recommend invertring your nacelles to above the wing, and putting those two below, this will also give you hardpoint space. Then add another turret to the spine for aerial defense.
Other than that it is a nice trek approach to a dropship.
As for the F-8 style hardpoints, I would recommend against that, as their exhaust would go right into your intakes, and that will ruin some folks days.
Some more shader and nacelle developement... also put together a little nose-art (not sure if that will stay...)
KNIGHT -
1. The seats are setup the same as they are in a BLACKHAWK... now if that is actually enough space, is unknown, as we don't know what a fully kitted out POST-TNG MACO looks like, but I believe that these are fine.
2. The turrets are for dealing with ground units and hardened targets... phasers are coming soon.
3. The Hardpoint placement shouldn't be an issues, since most "Trekkie" missiles are not chemically propelled... also the placement is such that the "air flow" around the hull, would channel any exhaust into the area between the hull and warp nacelles, and under the secondary drive system (not sure if it will be a normal impulse drive, or a "hybrid" of some sort...)
This is going to look killer with the same camo paint job that the Nighthawks have!!
Also some interior shots would be cool! Looks like there is a station or two in there.
I thought about going with the Arrow, or one of the more "fighter" like designs, but there are a couple reasons why I decided to go the generic shuttle/runabout route.
1. The Cimarron is a work horse, in that it can carry out several missions. It can be a drop ship or a cargo carrier. It can operate in a Close Air Support role, and even a Medevac... or any other number of roles, just by changing the setup of the rear bay, and what systems are carried on the hard-points.
2. The Arrow class wastes a lot of floor-space. While the current Cimarron is a single body, an upcoming refit, will make it have the mission adaptable modules, similar to the Danube Class.
3. Finally it comes down to rugged-ness. The drive system is set up to be resistant to ground fire. The mini-warp core is on top of the fuselage and placed toward the rear, so as to protect it from damage if the ship suffers from a hard landing (or crash). The nacelles themselves are designed to be jettisoned if they take potentially lethal damage.
Also the Arrows have a massive profile from any angle other than directly to the front, back, or side. The Cimarron takes the bulk of a Danube, combines that with the sleekness of a TYPE 11 shuttle, and then adds a couple inches worth of permanent ablative armor. The Cimarron is reputed to have the durabilty of a 20st century B-17 or 21st century A-10...
All around, the ship looks great, Japme! You may want to adjust the aft seating in the back, we have only one squadron on board- thats 10 troops. That may change though.
So nothing life-shattering has changed... however, I redid the "dashboard" and interior design for the pilot and co-pilot. Had to change the floor as well, which resulted in me having to get rid of the chin turret... I will be re-working that but there is not enough room internally, to mount it where and how I had originally.
Also started playing around with the camo... same colors as the NIGHTHAWK, but a slightly different pattern was needed due to a couple of reasons... mainly, it just didn't feel right...
Wow... great pilot control config!! The chief would probably want you to send the UV map of the screens so he could have fun with doing LCARS for it.
I also like the camo pattern, but the primer gray just goes against the grain somehow. Isn't that army green? I thought that the Nighthawk camo was black, charcoal gray, and navy blue?
One thing that just occurred to me that would be cool was to back-light just the edges of the Federation delta arrow and stripe
Posts
The end goal will be something like a A-10/C-130 platform. It will be fully armed with the standard runabout phaser setup, but will also be able of piggy-backing "micro-torpedo" or other weapon system "packs", or it can be striped and used as a cargo craft or dropcraft...
Hopefully have more progress tomorrow...
:rolleyes: Just sayin'
This sucker is BIG!
working on redesigning the nose, so I can get a cleaner cockpit installed...
I believe the type-11 was modeled after Ent-E wasn't it.
Finally I broke out my old SF officer...
Might be a little less extravagant with the interior decor if this is a MACO troop/supply runner. You know, rough it up with metal deck plating and all. Blood doesn't work well on carpet- LOL
Also added the first of the weaponry. Like the HAWK, the Cimarron will rely on a mixture of kinetic and energy based weapons. Here you can see 2 of the 3 (the third is under the nose) turrets. Firing a 25mm super condensed round at up to HIGH subwarp velocities, these rail-guns are scaled down versions of the heavy rail-guns found on the HAWK, and are capable of extremely high-rates of fire.
I'm thinking of adding hardpoints, just back of the cockpit, similar to the Vietnam era F-8 Crusader:
http://www.aircraftcarrier.name/aircrafts/F-8-Crusader/F-8E_VMF-212_CVA-34_1965_(cropped).jpg
#1 are those seats big enough for a trooper in full gear with all their kit? If this is an assualt craft you'll want to make sure that they can deploy straight from their seat without having to grab all their gear seperately.
#2 are the turrets to defend against aerial assualt or ground troops? If there are more for suppression then I would recommend invertring your nacelles to above the wing, and putting those two below, this will also give you hardpoint space. Then add another turret to the spine for aerial defense.
Other than that it is a nice trek approach to a dropship.
As for the F-8 style hardpoints, I would recommend against that, as their exhaust would go right into your intakes, and that will ruin some folks days.
KNIGHT -
1. The seats are setup the same as they are in a BLACKHAWK... now if that is actually enough space, is unknown, as we don't know what a fully kitted out POST-TNG MACO looks like, but I believe that these are fine.
2. The turrets are for dealing with ground units and hardened targets... phasers are coming soon.
3. The Hardpoint placement shouldn't be an issues, since most "Trekkie" missiles are not chemically propelled... also the placement is such that the "air flow" around the hull, would channel any exhaust into the area between the hull and warp nacelles, and under the secondary drive system (not sure if it will be a normal impulse drive, or a "hybrid" of some sort...)
Also some interior shots would be cool! Looks like there is a station or two in there.
1. The Cimarron is a work horse, in that it can carry out several missions. It can be a drop ship or a cargo carrier. It can operate in a Close Air Support role, and even a Medevac... or any other number of roles, just by changing the setup of the rear bay, and what systems are carried on the hard-points.
2. The Arrow class wastes a lot of floor-space. While the current Cimarron is a single body, an upcoming refit, will make it have the mission adaptable modules, similar to the Danube Class.
3. Finally it comes down to rugged-ness. The drive system is set up to be resistant to ground fire. The mini-warp core is on top of the fuselage and placed toward the rear, so as to protect it from damage if the ship suffers from a hard landing (or crash). The nacelles themselves are designed to be jettisoned if they take potentially lethal damage.
Also the Arrows have a massive profile from any angle other than directly to the front, back, or side. The Cimarron takes the bulk of a Danube, combines that with the sleekness of a TYPE 11 shuttle, and then adds a couple inches worth of permanent ablative armor. The Cimarron is reputed to have the durabilty of a 20st century B-17 or 21st century A-10...
As requested... INTERIOR SHOTS
Also started playing around with the camo... same colors as the NIGHTHAWK, but a slightly different pattern was needed due to a couple of reasons... mainly, it just didn't feel right...
So here you go...
I also like the camo pattern, but the primer gray just goes against the grain somehow. Isn't that army green? I thought that the Nighthawk camo was black, charcoal gray, and navy blue?
One thing that just occurred to me that would be cool was to back-light just the edges of the Federation delta arrow and stripe