posted
This is a heavy-lift nonwarp shuttle based on my Penquin fighter (http://www.starfleet-museum.org/penguin.jpg). It's got a hatchback between the impulse thrust tunnels instead of a warp nacelle. The main thing I'm not sure about is the cockpit. The cockpit on the nose is OK, if a bit conventional. I've included a version with the cockpit on the top as well.
I'd put in a detail under that side door to give an indication of an extending ladder, that's an awfully long way to jump, to say nothing of getting back in.
posted
I thought the cockpit looked more attractive on the nose too, but maybe too conventional. I think I'm going to make a Marine landing craft version with a cockpit on top and guns or tubes in the nose.
There's probably a fold out set of stairs on the inside of the door, sort of like on older and smaller airliners. I agree it would be a pretty long drop otherwise.
By the way, this thing is large enough to fit a TOS shuttlecraft inside.
Registered: Oct 1999
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quote: I thought the cockpit looked more attractive on the nose too, but maybe too conventional. I think I'm going to make a Marine landing craft version with a cockpit on top and guns or tubes in the nose.
It's fine and I'm sure the similarity to the NX-01 shuttle pod is entirely unintentional.
For the marine version I'd use both configurations at once, but with the top dome facing aft and call it a gunnery post, like so.
quote: There's probably a fold out set of stairs on the inside of the door, sort of like on older and smaller airliners. I agree it would be a pretty long drop otherwise.
That's one possibility and it would work fine for planetary or deck landings but what if this shuttle was required to link up with another craft in space? I think the ladder would get in the way if it was behind the airlock. Perhaps you could have the ladder extending from underneath the door on the exterior and have one of those inflatable slides on the inside as a backup?
posted
Hmm, cool idea there, Masao. I agree that a ladder would probably work best as a small compartment just underneath the door.
This frame seems like an awfully big one for a standard sublight shuttle. Even assuming that the shuttles had to be bulkier, I figure that the traditional personnel shuttles wouldn't be much larger than the traditional ones we've seen on the shows.
For one thing, could more than one Penguin fid in the shuttlebays of your ships? Your Valley Forge has a pretty small bay...
However, the idea of using a modified Penguin as a Marine assault fighter (attached to Belleau Wood-class transports?) sounds like a cool idea. And Reverend's suggestion about the rear-facing canopy seems good, too.
Nice work!
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posted
Very nice, as usual Masao. the first cockpit position is definately better than the second, and like MinutiaeMan said, it does look a little big for most shuttle bays; perhaps this could be a 'mass transit' shuttle, for crew transfers and the like?
The Marine assualt shuttle idea sounds good; do your (well, Starfleet's, but you know what I mean) Marines use powered armour? If they do you'd have to enlarge the doors, I'd think. Perhaps remove the porthole and expand the width of the door by half again? By the guns/tubes in the nose, do you mean fixed or in some kind of turret or flexible mounting?
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posted
would Starfleet marines use powered armor? the answer is hell no.. i mean, i can see reinterpreting Star Trek to allow for more figher-based action, but i dont think that Starship Troopers would fit into any version of the Trek universe. I think the Museum stuff is at least trying to stay plausible.
and i think large shuttles would be fine for post-Romulan war, pre-TOS ships, seeing as we don't have any definite information about them, so they could have huge shuttle bays. and add to that that theyears before transportsers were dependable would necessitate a lot more auxiliary craft for capital ships.
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posted
Oh, all right; no powered armour then (you've utterly ruined my fun, you realise ). Although perhaps armoured spacesuits may be necessary in some circumstances?
I do agree with you about larger shuttles being in use pre-TOS but the Penguin is 35.8 metres long and I was questioning how many of these would be able to fit into the shuttle bay of one of Masao's designs, especially (as MinutiaeMan said) the Valley Forge class, which has quite a small secondary hull.
-------------------- "I am an almost extinct breed, an old-fashioned gentleman, which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-bitch when it suits me." --Jubal Harshaw
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posted
These shuttles are so large that I doubt they'd even be on most ships. They are probably used for mass cargo hauling or maybe as a big school bus for field trips (away missions). I'll working on some smaller general purpose shuttles. The canopy is actually based on that on early SAC bombers, like the B-47 and the B-52 prototype (http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/URG/images/b17-019.jpg), and those on early British fighter jets. I ain't never heard of no "Enterprise."
For an assault shuttle, I'm worried that the large frontal canopy can get shot out. What I'm thinking of is a smaller armored canopy, as on the Navy Skyshark attack plane (http://www.mozeyoninn.com/Ginter/NAVAL/NF43.jpg) or a twin canopy as on the XB-42 Mixmaster bomber (http://www.military.cz/usa/air/war/bomber/b42/xb42_1.jpg) on the top, mostly because it looks cool. I was already planning to have a small observation/ball turret overlooking the rear exit.
35 m long? It shouldn't be that big. If it is, I've screwed up. The original fighter was 19 m, and this one is shorter. I think the wings will fold too.
Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
That 35m was a typo; on your page it says 25.8m. Which was what I meant to type . That double canopy does look cool; perhaps even something similar to the observation 'blisters' on the side of the Consolidatated Catalina (http://www.military.cz/usa/air/war/other/pby/pby.htm)?
...and incidentally this is the shuttle in a Constitution hanger bay. I apologise for the terrible quality but I have no skill whatsoever with graphics manipulation. it uses the 25.8 metre length btw.
[ December 22, 2002, 06:34: Message edited by: Wraith ]
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posted
Just got a chance to look at this... I love it! I'd definitely keep the cockpit up front. This is a very cool tie in with Enterprise's shuttles...
posted
To keep things going, here is a WIP of the assault version. I added canards to the front mostly because I like canards, but maybe they're actually to introduce dynamic instability (ie maneuverability) for zooming around at low level. I put in a little marine combat vehicle for scale (I need to work on that eventually). Couldn't resist adding a shark mouth.
posted
She looks great Masao. Are you currently working on Harry Mudd's vessel from TAS? That sure would be cool to see.
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![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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). Although perhaps armoured spacesuits may be necessary in some circumstances?![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
. That double canopy does look cool; perhaps even something similar to the observation 'blisters' on the side of the Consolidatated Catalina (http://www.military.cz/usa/air/war/other/pby/pby.htm)?
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