fuselage
Shows strong, double-egg construction. The lower fuselage bulge is largely given over to housing fuel tanks (3), giving the craft enormous range. (1) Cabin area. (2) Cabin service ducts (air, oxygen, and lighting cables kept well away from fuel tanks). (4) Bagage hold.
power plant
Twin reheat turbo jets of a special Spectrum rating, either one of which will keep the plane airborne. (1) Compressor blades. (2) Firing chamber. (3) Turbine driving compressor. (4) Bled-off air for retro braking. (5) Fuel pumps.
cabin
The roomy cabin (1) can be quickly converted to serve many purposes; V.I.P. lounge, or with full capacity seating as personnel carrier. The cockpit (2) can take pilot and co-pliot, navigator/radio operator, or with pilot only and a 'black box' taking the crew's place. The stabilisers (3) become necessary at supersonic speeds and also help to keep a nose-up attitude when landing on Cloudbase. Separated by pressure bulkhead (4) the instrument compartment contains radar antennae (5) and flight computer links serving gust detectors and air-speed indicators in the nose probe (6).
wing assembly
When landing, the entire outer wing turns through 90 degrees to act as an airbrake. Hydraulic rams (1) rotate the high-tensile actuating rod connecting the two wings. This is attached to the main fuselage members at brackets (2) and to the wings (3). The shadowed area behind the undercarriage shows the wing position for normal flight.
BREAKDOWN
- Craft designed to transport Spectrum agents and equipment
- Seats two, but main cabin extends to be converted into luxury lounge and/or campaign room
- Carries no armaments
- Engine capacity allows aircraft to be airborne indefinitely, due to storage fuel tank placed in fuselage; holds 500 gallons and craft can maintain 40 m.p.g. constantly
- Developed vertical take-off and landing (Spectrum modification 2068)
- Radar scanners and videoscanner equipment allows craft to land on all known surfaces, including water; triple hydrofoils eject from wing stubs to allow landing on water
- Air brake landing due to vertical take-off by retrothrust vilta disc brakes (Spectrum research 2068)
- Seating capacity of seven; craft is also used as troopcarrier and escorted by Angel Flight control
- Computer navigation and steering on autopilot; only one crew member need pilot craft; radio and computer consoles housed in the cabin
- Directional and navigational aid probes housed in the nose fin probe
SPECIFICATION REVISION
Spectrum research has developed a nose probe capsule for immediate ejection if the main craft has been devastated and emergency control is immobilised.
Once the main craft is attacked and rendered immobile, a small explosive charge ejects the pilot cabin from the fuselage. During its ejection through the air, twin stabilising fins project from the capsule and force air through the turbos. Once the engines within the stabilisers have been brought into operation, the craft can be piloted on the same principle as the main craft. An emergency fuel cell is housed within each fin and brought into immediate operation the moment ejection is enacted. These fins give sufficient air lift to the rear portion of the capsule to ensure a controlled descent and subsequent glide to the ground.
