Minuteman B-1030 Heavy Bomber:


The Boeing 1030 Airliner was the flagship of the Boeing company towards the end of the Twenty-First Century. While not a descendent of the famous 747 in design, it was a descendent of the jumbo jet in concept and was one of the largest airliner operated and produced in large numbers although less than some of the smaller airliners developed by Boeing. When the Rifts came and most of the Earth was remade, a huge number of these airliners were destroyed but a surprising number survived. With their rugged construction from high strength composites and alloys, they were incredibly durable and as long as their were not in the direct path of a magic storm, they had a good chance of surviving.


In many cases roads simply disappeared and the only way that people could travel and cargoes could be carried was through the air. This gave new opportunities for pirates, in this case "sky pirates." While most could not catch an airliner, some managed to get hold of powerful pre-rifts fighter aircraft and would often force airliners down. This caused even more losses of these aircraft. There were two basic ways of protecting these airliners. The first was to escort them with fighters while the second was to give the bombers defensive weaponry of its own. Most operators would do both if they could. Much of this improvised weaponry mounted on these airliners were laser mounts but some mounted missile launchers.


There should come no surprise than some airliners were converted to military roles. Even before the coming of the Rifts, some were used in military roles and some of those survived. There was a proposal to convert the 747 to carry a large number of cruise missiles. At the time the old B-52 Bombers were getting quite old and the replacement bomber, the B-1 bomber had been canceled. Eventually the B-1 program was restarted and the conversion of the jumbo jet was decided again but idea was revived after the coming of the Rifts. There was a shortage of surviving heavy bombers and the converted airliners could fill the role quite well.


While not capable of supersonic speeds, the Boeing 1030 made a perfect airframe in many respects. It has the ability to carry massive amounts of cargo which can be converted to carrying missiles. The aircraft actually has the ability to carry more missiles that the Air Castle Bomber which was manufacture by Iron Heart Armament before the company was taken over by the Coalition. The only weakness the Boeing 1030 has is that it is not a vertical take-off and landing design.


While several other companies, including Golden Age Weaponsmiths, convert civilian designs to military roles, the Minuteman conversions are some of the most extensive and extensive conversions. There are Minuteman conversions available for a wide variety of designs. If the aircraft is a passenger version, the passenger compartment is gutted. On cargo versions, this is not needed. In place of a passenger or cargo compartment, the airliner carries a massive missile bay with rotary launchers. The Minuteman B-1030 is the conversion of the Boeing 1030 airliner and has the ability to carry up to two-hundred long range missiles. These are launched from the side of where the main compartment, passenger or cargo, is located. For self defense purposes, the airliner mounts three point defense mounts with one mounted in the tail, which is modified for the turret, and one on the top and one on the bottom of the airliner. The converted airliner also sports a pair of medium range launchers for targets instead of firing a long range missile. All versions of the airliner have a long range radar mounted and those which were not originally military have sophisticated self defense systems mounted.


Just like the Air Castle Bomber, the B-1030 is considered a direct threat by Coalition military leaders. As a result, the general policy is to shoot down these bombers without warning. Some Coalition pilots have considered this to include standard 1030 airliners. Except at close range, it is hard to distinguish them. As a result, many lives have been lost when the Coalition has mistakenly shot down civilian aircraft. Some of these converted airliners are operated independently although most are operated by Mercenary companies.


Model Type: Minuteman B-1030
Class: Heavy Bomber (Converted Large Passenger Airliner)
Crew: Seven (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Weapon Master, and Four Gunners
Passengers: 6 Passengers


M.D.C. by Location:

Long Range Missile Launcher Doors (2, sides):100 each
Retractable Medium Range Missile Launchers (2):80 each
Pulse Laser Turrets (3):60 each
[1] Wings (2):480 each
[2] Elevators (2):120 each
[2] Rudders (2):120 each
Side Doors (4):40 each
[2] Engines (4):240 each
Reinforced Pilot’s Compartment / Cockpit:320
[3] Main Body:1,200
Landing Gear (3):40 each


Notes:
[1] Destroying a wing will cause the plane to crash.
[2] Destruction of rudders or one elevator will still allow the aircraft to be controlled by the varying of power levels of the engines but aircraft has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting rolls. Destruction of both of the elevators will leave the plane uncontrollable. The destruction of one engine will reduce the aircraft's top speed by one quarter and give the pilot a -1 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 10% penalty to piloting. Each destroyed engine causes cumulative effects. Destruction of four engines will cause the aircraft to crash.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the aircraft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.


Speed:
Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when traveling and not on take off or landing.
Flight: The B-1030 has the ability to make short take-offs and landings. It has a maximum speed of Mach 0.98 (646.8 mph /1,040.92 kph) and a cruise speed of Mach 0.95 (627 mph / 1,009.06 kph.) Maximum altitude is 60,000 feet (18,288 meters)
Range: Due to Fusion engine effectively unlimited range, need to cool down after 16 hours of flight at maximum speed. At cruising speed, range is increased to 24 hours of flight.


Statistical Data:
Length: 263.12 feet (80.2 meters)
Wingspan: 204.72 feet (62.4 meters)
Height: 67.26 feet (20.5 meters)
Weight: 375 tons (340.2 metric tons) fully loaded, 225 tons (204.1 metric tons) empty
Power Source: Nuclear, Should have an average life span of 10 years.
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for equipment for the bomber crew). Does not include ordnance bay. Ordnance bay, of emptied of ordnance can carry up to 133 tons (120.7 metric tons)
Black Market Cost: 150 million


Weapon Systems:

  1. High-Powered Laser Turrets (3): The bomber mounts three of these turrets with one on the tail of the bomber, one behind the medium range launchers on the top of the bomber, with the other under the fuselage of the bomber. This weapon system is a relatively simple adaption of the laser elements of the JA-12 Juicer Assault Rifle mounted into turrets. In addition to being retractable, the turrets have the ability to rotate 360 degrees and have a 90 degree arc of fire. The laser cannons pull power directly from the fusion reactor of the aircraft. The turrets are both radar and infrared guided and has a +4 to hit when set to automatic firing and uses bonuses of gunner when fired on manual. Primary target for defense laser systems is missiles which is considered to be one of the biggest threats. When controlled manually, weapon mounts are usually controlled by the two secondary crew members.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters).
    Mega Damage: 4D6 for single shot and 1D6x10+10 for three round burst from cannon.
    Rate of Fire:Equal to gunner's hand to hand (When Automated, can fire up to 6 times per melee and has +4 to strike)
    Payload: Unlimited (Draws Power off the main engines).
  2. Long Range Missile Launchers: These launchers are on either side or the converted airliner with missiles being carried in the converted passenger compartment. The launcher can use a vast variety of missiles including surface skimming missiles and rocket propelled torpedoes. Long range missiles are normally used against large targets and aircraft / missiles. About half of all missiles carried are fusion warheads and most missiles are normally smart missiles.
    Maximum Effective Range: As per long range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Mega Damage: As per long range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Rate of Fire: Can fire long range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), eight (8), or ten (10) long range missiles per launcher per melee. Missile cells are automatically reloaded and are ready to fire next melee.
    Payload: 200 Long Range Missiles Total.
  3. Medium Range Missile Launchers (2): Mounted in retractable launchers on either side of the bomber just behind the cockpit. The launchers only extend when about to be fired and are virtually concealed when not in firing mode and do not produce drag when fully retracted. Each launcher has two ready to fire missiles. The launchers are reloaded from a magazine by an automatic reload system within the bomber's body. Weapon can be controlled by any of the bomber's crew although most commonly controlled by the pilot or co-pilot.
    Maximum Effective Range: Varies with medium range missile type; Usually plasma or armor piercing are carried (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Mega Damage: Varies with medium range missile type; Usually plasma or armor piercing are carried (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time, or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) missiles.
    Payload: Thirty-Six (36) missiles in magazine for each launcher plus two in each of the launchers.
  4. Anti-Missile Chaff Dispenser: Located at the very tail of the aircraft are two chaff dispensers. When tailed by a missile, a cloud of chaff and other obtrusive particles can be released to confuse or detonate the enemy's attack. Rifts Earth decoys systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World missiles due to technological difference. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls for smart missiles.)
    Effect:
      01-50 Enemy missile or missile volley detonates in chaff cloud - Missiles are all destroyed.
      51-75 Enemy missile or missile volley loses track of real target and veers away in wrong direction (May lock onto another target.)
      76-00 No effect, enemy missile or missile volley is still on target.
    Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half. Duration: 1D4 melee rounds.
    Payload: Eight (8)


Special Equipment:
The aircraft has all the standard features of a standard fighter (same as standard robot including loudspeaker and microphone on this aircraft) plus these special features listed..



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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2007, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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