Coalition VQT-4 Heavy Lift Quad Tilt Rotor:

While when people think most of the Death Head Transport when it comes to airborne transport, the Coalition uses both dual rotor and quad tilt rotor designs. They are far easier to maintain than thrust based VTOL transports and are far more fuel efficient. While one might think that is not an issue with fusion powered designs, it means lower powered reactors and engines can be used to transport the same cargo.

These aircraft are generally not as well armored as heavy thrust based transports and are more often used for general purpose transport. This includes transporting personnel in less dangerous areas, transporting supplies, and all of the logistical needs of Coalition society. They provide support duties for both the military and civilian sectors of Coalition society.

The VQT-4 is a large aircraft and is almost one hundred and forty feet long. Each rotor is approximately sixty-two feet wide. Width of the quad tilt rotor, measuring between the outer edges of the rear rotor blades, is around one hundred and ninety feet. The width between the front rotors is a bit less, only a little over one hundred and fifty feet.

The design of the VQT-4 predates the Coalition’s fetish with skull designs. Luckily, the Coalition leaders did not opt to modify the design of the aircraft in order to incorporate the design. Instead, the quad tilt rotors have the skull design painted on the nose area with the rest of the airframe painted black.

The cargo bay of the aircraft is around eighty feet long and almost thirty feet wide. Maximum cargo load for the quad tilt rotor is around thirty tons. There is pallet type seating allowing up to two hundred personnel to be carried aboard the VQT-4.

Compared to thrust based VTOL transports, the VQT-4 is considered relatively slow with a normal cruising speed of around two hundred and fifty knots. Top speed is around three hundred knots. They can fly up to thirty thousand feet in normal flight and can hover up to eight thousand feet. While the fusion reactor gives virtually unlimited range, the cooling system is only designed around operating for twenty-four hours at cruising speeds and a fair amount less at above cruising speeds.

Due to the designs comparatively low speed, the VQT-4 does carry self defense weaponry even though not meant to be operated near the front lines. Weaponry is still considered relatively light and the quad tilt rotor is usually escorted if there are concerns with interception.

Otherwise, the aircraft is armed with four twin lasers similar to those carried on both the Spider Skull Walker and the Coalition Sky Cycle. In addition, the aircraft is armed with a pair of short range missile launching turrets. The arc of fire of the weaponry is programmed so that it will not engage if the tilt rotors is between the weapon system and the target.

While the rotors are a weakness, otherwise these aircraft are surprisingly tough for their age. The composites and alloys used in the design are not considered the most advanced today although still considered adequate for a support aircraft.

While production of the VQT-4 started a little later than the twin engine tilt rotors manufactured by the Coalition, they still have been produced for much of the existence of the Coalition even when it might be considered far more benign. Even with the introduction of new models of thrust based VTOL aircraft, there appears to be no plans to discontinue production of the VQT-4. Total production of the quad tilt rotor is though to exceed several thousand.

Over the years, there have been a handful of cases where these aircraft have been captured. Unlike many of the more advanced military designs, such losses are not of particular concern. They only rarely ever come up for sale on the black market however. Smaller twin engine tilt rotor designs are far more common. Coalition twin engine designs are still relatively rare on the black market but far more common than the quad engine model.

Model Type: VQT-4 Heavy Lift Quad Tilt Rotor.

Vehicle Type: Heavy Transport Aircraft (Tilt Rotor).

Crew: Maximum of nine (9) [2 crew (pilot and copilot), up to 6 gunners, and a load master.]

Troops / Passengers: 200 maximum (or 120 for light to medium power armor and cyborg soldiers) at the expense of cargo. Can also carry various small vehicles in the cargo hold.

M.D.C. by Location:

	Twin Laser Turrets (4):	80 each.
	Short Range Missile Turrets (2):	120 each.
	[1] Front Wings (2):	240 each.
	[1] Rear Wings (2):	280 each.
	Cockpit:	160.
	Rear Cargo Bay Door:	120.
	Side Doors (4):	60 each.
	[2] Engines (4):	225 each.
	[3] Main Body:	650.
	Landing Gear (5):	20 each.

Notes:

[1] Destroying a wing will cause the plane to crash if in flight.

[2] The destruction of one of the engines will cause the aircraft to crash if in flight.

[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 on the runway / air field and not on take off or landing. The aircraft can make both short take off and landings as well as true vertical take off and landings. In addition, the tilt rotor aircraft can land and take off from primitive air fields.

Flying: The Coalition VQT-4 Heavy Lift Quad Tilt Rotor can hover and go up to a maximum speed of 300 knots (345.2 mph, 555.6 km/hour). Normal cruise speed for the aircraft is 250 knots (287.7 mph / 463.0 kph).

The Coalition VQT-4 can hover stationary up to 8,000 feet (2,438.4 meters) and can fly up to 30,000 feet (9,144.0 meters) if not hovering.

Range: Effectively Unlimited but does overheat when operated for long periods of time. The engines of the Coalition VQT-4 will overheat after 12 hours of continuous operation when running at top speed and 24 hours when run at 250 knots (287.7 mph / 463.0 kph) or under.

Statistical Data:

Width, Rotors Turning: Rear: 188.5 feet (57.45 meters). Front: 152.4 feet (47.06 meters).

Rotor Diameter: 62.2 feet (18.96 meters).

Fuselage Height: 26.8 feet (8.17 meters).

Fuselage Length: 138.6 feet (42.25 meters)

Weight: 84,200 lbs (38,190 kg) empty and 148,500 lbs (67,360 kg) maximum take off.

Power System: Nuclear Fusion, four pivoting CS-FTS-200 Fusion Turbo Shafts (Should have an average life span of 12 years.)

Cargo: 60,000 pounds (27,220 kilograms). Cargo bay dimensions are approximately 28 x 18 x 80 feet (8.53 x 5.49 x 24.38 meters.) The Coalition VQT-4 is not designed to carry cargo slung underneath.

Black Market Cost: 30 million if in new conditions with all weaponry. Reduce to 8 to 12 million if stripped of weaponry and /or rebuilt depending on condition. Extremely rare with only a handful having ever been captured.

Weapon Systems:

Four (4) CR-4T Twin Laser Turrets: Two of these twin mounts are mounted on the top and two mounted on the bottom of the aircraft. The mounts are capable of 360 degree rotation and a 90-degree angle of fire (up and down). Each one can be remote controlled by an independent gunner in order to be more effective. The pilot and copilot can also control the lasers if no gunners are aboard.

Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters).

Mega-Damage: 6D6 per dual laser blast.

Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 5 or 6).

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Two (2) CR-16S Short Range Missile Turrets: The Coalition VQT-4 has two short range missile turrets. When getting ready to fire, they extend from the aircraft. The missile turrets are normally controlled by independent gunners but the pilot and copilots have their own controls as well. Missiles are usually used to intercept incoming missile attacks.

Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, short range missiles only type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

Mega-Damage: Varies with missile types, short range missiles only type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

Rate of Fire: Each turret can fire short range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) short range missiles.

Payload: Sixteen (16) short range missiles each with a total of thirty-two (32) short range missiles for both launchers.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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