REEF-VC-33B Glamour Transport:

While jet fighters have gotten the most attention historically and are considered far more sexy, without transport aircraft, no military could operate efficiently. It would take far too long to get supplies to the battle field. This is especially the case on the war torn Rifts Earth where in many cases there are no actual roads.

Just as the Coalition operates a number of airborne transports, the REEF requires them. Might even be said that they require them even more. The REEF had managed to capture a Coalition Death Head Transport but it simply did not have the ability to transport enough cargo and personnel as the base grew. They supplemented it with small aircraft but that was a stop-gap solution as well.

Various solutions were studied but eventually it was decided that the best solution would be to modify the design of the VC-33 Glamour from the RDF for REEF service. The aircraft was larger than some options and less expensive than most of the options for similarly sized aircraft. It would be used to transport in non hostile areas while heavier armed craft would perform more hazardous transport such as battlefield transport. These include the combat shuttles as well as gunships. When the Glamour is expected to operate in hazardous conditions, often escorted by a fighter or a pair of fighters. In some cases, they may operate under even heavier fighter cover. In addition, flight capable power armors such as the Katana SAMAS might be used but limts the speed of the transport. Once introduced, it quickly took over all of the support roles.

The REEF sells some of their designs under the company Southern Cross manufacturing. The Glamour is one of these designs. The design is exported to other governments as mercenary companies. It is surprisingly popular with several companies purchasing in large numbers. Metalworks Industries purchases these aircraft and modifies them into a gunship role. These are know as the “Firehawk.” In return for permission to modify the design, the REEF received a number of these gunships. The REEF also has modified a number of these transports to serve as long range airborne radar platforms known as the “Star Eye.”.

With the exception of the flight systems, the design is only a relatively minor modification of the original RDF Glamour VC-33 design. Even though not designed for combat, the much tougher alloys and composites available on Rifts Earth make the modified Glamour far better able to take abuse than it could originally. The standard REEF Glamour does not carry any weaponry but does have a chaff and flare system to protect it against missiles. Weaponry were consider to have reduced payload of the transport. The transport also do not have full sensor systems of a fighter although does have terrain following ability.

The original RDF VC-33 engines were conventional while the REEF version mounts fusion turbine engines. Instead of developing a new REEF engine, it was decided to modify the engines of the Iron Heart Armaments “Aircastle” bomber. This was done because it would take far less time than to develop a new engine. Modifications of the engines enable them to run for longer without overheating as well as producing greater power per mass. As a surprise, the aircraft increased vastly in speed from right below mach one to around mach 1.2. Still, the Glamour is much slower than the Triax Mosquito transport.

For troop transport, the Glamour can carry up to seventy two with normal equipment or fifty-eight in power armor. Instead of troops, the Glamour can instead carry almost sixty tons of cargo. In some cases, the aircraft may split between cargo, carrying around thirty tons of cargo and thirty five personnel. Standard crew is four although can be operated by a crew of two easily.

Designation: REEF-VC-33B Glamour

Vehicle Type: Twin Engine Medium VTOL transport Plane

Crew: Four (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator, and Load Master) - Can be operated by a crew of two.

Troops: Up to 72 in normal equipment or 58 in power armor at the expense of other cargo

M.D.C. by Location:

	Cargo Door	200
	[1] Wings (2):	200 each
	[2] Tail:	200
	Landing Gear (3):	30 each
	Pilots Cockpit:	250
	[3] Engines (2):	250 each
	[4] Main Body:	400

Notes:

[1] Destroying a wing will cause the plane to crash

[2] Destruction of the tail will still allow the fighter to be controlled by the varying of power levels of the engines but fighter has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting rolls.

[3] The destruction of one engine will reduce the fighter’s top speed by half and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 10% penalty to piloting. Destruction of both engines will cause the aircraft to crash. Pilot may attempt a emergency landing or pilot can choose to eject.

[4] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the transport 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.

Flying: The maximum speed of the aircraft is 800 mph (Mach 1.2 / 1,280 kph) and has a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet (15,240 m). The aircraft is Vertical Take Off and Landing which allows it to take off virtually anywhere and can hover.

Range: The cooling system has been improved compared to the Air Castle bomber. The aircraft can fly up to 12 hours if flying at less than 500 mph (256 kph) and can fly for 5 hours at 500 mph (256 kph) or greater.

Statistical Data:

Length: 98 feet (29.5 meters)

Wingspan: 105 feet (32 meters)

Height: 33 feet (10.1 meters)

Weight: 83 tons (75.4 metric tons)

Power Source: Nuclear, Should have an average lifespan of 20 years.

Cargo: 56 tons or about 72 combat troops

Market Cost: 40 million credits

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Two (2) Anti-Missile Chaff Dispensers: Located at the very tail of the transport are two chaff dispenser. 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.

Effect:
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: Sixteen (16) - Eight (8) each dispenser

BONUSES:

The aircraft has +2 to dodge

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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