TW-P47W “Wildstorm” Thunderbolt Techno-Wizard Fighter:

The original P-47 was known as one of the toughest fighters of World War Two and was the heaviest single engine propeller driver fighter ever built. It was able to withstand incredible punishment and often returned from combat full of holes. Often the wings and control surfaces were in tatters when they landed. The plane was also incredibly fast for being such a heavy plane and was powered by an XR-2800 Double Wasp engine which produced over 2,000 horsepower. The fighter was also incredibly heavily armed with up to eight .50 Caliber Browning Machine-gun and the ability to carry a very heavy bomb load. The fighter fought in every major theater of the war and only a few British pilots preferred their Spitfire over the Thunderbolt.

Techno-Wizards love old designs in general which includes many of the aircraft from years past and World War Two aircraft are among the most popular. One problem is that these older designs are much slower than jets which can exceed the speed of sound and techno-wizards have had to work on ways to make the old planes be able to compete. One of the first propeller aircraft to be converted in this was the P-51 Mustang. This has inspired the conversion of other aircraft including the P-38 Lightning. The P-47 is one of the latest designs to come from the designers of Techno-Wizard aircraft and the designer is one of the techno-wizards who worked on the WildStorm P-51 but wanted a heavier aircraft but wanted to keep a more conventional design than the Lightning. He recruited more techno-wizards and even a few normal operators to work on the design. Unlike the Mustang, there are no manufactured conventional versions of the aircraft so they have to work from scratch. It is virtually identical in general design to the “WildStorm” Mustang in enchantments and as such joined the family of “WildStorm” fighters. The fighter was originally disliked by many techno-wizards but has been steadily becoming more popular. Instead of integrating the Thunderbolt with other techno-wizard fighters, the “Wildstorm” Thunderbolt usually operates as singles, pairs, or in squadrons of Thunderbolts.

A large effort has been made to make the “Wildstorm” Thunderbolt as close to the original aircraft as possible. While surviving historical records on the heavy fighter is scant, the designs have scoured old ruins in the attempt to get as much information as possible. While most of the P-47 Thunderbolts in museums were destroyed, one survived and was used as a model for the techno-wizard version. The fighters are constructed from the ground up and it is believed that it takes over two weeks to build one aircraft. Still, they appear to be being manufactured at a faster rate than the P-38 “Wildstorm” Lightning.

Like the other “Wildstorm” fighters, the Techno-Wizard Thunderbolt uses a fusion reactor adapted from power armors as its main power system but it uses a larger and more powerful reactor. This increases the speed by almost ten percent compared to the fastest P-47 fighters produced and is actually faster than the fighter’s P-51 brother. The top speed of the techno-wizard P-47 is almost 550 miles per hour. Pilot endurance is the major factor in the range of the fighter. To allow the pilot to fly in comparative comfort, the techno-wizard fighter has full environmental systems equal to that carried on most robot vehicles. Like the Mustang and Lightning, the Thunderbolt has a Techno-Wizard Ley Line Flight system similar to what is carried in TW Flyers and allows the fighter to fly along ley lines with the main engines off. This flight system is virtually silent and is great for surprise attacks.

The most obvious advantage the Thunderbolt has over the Mustang and, for that matter, the Lightning is the ability to withstand incredibly greater damage and still return home. Like other “Wildstorm” fighters, the Thunderbolt uses conventional high tech alloys and composites in the armor instead of enchanted materials. The conventional materials are in most cases less expensive, easier to repair, and are lighter in weight compared to enchanted materials. One disadvantage the Thunderbolt does have compared to the Lightning is that it has a single engine. Due to the incredibly strong materials and more powerful engines, the Thunderbolt can carry a heavier payload than the original P-47. The designers used modern electronics due to their much higher flexibility compared to old style gages. Like the other “Wildstorm” designs, the cockpit electronics are designed to appear like the old gauges in the original Lightning but are in reality modern multi configuration holographic plasma displays. The capabilities of the electronics are generally equal to those carried on light robot vehicles and does not carry a long range radar system like the P-38. While flight controls are fly by wire like the Mustang and Lightning, the Thunderbolt is less maneuverable. The higher top speed and lower maneuverability is why the heavy fighter usually operates with only fighters of the same design.

The Wildstorm Thunderbolt carries fewer weapons than the eight .50 caliber machine-guns carried in the original but each of the weapons are more powerful individually. The techno-wizard Thunderbolt carries six magical lightning blasters. The fighter is greatly feared due to this and can tear up most other aircraft if they get within range. The Thunderbolt has four hard points total with three mounts per wing. With the use of advanced sensors, the aircraft can use missiles as well as bombs. Mini-Missile pods are one of the most common ordnance types carried.

The most important feature of the “Wildstorm” Thunderbolt is copied straight from the “Wildstorm” Mustang. The fighter uses elemental magic in the form of a minor air spirit which has been persuaded to merge with the aircraft. If the aircraft is destroyed, the elemental will simply go back to its home plane and not attack anyone in the area. Like it does for the Mustang, the air spirit gives the fighter an incredible responsiveness and makes the fighter incredible to fly. The fighter also can activate magical ball lightning similar to the Lightning Knight light tank. This ball lightning can be used to form a protective field around the aircraft which inflicts damage on missiles and other projectiles fired at the fighter. The fighter cannot launch missiles or drop bombs while the electrical field is active due to the fact the electrical field would detonate them but while attached to the fighter, the ordnance is not effected. The elemental magic protects the Thunderbolt from all forms of electricity including magical and ion weapons when the electrical field is activated. Unlike the electrical field on the light tank, the electrical field is not considered an effective weapon for ramming although it has been used for that role by some ace pilots in mustangs. Along with the ability to generate a protective field, the ball lightning can be fired in any direction by the pilot.

Model Number: P-47W “Wildstorm” Thunderbolt.

Vehicle Type: Single Engine Techno-Wizard Fighter.

Crew: One.

M.D.C. by Location:

	[1] “Ball Lightning” Balls (5 total):	20 each.
	[2] Wings (2):	200 each.
	[3] Elevators (2):	80 each.
	[3] Rudder (1):	80.
	Cockpit:	160.
	Engine:	120.
	Propeller:	60.
	Landing Gear (2):	10 each.
	[4] Main Body:	420.

Notes:

[1] These are small and difficult targets to strike, requiring the attacker to make a “called shot,” but even then the attacker is -4 to strike.

[2] Destroying a wing will cause the plane to crash.

[3] Destruction of the elevators or rudder will leave the plane uncontrollable and pilot must eject to survive.

[4] 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.

Flying: 548 mph (881.9 kph) with an altitude of 45,500 feet (13,868.4 meters) using conventional propeller driven flight. 200 mph (320 kph) on telekinetic flight system but aircraft must remain on a ley line for flight system to operate.

Range: The Thunderbolt will overheat after twelve hours of operation at above 300 mph (482.8 kph) on propeller driven flight (electrical engine overheats.) Effective unlimited on telekinetic flight system.

Statistical Data:

Height: 14 feet 2 inches (4.32 meters).

Wingspan: 40 feet 9.25 inches (12.43 meters).

Length: 36 feet 1.25 inches (11.01 meters).

Weight: 11,200 pounds (5,080 kilograms) empty, 20,100 pounds (9,117 kilograms) fully loaded.

Power System: Dual flight system, fusion reactor with five year life span and telekinetic flight system for flight on ley lines.

Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment) inside cockpit, does not include hard points.

Black Market Cost: 19.6 million credits.

Weapon Systems:

Six (6) Heavy Lightning Blasters: Mounted in the fighter’s wings and replace the eight machine-guns mounted on the original Thunderbolt. All of the lightning blasters can be fired together and inflict incredible damage when all four are fired together. No matter how many cannons are fired together, it counts as one attack. The lightning blasters have a slightly better range and have an unlimited payload compared to hand held lightning blasters. The weapon pulls its energy from the air elemental and does not need to be recharged. Lightning blasters can be fired while the electrical field is active.

Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).

Mega Damage: 1D4x10+10 per electrical blaster and 6D4x10+60 for all six blasters firing simultaneously (Counts as one attack.)

Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Six (6) Wing Hard Points: The “Wildstorm” Thunderbolt can carry a variety of ordnance on its hard points. The fighter has three hard points on each wing for a total of six hard points. With the addition of sensor systems, the fighter can control missiles instead of just bombs and unguided rockets. Mini-Missile pods are very popular. There is no provision for jamming pods or towed decoys. External ordnance cannot be launched while the electrical field is active but is protected from the magical field while attached to the fighter.
1. Bombs and Missiles: The only restriction is that a hard point must carry all the same type of missiles or bombs. Both unguided and guided bombs can be carried.
  
  Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude that bombs are dropped at (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
  
  Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
  
  Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley.)
  
  Payload: Four (4) short range missile or light bombs, two (2) medium range missiles or medium bombs, or one (1) long range missile or heavy bomb (all ordnance on a hard point must be the same size and type of ordnance) per hard point.
2. Mini-Missile Pod: Large capacity mini-missile pod. The aircraft normally carries missile pods for ground strafing, anti-troop, and anti-emplacement attacks. Normal missile used are armor piercing, plasma, or fragmentation mini-missiles.
  
  Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles only (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
  
  Mega Damage: Varies with mini missile types (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
  
  Rate of Fire: Each pod can fire mini-missile one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), eight (8), or sixteen (16) mini-missiles and can be linked with other mini missile pods for greater number of missiles (Counts as one attack no matter how many missiles in volley.)
  
  Payload: Each pod carries sixteen (16) mini-missiles.
Magical “Ball Lightning” Bolts: The fighter can generate up to five ball lightning bolts. They normally orbit around the fighter and create an electrical field around the fighter. While this field is active, the fighter glows a bright blue and cannot be concealed using the spells of Chameleon, Invisibility, or Shadow Meld. While the field is active, the fighter is immune to all forms of electrical attack including ion weapons and magical lightning. As well, any missile or projectile must pass through the electrical field before striking the fighter. Assume an object will make it about half way through the energy field before detonating to calculate to see if the blast radius will still affect the fighter (reduce damage by half in that case.) The electrical field may be used as a weapon to attack targets by edging close to a target but piloting rolls are at -30% and is considered stunt flying. The ball lightning may be fired at a greater range than the electrical field but reduces the power of the electrical field for each ball lightning that is fired. If more than two ball lightning are fired in a melee (less than three remaining around the aircraft) then the electrical field will drop. As well, if more than two balls are destroyed (each ball has 20 M.D.C.), the electrical field is also lost. In either case, the balls will come back at the beginning of the next melee round and the field will be restored.

Maximum Effective Range: Electrical Field: 30 to 50 feet (9.1 to 15.2 meters) globe around fighter. Reduce by 10 feet / 3 meters from 50 feet /15.2 meters for every ball lightning fired / destroyed. Ball Lightning Bolt: 300 feet (91.4 meters.)

Mega Damage: Electrical Field: 1D6x10+20 M.D.C. to anything within the electrical field (not including the aircraft.) Reduce field damage by 10 M.D.C. for each ball lower than five (Must maintain at least three.) Ball Lightning Bolt: 3D6+6 each.

Rate of Fire: Electrical Field: Active as long as three or more ball lightning are around fighter. Ball Lightning Bolt: One per melee attack of the pilot (Usually 4 or 5).

Payload: Five “Ball Lightning” Balls per melee. Balls are renewed at the start of each melee round.
Techno-Wizard Modifications: The “Wildstorm” Thunderbolt has the following Techno-Wizard Modifications built into the fighter. These require P.P.E. or I.S.P. from the pilot.

Special Features:

Special Equipment:

The fighter has all the standard features of a standard fighter (same as standard robot minus loudspeaker and microphone) plus these special features listed. The special equipment is a combination of both magic and technology

Magical “See the Invisible” Optics: Same as spell and used at will. 2,000 feet (610 meters) range. Can see forces, objects, and creatures which can turn invisible, or are invisible. Can also see vaporous beings and astral bodies.
E.S.M.: Radar Detector. Passively detects other radars being operated.

Combat Bonuses:

+20% to all piloting rolls.

+1 to strike with Lightning Blasters and Mini-Missile Launchers.

+1 to dodge.

+3 to dodge while traveling over 200 mph (322 kph).

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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