TW-P63WR “Wave Rider” Kingcobra Techno-Wizard Fighter:


The Kingcobra is not one of the better known aircraft of World War Two but still an interesting aircraft. It is evolved from the earlier Aircobra which featured a tricycle type undercarriage and was a mid engine design. The Kingcobra only saw limited use by the United States Air Corp but was loved by Russian pilots which two third of the production were delivered to. It was considered an excellent aircraft by the Soviet forces and was used extensively for ground attack due to being armed with a heavy 37 mm cannon in the nose in addition to being armed with four .50 caliber machine guns. A small number were also operated by the French Air Forces. The aircraft was also interesting in that it did not have a sliding canopy but instead had a door on each side of the cockpit.


A techno-wizard saw an old Pre-Rifts movie where an old propeller driven aircraft dives into the water and becomes effectively a submarine. The techno-wizard decide that he wished to create a similar design and started looking at various designs which he could modify. He searched for source material on various World War Two aircraft designs and found a book about the Kingcobra and fell in love with the design. It appeared to be nicely streamlined for underwater travel and he began working on the design based on the old book which he found. Unlike many other techno-wizard designs, he had actual plane to work from although he duplicated the design in the blueprints as closely as possible. It took several years to develop the first prototype but eventually it flew. It is not as popular as some designs although many do love the fact that the aircraft can dive underwater to escape and can even fight underwater. Marking are also copied from the book and some have been produced with American markings but others have been produced with Russian and Frenchmarkings.


While it is most likely that the builder of the Techno-Wizard Kingcobra developed his design for the most part independently from other Techno-Wizards, the solution to many of the design elements are very similar to other aircraft. Power for the aircraft is provide by a powerful fusion reactor which is used in power armors and combines both lightness and incredible power. Top speed with the new engine is almost four hundred and fifty miles per hour while in the air. This is backed up by a ley-line flight system which while slower, is absolutely quiet and while flying on a ley line, the aircraft does not overheat. In the pre-rifts movie, the propeller blades retract into the blade mounts but this could not be done and instead the blades fold backwards to be almost flush with the nose of the fighter. For underwater propulsion, the aircraft mounts two pump jet systems with one on the root of each wing. Using this propulsion, the aircraft can travel at up to sixteen knots with a maximum depth of five hundred feet. While not especially deep, the ability is quite useful and interesting. While the fighter can run along the surface of the water, it needs to dive down underwater (about 50 feet / 15 meter) and leaps out of the water.


While the cockpit of the original Kingcobra was only designed for a single pilot, the cockpit of the techno-wizard version has the engine slid slightly more aft and the aircraft features a passenger seat behind the pilot although the passenger does not have any controls. The cockpit is fully sealed and has full environmental systems for extended operations. The actual instrument appearance were copied from the book about the Kingcobra but are in reality modern holographic instruments which can be configured for a wide variety of different functions. Flight controls are multi redundant fly by wire systems and the fighter is incredibly maneuverable in the air. This is backed up by a modern sensor system which is equal to that in most robot vehicles and includes a short range sonar system. A magical sensor system allows the pilot to see invisible targets through the fighter’s gun sights. The fighter has host of other magical abilities including the ability to become invisible, become impervious to energy weapons, and blend in with surroundings. Each of these abilities requires magical energy from the pilot though unlike the ability to see invisible targets.


The hull of the techno-wizard submersible fighter is built of high tech alloys as is common in many techno-wizard designs. The alloys are less expensive than enchanted materials and the armor is often far easier to replace than special magical materials. Still, many enchanted materials have special abilities such as being impervious to fire which the techno-wizard Kingcobra lacks. Still, the high tech alloys are far stronger than the aluminum alloys used in the original fighter and the fighter also has a protective force field which allows the aircraft to withstand even further damage. Most pilots activate the force field prior to diving into the water, otherwise the Kingcobra can get damaged during high speed dives into the water.


For weaponry, the fighter carries four telekinetic machine-guns mounted in the wings. These were chosen instead of other weapons because their range is not reduced underwater and are effective against targets which are impervious to energy. The weapons main weakness is that it needs to be recharged magically once per month to continue being useable. With all guns of the fighter moved to the wings, the nose of the fighter carries a pair of mini-missile launchers instead. The missiles are launched sideways so that they can get clear of the propeller before activating their rocket engines. Mini-Torpedoes can be substituted for mini-missiles as well and are often carried when it is expected to be operating underwater. A total of twenty-four mini-missiles or mini-torpedoes can be carried with four actual launchers on each side. Finally, the fighter has four hard points which can carry on heavy bomb or long range missile. Torpedoes can be substituted for missiles or bombs and are often carried when the fighter is operating underwater. Mini-missile pods can also be carried instead of individual missiles and special mini-torpedoes can be substituted for mini-missiles just like in the nose launchers.


Model Number: TW-P63WR “Wave Rider” Kingcobra
Vehicle Type: Single Engine Techno-Wizard Fighter
Crew: One (Can carry one Passenger)


M.D.C. by Location:

[1] Wings (2):110 each
[2] Elevators (2):50 each
[2] Rudder (1):60 each
[4] Nose Mini-Missile / Torpedo Launchers (2):40 each
Cockpit:120
Engine:90
Propeller:40
Wing Root Pump Jets (2)50 each
Landing Gear (3):10 each
[3] Main Body:240
Magical “Armor of Ithan” Force Field (3 times per day):100


Notes:
[1] Destroying a wing will cause the plane to crash. Can operate underwater with the loss of a wing.
[2] Destruction of the elevators or rudder will leave the plane uncontrollable and pilot must eject to survive.
[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.
[4] 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.


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: 448 mph (721 kph) with an altitude of 45,500 feet (13868.4 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. The aircraft must slow down to 100 mph (160.9 kph) before entering water. Otherwise, the aircraft will take 1D6 M.D.C. for every 40 mph (64 kph) above 100 mph (160.9 kph) when it hits the water.
Surface Travel: Can Float on the surface or can travel as a hydrofoil on the surface of the water with a top speed of 80 mph (128.7 kph / 69.5 knots.) The aircraft does not take off from the surface of the water and instead leaps from underwater.
Underwater: Has a maximum speed underwater of 18.2 mph (16 knots/ 29.7 kph)
Maximum Depth: 500 feet (152.4 meters)
Maximum Effective Range: The Kingcobra will overheat after twelve hours of operation at above 300 mph (482.8 kph) on propeller driven flight. Effective unlimited on Telekinetic flight system.


Statistical Data:
Height: 12 feet 7 inches (3.83 meters)
Wingspan: 38 feet 4 inches (11.63 meters)
Length: 32 feet 8 inches (9.95 meters)
Weight: 6,650 pounds (3016 kilograms) empty, 11,200 pounds (5080 kilograms) fully loaded
Power System: Dual Flight System, Fusion Reactor with five year life span and Telekinetic flight system for flight on ley lines. Uses twin pump jets when operating underwater.
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment), does not include hard points. If there is no passenger, 200 lbs (90.7 kg) can be carried in the passenger seat.
Black Market Cost: 12.6 million credits.


Weapon Systems:

  1. T.K. Machine-Guns (4): Mounted on the fighter’s wings. They are enchanted by a series of spells so the cannon acts as a more powerful version of the T.K. Machine-gun. This increases the weapon's damage and instead of being reloaded, the cannon must be recharged by the spell Telekinesis and 100 P.P.E. once per month. The cannon does full damage to targets that are impervious to energy and can be fired through the “Whirlwind” field. Weapon can be combined with the Lightning Blasters.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).
    Mega Damage: 12D6 for one, 2D6x10+10 for two cannons, and 4D6x10+20 for all four cannons
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
    Payload: Unlimited, although the spells must be renewed every month whether the cannon have been used or not.
    2. Mini-Missile / Mini-Torpedo Launchers (2): A small mini-missile launcher is mounted on either side of the nose of the fighter. When a missile or torpedo is launched, they are launched to the side to clear the propellers. The launchers can be retractable to reduce the craft's drag. Launcher can use both mini-missiles and mini-torpedoes. This weapon is mostly used against enemy aircraft, missile volleys, and other aerial opponents, or on strafing runs against troops and other ground targets. The weapon has potentially a much larger punch than the telekinetic machine-guns.
    Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile or torpedo types, mini-missiles or mini-torpedo only (See revised bomb and missile tables or revised Rifts torpedoes as appropriate for details.)
    Mega-Damage: Varies with mini-missile or mini-torpedo types (See revised bomb and missile tables or revised Rifts torpedoes as appropriate for details.)
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the total number of hand to hand attacks per melee. The missiles can be fired one at a time, or in volleys of two, four, or eight.
    Payload: 24 total (12 each launcher)
  2. Wing Hard Points (4): The T.W. Kingcobra can carry a variety of ordnance on its hard points. The fighter has two hard points on each wing for a total of four hard points. With the addition of sensor systems, the aircraft can control missiles instead of just bombs and unguided rockets. Mini-Missile pods are very popular. Torpedoes are also carried for use against submarines. There is no provision for jamming pods or towed decoys.
    1. Bombs, Missiles, or Torpedoes: 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.) Torpedoes: 20 miles (32 km) for medium range and 40 miles (64 km) for long range torpedoes.
      Mega Damage: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at for missiles and torpedoes (See revised bomb and missile tables for details) or by torpedo type (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)
      Rate of Fire: Missiles and Torpedoes 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: One Long Range Missile, Long Range Torpedo or Heavy Bomb per Hard Point. Two Medium Range Missiles / Medium Range Torpedoes / Medium Bombs or four Short Range missiles / Light bombs can be substituted for One Long Range Missile/Heavy Bomb.
    2. Mini-Missile / Mini-Torpedo Pod: Large capacity mini-missile pod. Launcher can use both mini-missiles and mini-torpedoes. 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 or torpedo types, mini-missiles or mini-torpedo only (See revised bomb and missile tables or revised Rifts torpedoes as appropriate for details.)
      Mega-Damage: Varies with mini-missile or mini-torpedo types (See revised bomb and missile tables or revised Rifts torpedoes as appropriate for details.)
      Rate of Fire: Each pod can fire missiles 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.
  3. Techno-Wizard Modifications: The Kingcobra has the following techno-wizard modifications built into the aircraft. These require P.P.E. or I.S.P. from the pilot.
    Special Features:
      Chameleon (6th Level) - 6 P.P.E. or 12 I.S.P.
      Impervious to Energy (6th Level) - 20 P.P.E. or 40 I.S.P.
      Invisibility-Superior (6th Level) - 20 P.P.E. or 40 I.S.P.


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

Combat Bonuses:


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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2005, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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