Nice ship design

[Scarecrow]

I saw this on Waves in the Black and thought it was a nice, unusual idea:

Tabula Rasa

I like the idea of the seperated, catamaran style hull with the bloody huge engine pod in the middle. I think it swivels for VTOL. I haven't read the background on it.

CG deckplans on page 2.

Crow

 

[Pickles]

Interesting idea. That's one of the beauties of the Serenity setting, technology is so vague that you can actually come up with stuff like this.

If only Traveller had magic swivelling thruster jets instead of magic anti-gravity thrust plates (which glow).

 

[Scarecrow]

Why not?

Traveller has M-Drives. Whatever they are. Why couldn't an M-Drive be a swivelling rocket motor?

Crow

 

[Madarin Dude]

Cool do you plan to do it in CG. I have an idea floating around in my head too for a ship a medium bulk freighter. Can't wait to see your redition you do so good on the details.

 

[Scarecrow]

Allready started! =)
I know it's foolish of me, but I just can't help myself sometimes!

 

[Madarin Dude]

Coolness do you have a thread on it over at Sci fi meshes? Would like to follow the progress. I got my Idea started too after I read your thread I thought why not. It is a 600 or so ton ship but there is one trick there is a 100 ton detachable section in that section is the primary bridge controls and part of the jump drive so it can escape in the event of a catastrophe it is meant for exploratory trading. Basically a scout ship strapped onto a fat trader. The scout ships engines help with maneuver jump etc and in the event of something nasty it can break off and jump to saftey. It will have extra low berths for emergancies.

 

[Scarecrow]

I don't have a thread on Sci-Fi Meshes but anything I do I'll post on Waves in the Black and probably here too.
Have you seen the Rhino-Hunter on my home page? Very similar to your idea (but a lot smaller) - it's another of my many half-finished projects

Crow

 

[Mickazoid]

Very nice!

Do you guys wanna do CG of the Conquest (other thread, this forum)? I've got LightWave but I'm a major n00b.

 

[Liam Devlin]

Very Pretty! I can see this baby as a TNE-merchant man design for a pocket-empire too where shortage of salvaged drives could have led to this vessel.

Cool link. Thank's 'Crow

 

[Scarecrow]

Well... it's a start.



Crow

 

[Malenfant]

That looks like a nightmare from an engineering perspective... what's keeping the front level while the back engine swivels (Let me guess, that's what the grav plates are for? )

 

[Scarecrow]

I've suggested to him that he put thrusters on the nose to balance it when VTOLing. Thing is, it's his design. I just do what he draws otherise it gets a bit pointless. I might, however carry this one on and, to paraphrase the immortal words of Han Solo, "make a few modifications myself."

Crow

PS - you should see where the landing gears are!

 

[far-trader]

Yep, kinda have to agree with Mal there

The swivel point of the thrust should be around the center of mass. I don't recall the deckplans too clearly but could you put some massive counterweight(s) on a sliding beam(s) out the back for dynamic configuration of the center of mass with different loads in the forward catamarans? Or maybe one in each cat hull? Even completely hidden (in which case... ). Or yeah, go with the magic load leveling of contragrav

Still, I do like the general idea and look too Crow. I just didn't think it was that big after a quick look at the deckplans. The 3D puts things in perspective

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by Scarecrow:
I've suggested... Thing is, it's his design. I just do what he draws otherise it gets a bit pointless.

Quite. Merely suggestions from me (and I'm sure Mal too) as well, and more to simply point out the fact than beg changes.

 

[mike wightman]

That's a really interesting ship.

If it were a TNE Frankenstein job, which two hulls would be used for the catamaran?

Subsidised merchant main hulls, with wings removed?

Close Escort hulls without the drop tanks and the engine pods?

Two shuttle hulls (again, no wings), with the engine pod added between perhaps?

 

[Liam Devlin]

Sigg--
For a TNE-Frankenstein, how about 2x 50dt Modular cutters (29dt cargo) and the pod is the jump-1 drive/ fuel tank. Makes about a 150-dt hybrid, but follows an established matching hull.

Or as an insystem Lighter/ shuttle (has twin cargo bays)?

 

[Scarecrow]

I must run the model through the volume calculator and see how big it is in dTons. It looks to me to be 600-800 looking at the tiny little fella in the foreground.

Crow

 

[Scarecrow]

Well, in actual fact it's around 1160 dTons (1dTon = 13.5 cubic metres). The Engineering section in the middle is 117 dTons.

Crow

 

[mike wightman]

Hmm, two subsidised liner hulls, with the saucers removed...