The paper airplane starship

[Fritz_Brown]

Some comments on the SS Carrion thread inspired me to design this unorthodox, yet streamlined ship. It is designed around an alien race that has 4 upper limbs, with 6 digits on both limbs on one side, and 4 digits on the other side. I mention this only because I based the proportions on a base 12/base 4 counting system. Here goes (LBB2):

Merchant - 1000dTon - TL12
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">+1000.0T Hull-custom built MCr100.0

-50.0T Jump Drive - J (J2) 90.0
-9.0T Mnvr Drive - E (M1) 20.0
-28.0T Pwrplnt - J (2) 72.0
-220.0T Fuel

-20.0T Bridge 5.0
-4.0T Computer - Model 4 30.0

-5.0T Triple Turrents x5 5.5
Pulse x2 (x5) 4.0
Sandcaster x1 (x5) 1.0

-48.0T Staterooms x12 6.0
-3.0T Low Berths x6 0.3
-2.0T Emergency Low Berths x2 0.2

-24.0T "Lift" - fore to aft ring 20.0

-8.0T Grav vehicle 1.0

-579.0T Cargo

Price w/out programs MCr355.0</pre>[/QUOTE]Crew - Nominally 16:
Captain, XO, 3 Admin
Pilot, Nav, 3 Engineers
1 Medic, 5 Gunners
Engineers, Admin, and Gunners double bunk
If they carry pax, 1 Steward is required, and all but Captain and XO double bunk

The craft is formed of two rings, connected by a cargo "rod". The forering is a donut of outer radius 20.5m, inner radius 13.7m, giving a deck height 3.4m. The aftring is ~32m/21.3m with a deck height of 5.3m. In both rings, the floor is the outer portion of the ring. The aftring contains all the engineering spaces and the grav craft (in LBB2 version). The forering contains the bridge (& computer), staterooms, low berths, some of the cargo space, etc.

The connecting section is an 84.5m long tube with a trapezoid cross-section. The trapezoid "grows" as it moves to the back (height is 6.85m fore to 11.4m aft). There are 8 large cargo hatches along the length.

(Note Some minor edits to correct typos.)

 

[far-trader]

Cool. I have to make some time to build a paper model of it to fly

One thing, just curious, is the connecting tube more conical to improve areodynamics or is it for another reason(s)?

This whole donut wing thing reminds me of a real plane but I can't quite recall where it's from.
Anybody know what I'm thinking of?

 

[aramis]

there were some ring-wing small civil aviation planes in the 80's... custom jobs.

Also, Robotech's Fan-jet was a ring-wing ducting the fan.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Mostly, it is because the connector was too large at the front (to allow airflow) for the size I needed. I figured out that sloping it from front to back gave me just the right proportions front and back. It also looks better, and it adds some measure of aerodynamics.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

OK, here is the HG version:

Merchant - 1000dTons - TL12

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">+1000.0T Hull (No armor) MCr100.0

-30.0T Jump Drive (J2) 120.0
-20.0T Mnvr Drive (M1) 30.0
-60.0T Pwrplnt (2) +20EP 180.0
-6.6T Fuel scoops/purifier 0.035
-220.0T Fuel

-20.0T Bridge 5.0
-4.0T Computer - model 4 30.0

-5.0T Triple turrets (x5)
Pulse Lasers x2 (x5) 5.0
Sandcaster x1 (x5) 1.25

-48.0T 12 Staterooms 6.0
-3.0T 6 Low Berths 0.3
-2.0T 2 Emrgncy Low Berths 0.2
-8.0T Grav vehicle 1.0

-24.0T "Lift" to Engnrng 20.0</pre>[/QUOTE]Same crew as LBB2 version. The only difference seems to be the drives/powerplant. The J-drive is smaller in HG, but the powerplant and manuever drives are huge! It cuts the cargo space down to 552.4dTons. It also raises the price to MCr498.7852.

And, since both these designs are inherently Aerodynamic, I didn't add any cost for streamlining.

Also, the forering has viewports in the "floor" and along the front and back edges. So, when sitting on the ground, observers would see the crew walking upside down at the top of the ring. (The ones in the floor are because the race likes the idea of "walking on the stars".)