CF-105 Scimitar

CF-105 Scimitar
Type	Medium Fighter
Manufacturer	Origin Aerospace
Primary User	Terran Confederation
Additional Users	Free Republic of the Landreich, Union of Border Worlds
Introduction	pre-2536
General Characteristics
Length	25 meters
Mass	16 tonnes
Crew	1 (pilot)
Performance
Maximum Yaw	6 dps
Maximum Pitch	6 dps
Maximum Roll	7 dps
Acceleration	Good
Velocity
Cruise	150 kps
Maximum	360 kps
Afterburner
Maximum Afterburner	1120 kps
Armament
Guns
Mk. 30A Mass Driver Cannons (2)
Default Missile Loadout
Dart DF (3) Javelin HS (2)
Components
Decoys	None
Cloaking Device	No
Jump Drive	No
Defense
Shields
Fore	4 cm equivalent
Aft	4 cm equivalent
Armor
Front	6 cm
Rear	6 cm
Right	5 cm
Left	5 cm
CF-105 Target Identification circa 2654
Source	Claw Marks

Work-in-progress, expect frequent changes. Help and feedback is welcome. See discussion page.

History

The CF-105 Scimitar was a Terran Confederation medium fighter. It was included in Joan's Fighting Spacecraft Vega Sector Supplement for 2654.092.

The Scimitar is one of the longest-serving fighters in Confederation history, having been introduced before the CF-117 Rapier, which was introduced in 2536 - almost a century prior to the Terran-Kilrathi War.

In March 2654, a pair of Scimitars dispatched by the TCS Tiger's Claw as part of an assault on the KIS Rathtak were ambushed and destroyed by a wing of Jalthi. The Scimitars encountered two crippled Jalthi en-route to their target. One thrusted away intermittently as though it had suffered engine damage while the other spun powerlessly. Against orders from his wingleader, Captain R.A. Skinner, Lt. Larry Dibbles broke and attacked the active Jalthi. Neither Jalthi was damaged. The disabled ship powered up and destroyed Skinner's fighter, then joined the other to shoot down Dibbles. The incident became the impetus for Taggart's Tactics.

Though it earned the scorn of both space superiority and strike craft pilots alike, earning the derisive nickname "Space Slug", the Scimitar was fully capable of routine interdiction and light strike duties. Scimitars served with distinction on-board Bengal-Class Strike Carrier ships like the Tiger's Claw, the TCS Trafalgar and the TCS Eagle's Talon through the final days of the Vega Sector Campaign. The famous Blue Devil Squadron even managed to destroy a heavily armed Kilrathi depot using only a pair of Scimitars during Operation Thor's Hammer.

The Space Force's Flight School used a lightly-armed trainer variant of the Scimitar for live fire practice. Two-seat Scimitar trainers often found themselves on the front lines during command school exercises.

By the time of its official retirement in in 2655, the Scimitar was well over one hundred years old and had outlived its nominal replacement, the CF-117 Rapier, which had begun its development cycle in 2527 and had been retired the year before, in 2654. Surplus Scimitars would continue to see service with the Free Republic of the Landreich through 2668, and they would again show up in the service of the Union of Border Worlds Outer Worlds Fleet during the 2673 Border Worlds Conflict.

Specifications

	CF-105 Scimitar	CF-105 Scimitar	CF-105 Scimitar	CF-105 Scimitar
Source:	Wing Commander	Claw Marks	Super Wing Commander	Academy TV
Class:	Medium Fighter	Medium Fighter	Medium Fighter	Trainer
Length:	25 meters	25 meters	25 meters	25 meters
Mass:	16 tonnes	16 tonnes	16 tonnes	16 tonnes
Max Velocity:	360 KPS	360 KPS	360 KPS	360 KPS
Cruising velocity:	150 KPS	150 KPS	150 KPS	150 KPS
Afterburner Velocity:	1120 KPS	1120 KPS	1120 KPS	1120 KPS
Acceleration:	Good	Good	Good	Good
Max. YPR:	6/6/7 DPS	6/6/7 DPS	6/6/7 DPS	6/6/7 DPS
Guns	Mk. 30A Mass Driver Cannon (2)	Mk. 30A Mass Driver Cannon (2)	Mk. 30A Mass Driver Cannon (2)	Mk. 25 Laser Cannon (2)
Missiles	Javelin Heatseeker (2)	Javelin Heatseeker (2)	Javelin Heatseeker (4)	Javelin Heatseeker (5)
Weapons	Dart Dumbfire (3)	Dart Dumbfire (3)	Dart Dumbfire (6)	Single Mount Laser Turret
Tractor Beam	no	no	no	yes
Armor (Fore/Aft/Sides):	8.5/8.0/6.5 cm	6.0/6.0/5.0 cm	6.0/6.0/5.0 cm	6.0/6.0/5.0 cm
Shields (Fore/Aft):	6.0/5.0 cm	4.0/4.0 cm	4.0/4.0 cm	4.0/4.0 cm
Shield Recharge:	6 seconds	6 seconds	6 seconds	6 seconds
Missile Decoys:	none	none	none	9
Jump Capable:	No	No	No	No
Crew:	1 (Pilot)	1 (Pilot)	1 (Pilot)	2 (Pilot, Instructor)

Appearances

Confederation Handbook

"The Rapier has now largely supplanted the earlier CF-105 Scimitar, particularly in frontline operations. The Rapier combines acceleration, maneuverability and firepower to make it the premier one-on-one dog fighter in space today. Its handling superiority is necessary, since its short-range neutron guns require close approach to the enemy in combat."

Wing Commander: Academy TV

• Red & Blue - 2654.072-.073
• The Last One Left - 2654.094
• The Most Delicate Instrument - 2654.155
• Lords of the Sky - 2654.162-163
• Word of Honor - 2654.169
• Expendable - 2654.176
• Chain of Command - 2654.177
• Walking Wounded - 2654.183
• Invisible Enemy - 2654.184
• Recreation - 2654.185-.186
• On Both Your Houses - 2654.190-.191
• Price of Victory - 2654.292
• Glory of Sivar - 2654.292-.293

Wing Commander/Super Wing Commander

Wing Commander Conversations

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• Beta Wing (McAuliffe System)
  • Michael Casey: "Maverick. They call me Iceman. Don't let Knight here fool you about the Scimitar. It's a gun-heavy slug. Forget finesse in a Scimitar. Just head straight in, guns blaring. Give me a ship that lets me use my skill... A Raptor, even a Hornet... ...or one of those new Rapiers! If half of what they say is true, the Rapier's a true artist's ship!"
  • Joseph Khumalo: "Maverick, right? I’m Knight. Welcome to the Blue Devils. Ever flown Scimitars before? I think you’re going to like them. A Scimitar isn’t quite as fast or nimble as a Hornet, but she’s got twice the armour, as well as heavier guns."
    • Michael Casey: "And she handles like a Centaurian mud pig."
    • Joseph Khumalo: "Iceman here’ll try to tell you speed and handling’ll save your butt, but I’ll take an extra three centimetres of durasteel plating any day!"
• Delta Wing (Gateway System)
  • Michael Casey: "Maverick. They call me Iceman. Don't let Knight here fool you about the Scimitar. It's a gun-heavy slug. Forget finesse in a Scimitar.Just head straight in, guns blaring. Give me a ship that lets me use my skill... A Raptor, even a Hornet... ...or one of those new Rapiers! If half of what they say is true, the Rapier's a true artist's ship!"
  • Joseph Khumalo: "Maverick, right? I’m Knight. Welcome to the Killer Bees. You’re flying a Hornet right now, right? Ever flown Scimitars before? I think you’re going to like them. A Scimitar isn’t quite as fast or nimble as a Hornet, but she’s got twice the armour, as well as heavier guns."
    • Michael Casey: "And she handles like a Centaurian mud pig."
    • Joseph Khumalo: "Iceman here’ll try to tell you speed and handling’ll save your butt, but I’ll take an extra three centimetres of durasteel plating any day!"
• Omicron Wing (Cheng-Du System)
  • Shotglass: "Knight tells me the colonel's movin' you to Blue Devil Squadron. That'll put you on a Scimitar, like I flew when I was your age. Darn fine ship in her day, though she looks a little outdated now... The Scimitar mounts a pair of mass driver cannons... ...instead of the Hornet's lasers. They fire a lot farther than laser bolts, and hit with more punch... ...but the projectiles move a lot slower. That makes you use 'em closer up, in spite of the extra range. Still, those extra klicks are good against big, slow ships, like tankers."
  • Michael Casey: "Maverick. They call me Iceman. Don't let Knight here fool you about the Scimitar. It's a gun-heavy slug. Forget finesse in a Scimitar.Just head straight in, guns blaring. Give me a ship that lets me use my skill... A Raptor, even a Hornet... ...or one of those new Rapiers! If half of what they say is true, the Rapier's a true artist's ship!"
  • Joseph Khumalo: "Hey, Maverick, you hear about the new assignments? The colonel said he's moving you to a Scimitar in Blue Devil Squadron. Ever flown Scimitars before? I think you’re going to like them. A Scimitar isn’t quite as fast or nimble as a Hornet, but she’s got twice the armour, as well as heavier guns."
    • Michael Casey: "And she handles like a Centaurian mud pig."
    • Joseph Khumalo: "Iceman here’ll try to tell you speed and handling’ll save your butt, but I’ll take an extra three centimetres of durasteel plating any day!"
• Omicron Wing (Gimle System)
  • Shotglass: "Hey, Maverick. How’s it goin’? You heard about those new Rapiers? Ever'body's talkin' about 'em. I'm not so sure about 'em, though. I flew jus' about my whole career in Scimitars an' Raptors. Liked the Raptor best, even though she didn't handle too good. She sure was fast once you got her goin', though!"
  • Ian St. John: "Maverick, mate, Have you 'eard the news? The Claw's gettin' a prototype Rapier to test fly! I've been lookin' over the specs on 'er. She's tagged a light fighter, but she's better armed than a Scimitar. There's a pair of laser cannons, for distance work... ...an' a set of neutron guns, for the dirty infightin'!
• Beta Wing (Hell's Kitchen System)
  • Joseph Khumalo: "Back in a Scimitar again, eh, Maverick? Just be sure and remember her limitations, and you'll be all right. She's slower than anything in the Confederate fighter fleet... ...but she's still a match for most of the Kilrathi fighters. Try to get in close, where your mass driver guns are most effective... ...and don't forget that two of those missiles are dumbfire. They just fly straight out ahead of you, with no guidance system.

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Wing Commander Missions

• Flyable Missions
  • Beta Wing (McAuliffe System)
  • Theta Wing (McAuliffe System)
  • Psi Wing (McAuliffe System)
  • Alpha Wing (Brimstone System)
  • Theta Wing (McAuliffe System)
  • Rho Wing (Brimstone System)
  • Eta Wing (Port Hedland System)
  • Xi Wing (Port Hedland System)
  • Sigma Wing (Port Hedland System)
  • Kappa Wing (Hubble's Star System)
  • Omicron Wing (Hubble's Star System)
  • Phi Wing (Hubble's Star System)
  • Beta Wing (Hell's Kitchen System)
  • Theta Wing (Hell's Kitchen System)
  • Mu Wing (Hell's Kitchen System)
  • Phi Wing (Hell's Kitchen System)

The Secret Missions Missions

• Flyable Missions
  • Delta Wing (Midgard System)
  • Gamma Wing (Midgard System)
  • Psi Wing (Bifrost System)

The Memoirs of Lieutenant Colonel Carl T. LaFong: The Kilrathi War's Greatest Ace (TCSN, Retired)

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• The Academy Years
  • For Tighter Up or Down Movements, Roll and Turn
    • "The arrangement of thrusters on Hornets, Scimitars, and Raptors produces an unusual flight characteristic: up and down movements cannot be completed in as tight a radius as a turn to the left or right. Aerospace engineers are trying to correct the flaw in the new Rapier class, but it is still unknown whether their efforts have been successful."
  • Simulated Dogfights
    • "Our first dogfights featured computer Kilrathi opponents. We spent almost a month fighting these electronic enemies. Flying Hornets, we first encountered small wings of two or three [Dralthi]] or Salthi. The sim operators gradually increased the skill level of the Kilrathi and the number of enemy ships. Then they would throw in new types of ships until we had battled pilots in Krant, Gratha and Jalthi. During the progression of opponents, our own ships were upgraded to Scimitars and Raptors."
  • Earning Nicknames
    • "I must have really ticked him off, because Marshall was like a wild man when our dogfight started. On his first pass, he didn't even fire a shot, instead just hitting the afterburners and trying to ram me. I couldn't believe it. This was only simulated, but the first thing a pilot must think about is his own survival. That apparently didn't matter to Marshall.
      • I was sweating bullets. I didn't like Marshall, but he sure could handle a joystick. It seemed like he'd been born in the cockpit seat, the way he made the Scimitar dance around in space. I thought his anger at my prank would be to my advantage. It wasn't. I was spending so much time dodging his attempts to ram me that I couldn't concentrate on my own strategy.
      • "This maniac is going to destroy both of us," I screamed. He didn't, but he took out my ship with the most precise flying and shooting I had ever encountered. Even the computerized Kilrathi opponents at Ace skill level couldn't have touched him."
  • TCS Formidable
    • "Weapons training began in the final month before we would jump out of the practice area and into the Vega Sector. We hit stationary and moving targets with our lasers, dumb fire missiles and heat-seekers. We learned to lead targets moving at different speeds with the guns, and how to gain a lock with the Javelin. We wouldn't actually use Pilums, Porcupines, IR's, mass drivers or neutrons until we flew in Scimitars and Raptors, but our training ensured that we were prepared to employ them when we reached our next destination."
  • Using Your Ship's Guns
    • "Mass Driver - he Scimitars and Raptors were equipped with the mass driver cannon, the only weapon in the Terran arsenal where explosive power is not affected by the distance from the target. While you must be within 3,000 mrrs to hit a target, the effect of a hit with this gun is the same at 500 mrrs as it is at 2000 mrrs. The effectiveness of the lasers and neutrons decreases the farther away you get from your target. The mass driver packs more of a punch than the laser cannon and takes more blaster power for each shot."
• Between Missions (Jotunheim System)
  • ""I've got to admit that the lieutenant [Maniac] hasn't lost a second in reflex time and he can still put a Hornet, Raptor, Scimitar, or Rapier through its paces better than anyone," he [Paladin] explained. "The problem is that he's taking every mission personally, and trying single-handedly to take out every enemy fighter. He's not only a danger to himself, but to his wingleader as well. You never know what he's going to do next.""

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Wing Commander: Fleet Action

• "Doomsday punched in an aft visual and saw an expanding fireball of light erupting from the carrier's main engine bank. A second ball of light snapped as one of Doomsday's torpedoes slammed into the explosion. Four of the Landreich's old obsolete scimitars darted in towards the carrier's tail, disappearing into the inferno, two of them reemerging from the fireball seconds later and as they pulled out, a solid ripple of explosions shuddered across the carrier's stern from the missile spread they had launched, now that the aft shielding was overloaded and down. The entire aft end of the carrier suddenly disappeared in a white hot light.
  • Doomsday watched the Scimitars, amazed yet again at the suicidal tactics of the Landreich pilots, flying fighters that should have been on the scrap heap years ago.
  • "Fuel igniting, she's going!"
  • The explosion burst out, the blast wave washing over Doomsday's Sabre, shuddering it as if from a direct hit. He lost sight of the two surviving Scimitars, who were simply consumed in the ball of light, the enemy fighters pursuing them disappearing as well."

Gallery

• 

  Scimitar-class line-drawing from Joan's Fighting Spacecraft.

• 

  Origin Aerospace blueprint.

• 

  Origin Aerospace blueprint.

• 

  Origin Aerospace blueprint.

• 

  Scimitar Trainer circa 2654.

• 

  Scimitar Target Identification circa 2654.