F-44 Rapier II
The F-44 Rapier II is a medium-class spacecraft that replaced the aging CF-117 in 2654. The Rapier's sleek lines and famous silhouette have become synonymous with the might of the Confederation military - and will remain forever enshrined in the minds of a generation of young men and women who grew up dreaming of top gun heroics. A disproportionate number of the war’s top twenty aces served with Rapier II squadrons.
History
The Rapier II first saw combat onboard the TCS Tiger's Claw: a pair of YF-44s were assigned to the carrier for active duty testing during the invasion of the Gimle System. Major Michael "Iceman" Casey and Captain Jeanette "Angel" Devereaux of the Star Slayer Squadron credited the fighter's first kills during a three point patrol mission. The prototypes performed magnificently and the same carrier soon received the first batch of production models, which Black Lion Squadron would fly during the battle for Kurosawa. By the invasion of Venice, Rapier II squadrons were assigned to both the Tiger's Claw and the Kyoto.
Within a year, the F-44A had been replaced on the assembly lines by the F-44B, which boasted a larger missile loadout and a limited use jump drive. A combination of cost and technical issues would force the removal of the jump drive from future iterations - making the F-44B unique among the Rapier II's lineage until after the Terran-Kilrathi War. A and B model Rapier IIs served with distinction during Operation Thor's Hammer, the assault on Jakarta and the defense of Firekka. A pair of F-44A's even flew off of Col. James Taggart's intelligence ship, the Bonnie Heather.
In the late fifties, the Rapier II went through a significant redesign of its spaceframe, reducing the overall size and mass. The new design premiered in the popular F-44C model, which would go on to serve onboard escort carriers through the late sixties. F-44Cs flew with distinction off of the TCS Tarawa during Operation Backlash and the Third Enigma Campaign.
G and H model Rapier II's served off of fleet carriers through the Battle of Terra in 2668. The TCS Concordia's F-44G Rapier II squadron, with its distinctive lightning bolt markings on their tails, was considered to be the single finest active duty fighter unit in the Space Forces.
Three other variants of the Rapier II emerged as a result of needs of the Nephilim Conflict. The Rapier II Blade is a direct updated of the original spaceframe whereas the Vanguard and Cavalier added armor and other defensive abilities. The Vanguard was often used in mine laying assignments, and was at the forefront of the first offensive strike against the Nephilim into their own territory. By the mid 2670s, Surplus Rapier IIs served with both the Free Republic of the Landreich and the Union of Border Worlds and proved popular among mercenary groups.
Variant Comparison
| Stat\Variant | YF-44 (2654) | F-44A (2654) | F-44B (2654) | F-44C (2654) | F-44G (2654) | F-44H (2654) | Blade (2701) | Vanguard (2701) | Cavalier (2701) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length: | 24 meters | 24 meters | 24 meters | 19 meters | 19 meters | 19 meters | 19 meters | 19 meters | 19 meters |
| Mass: | 13.5 metric tonnes | 13.5 metric tonnes | 13.5 metric tonnes | 15.0 metric tonnes | 15.0 metric tonnes | 15.0 metric tonnes | 15.0 metric tonnes | 18.0 metric tonnes | 20.0 metric tonnes |
| Max Velocity: | 450 kps | 450 kps | 450 kps | 450 kps | 450 kps | 450 kps | 415 kps | 365 kps | 300 kps |
| Max Afterburner velocity: | 1300 kps | 1300 kps | 1300 kps | 1300 kps | 1300 kps | 1300 kps | 815 kps | 690 kps | 570 kps |
| Acceleration: | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | 150 k/s^2 | 150 k/s^2 | 150 k/s^2 |
| Max Y/P/R: | 10/10/10 deg/s | 10/10/10 deg/s | 10/10/10 deg/s | 10/10/10 deg/s | 10/10/10 deg/s | 10/10/10 deg/s | 90/90/90 deg/s | 75/75/75 deg/s | 65/65/65 deg/s |
| Shields: | 8.5fb cm | 7.0fb cm | 8.5fb cm | 8.5fb cm | 8.5fb cm | 11.5fb cm | 280 cm | 230 cm | 280 cm |
| Armor: | 6.5f/5lr/5.5r cm | 6.5f/3lr/4.0r cm | 8.5f/5.0lr/8.5r cm | 6.5f/5.0lr/5.5r cm | 6.5f/5.0lr/6.5r cm | 7.5f/6.5lr/7.5r cm | 415 cm | 500 cm | 550 cm |
| Guns: | MK 25 Laser Cannon (2), MK 40F Neutron Gun (2) | MK 25 Laser Cannon (2), MK 40F Neutron Gun (2) | MK 25 Laser Cannon (2), MK 40F Neutron Gun (2) | MK 25 Laser Cannon (2), MK 40F Neutron Gun (2) | MK 25 Laser Cannon (2), Particle Gun (2) | MK 25 Laser Cannon (2), Particle Gun (2) | Meson Blaster (2), Tachyon Gun (2) | Laser Cannon (2), Neutron Gun (2) | Ionic Pulse Cannon (2), Laser Cannon (2) |
| Missile Hardpoints: | 1x2 Dart DF, 1x2 Pilum FF, 1x1 Spiculum IR | 1x2 Dart DF, 1x2 Pilum FF, 1x2 Javelin HS | 1x4 Dart DF, 1x4 Pilum FF, 1x2 Javelin HS | 1x2 Dart DF, 1x2 Pilum FF, 1x2 Javelin HS | 1x2 Dart DF, 1x2 Pilum FF, 1x2 Javelin HS | 1x2 Dart DF, 1x2 Pilum FF, 1x2 Javelin HS | 3x20 (60DF), 2x5 (10HS) | 4x20 (80DF), 3x5 (15Porcupine) | 4x20 (80DF), 2x10 (20IR) |
| Missile Decoys: | none | none | none | none | 2 Chaff | 2 Chaff | none | none | unlimited |
| Devices: | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Sonar, Sheild Battery, Gun Power Core | Deployable Turret, Sonar, Gun Power Core, Gun Battery | Deployable Turret, Sheild Power Core, Sheild Battery |
| Jump Capable: | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Images
Rapier II flown off the TCS Tiger's Claw, Black Lion Squadron, circa 2654.
Rapier II flown off the TCS Concordia, circa 2666.
A Rapier II Blade flown by a mercenary pilot in 2701.
A Rapier II Vanguard flown by a mercenary pilot in 2701.
A Rapier II Cavalier flown by a mercenary pilot in 2701.
Alternate History (the real world)
Appearances
- YF-44 - Wing Commander 1
- F-44A - Claw Marks
- F-44B - Super Wing Commander
- F-44C - End Run
- F-44G - Joan's Update
- F-44H - Wing Commander 2
- Blade - Arena / Star*Soldier
- Vanguard - Arena / Star*Soldier
- Cavalier - Arena / Star*Soldier
Data
Converted from http://www.wcnews.com/ships2/wc1rapier.shtml
