Rapier II flown off the TCS Tiger's Claw, Black Lion Squadron, circa 2654.

Rapier II flown off the TCS Concordia, circa 2666.

Few military spacecraft have achieved the sheer fame of the F-44 Rapier II. 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.

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 Star Slayer squadron credited the fighter's first space to space 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. 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 famous 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.

Finally, the G and H models 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 tails, was considered to be the single finest active duty fighter unit in the Space Forces.

Surplus Rapier IIs served with both the Free Republic of the Landreich and the Union of Border Worlds through the mid 2670s.

Wing Commander (YF-44) Class: Light Fighter Length: 24 meters Mass: 13.5 tonnes Max. Velocity: 450 kps Cru. Velocity: 250 kps Aft. Velocity: 1300 kps Acceleration: Excellent Max. Y/P/R: 10/10/10 dps     8.5 cm         6.5 cm       5 cm n/a 5 cm       5.5 cm         8.5 cm     Shield Recharge: 3 sec Guns- (2) Mk. 25 Laser Cannon (2) Mk. 40F Neutron Gun Missiles- (2) Dart DF (2) Pilum FF (1) Spiculum IR Decoys: None Cloak: No Jump Drive: No Crew: 1 (Pilot) Service Entry: 2654

Claw Marks (F-44A) Class: Medium Fighter Length: 24 meters Mass: 13.5 tonnes Max. Velocity: 450 kps Cru. Velocity: 250 kps Aft. Velocity: 1300 kps Acceleration: Excellent Max. Y/P/R: 10/10/10 dps     7 cm         5 cm       3 cm n/a 3 cm       4 cm         7 cm     Shield Recharge: 3 sec Guns- (2) Mk. 25 Laser Cannon (2) Mk. 40F Neutron Gun Missiles- (2) Dart DF (2) Pilum FF (1) Spiculum IR Decoys: None Cloak: No Jump Drive: No Crew: 1 (Pilot) Service Entry: 2654

Super Wing Commander (F-44B) Class: Medium Fighter Length: 24 meters Mass: 13.5 tonnes Max. Velocity: 450 kps Cru. Velocity: 250 kps Aft. Velocity: 1300 kps Acceleration: Excellent Max. Y/P/R: 10/10/10 dps     8.5 cm         6.5 cm       5 cm n/a 5 cm       5.5 cm         8.5 cm     Shield Recharge: 3 sec Guns- (2) Mk. 25 Laser Cannon (2) Mk. 40F Neutron Gun Missiles- (4) Dart DF (4) Pilum FF (2) Spiculum IR Decoys: None Cloak: No Jump Drive: Yes Crew: 1 (Pilot) Service Entry: 2654

End Run (F-44C) Class: Medium Attack Fighter Length: 19 meters Mass: 15 tonnes Max. Velocity: 450 kps Cru. Velocity: 250 kps Aft. Velocity: 1300 kps Acceleration: Excellent Max. Y/P/R: 10/10/10 dps     8.5 cm         6.5 cm       5 cm n/a 5 cm       5.5 cm         8.5 cm     Shield Recharge: 3 sec Guns- (2) Mk. 25 Laser Cannon (2) Mk. 40F Neutron Gun Missiles- (2) Dart DF (2) Pilum FF (1) MAMV Decoys: None Cloak: No Jump Drive: No Crew: 1 (Pilot) Service Entry: 2654

Joan's Update (F-44G) Class: Medium Attack Fighter Length: 19 meters Mass: 15 tonnes Max. Velocity: 450 kps Cru. Velocity: 250 kps Aft. Velocity: 1300 kps Acceleration: Excellent Max. Y/P/R: 10/10/10 dps     8 cm         6.5 cm       5 cm n/a 5 cm       6.5 cm         8 cm     Shield Recharge: 3 sec Guns- (2) Mk. 25 Laser Cannon (2) Particle Cannon Missiles- (2) Dart DF (2) Pilum FF (2) Javelin HS Decoys: 2 Chaff Cloak: No Jump Drive: No Crew: 1 (Pilot) Service Entry: 2654

Wing Commander II (F-44H) Class: Medium Attack Fighter Length: 19 meters Mass: 15 tonnes Max. Velocity: 450 kps Cru. Velocity: 250 kps Aft. Velocity: 1300 kps Acceleration: Excellent Max. Y/P/R: 10/10/10 dps     11.5 cm         7.5 cm       6.5 cm n/a 6.5 cm       7.5 cm         11.5 cm     Shield Recharge: 3 sec Guns- (2) Mk. 25 Laser Cannon (2) Particle Cannon Missiles- (2) Dart DF (2) Pilum FF (2) Javelin HS Decoys: 2 Chaff Cloak: No Jump Drive: No Crew: 1 (Pilot) Service Entry: 2654