F-107 Lance
| F-107 Black Lance "Dragon" | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type | Heavy Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Black Lance |
| Primary User | Black Lance |
| Additional Users | Union of Border Worlds |
| Introduction | 2670s |
| Nicknames | Dragon |
| General Characteristics | |
| Length | 40 meters |
| Mass | 26 tonnes |
| Crew | 1 (Pilot) |
| Performance | |
| Maximum Yaw | 60 dps |
| Maximum Pitch | 75 dps |
| Maximum Roll | 60 dps |
| Acceleration | 225 k/s2 |
| Velocity | |
| Maximum | 500 kps |
| Afterburner | |
| Maximum Afterburner | 1200 kps |
| Max Acceleration | 900 k/s2 k/s2 |
| Armament | |
| Guns | |
| |
| Default Missile Loadout | |
| 2 x 3 Light, 2x2 Medium Hardpoints, | |
| Components | |
| Decoys | 24 |
| Cloaking Device | Yes |
| Jump Drive | Yes |
| Defense | |
| Shields | |
| Fore | 500 cm cm equivalent |
| Aft | 500 cm cm equivalent |
| Right | 500 cm cm equivalent |
| Left | 500 cm cm equivalent |
| Armor | |
| Front | 300 cm |
| Rear | 300 cm |
| Right | 300 cm |
| Left | 300 cm |
| Source | Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom |
The F-107 Lance, often referred to as the Dragon, was a heavy fighter and the primary starfighter of the Black Lance, an illegal faction of the Terran Confederation. In service it became known as the Black Lance.
History
The F-107 Lance was developed in the immediate aftermath of the Terran-Kilrathi War by the Black Lance, an elite special forces organization created by Admiral Geoffrey Tolwyn. It was designed as an all-purpose heavy fighter to be used exclusively by the Black Lance for its intended use in defending humanity in future conflicts. It was funded by the Black Lance's many elusive backers and like all Black Lance projects, was designed and tested in the utmost secrecy. Ultimately though, the Dragon was an illegally-produced spacecraft that had been fielded without the approval of the legitimate Confederation authorities.
The Dragon was a heavily-armed fighter with some of the most advanced equipment to emerge in the 2670s. It was considered the most advanced fighter since the F-103 Excalibur, boasting both a jump drive and the latest in Terran cloaking capabilities. The Lance, while large, had great speed and acceleration combined with its large weapons payload, perfect for deep-space raids, as well as atmospheric combat. Its payload could be adjusted to carry a variety of weapons, including the Flash-Pak and later, the Gen-Select Bioweapon.
The Black Lance was unique in that its state-of-the-art power plant ran on a matter/antimatter format, much like that of a capital ship. The Dragon's afterburner supply came directly from the power plant, allowing the craft to conduct quick bursts of immense speed, at the cost of energy drainage in the guns and shields. However, this unique ability allowed the craft to outrun its pursuers with ease.
The Dragon saw widespread usage in 2673 during the Border Worlds Conflict. In an effort to return the Confederation to its Kilrathi War-time strength, Admiral Tolwyn conspired to instigate war between the Confederation and the Union of Border Worlds. To do this, the Black Lance was deployed in numbers to launch raids against Confederation and Union vessels, be they military or civilian in origin. The Dragon was entirely unmarked in these attacks, and thus easily deceived one side into thinking they were being flown by the opposite party, causing the Confederation and the Union view each other as enemies. The Black Lance was responsible for many of the raids launched against civilian vessels from the two warring bodies, most of which left no survivors.
The Black Lance became the personal favorite of Seether, the Black Lance leader and by far its most lethal pilot. Seether personally led many of the aforementioned raids in a Dragon.
During the conflict, the Border Worlds were successful in capturing an enemy transport carrying a full load of Dragons under the leadership of Colonel Christopher Blair. The pilots of the BWS Intrepid commandeered them for their own use in the fight against the Black Lance. They proved their worth in combat and the Border Worlders killed many Black Lance pilots in Black Lance squadrons.
One of the Dragon's most infamous acts was the genocide at Telamon, where the Black Lance deployed the Gen-Select Bioweapon and massacred 90% of the population.
After Colonel Blair discovered the Black Lance's existence and its intent, he pursued Admiral Tolwyn to Sol where he flew a Black Lance against the TCS Vesuvius, which he promptly destroyed. He also fought against Seether in a duel that would ultimately end in the death of Seether when his Dragon was shot down.
Gallery
F-107 Lance Target Designation, circa 2673.
The Dragon. Now you see it....
And now, you don't.
