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Description

HVT/A-32 ‘Thundersnow’ as used by the Escean Military. Updated.

Aircraft depicted is Air Corps 04288 Zero-Eight ‘Neyu Coba’ as flown by Captain Delye col Gias’Tun circa 2117.

The Hale VTOL Transport/Assault – 32 ‘Thundersnow’ (also known as the Thundersnow I) was commissioned by the KHA Aerospace Division in 2087, and entered full production and operational service by 2093 with the Escean Army and Air Force, while the Marine Corps settled on the heavier HVT/N-20 ‘Sealion’.

The Thundersnow was developed as a high subsonic, all-weather assault transport capable of lifting two thirteen-man squads into combat and providing them with supporting fire. This aircraft is equipped with a chin-mounted, trainable 25mm Gatling cannon and two internal bays for guided air-to-air or air-to-ground missiles. Large flare/chaff dispensers and a powerful AA assisted electronics warfare suite offer protection from guided weapons, while composite ballistic materials and aluminium oxynitride windows cocoon the occupants against ground fire.

Like its predecessor, the HVT/A-26 ‘Tornado’, this aircraft retained the two retractable pads that extend from beneath the ‘wings’. These pads offer greater stability on a variety of surfaces, such as snow, ice or sand, without the need for modification. Flight control surfaces consist of four vertical stabilisers, twin canards and two horizontal stabilisers. The squared-off wings, which house the pads and vertical takeoff engines of the aircraft, create a form of lifting body.

The engines of the Thundersnow allow it to approach the speed of sound in level flight and exceed it in a dive. Four Pytor-G BX85 Pitch Thrust Vectoring Turbofans provide primary propulsion for the aircraft, mounted directly above the fuselage. Two additional wing-mounted Skylark L621 engines offer dedicated thrust for vertical takeoff, with induction vents to provide air-cooling in lieu of water injection for extending periods of hovering.

Fully crewed, a Thundersnow has a pilot, co-pilot and crew chief. An artificial assistant program helps to reduce workload and allows the aircraft to be flown in an operational state with a single pilot. Collimated displays project data onto the windshield, which can automatically polarise in harsh light or darken completely for covert night flying without impeding pilot vision. The windshield can also enhance light for night flying and through the aircraft’s sensory suite, map the terrain ahead and present obstacles, targets or friendlies to the crew in real time. Like all modern Escean aircraft, the Thundersnow utilises ultrasonic haptic flight control systems activated by either a Crew Identification Tag or a SPARO Synchronicity Tag, with physical backup units stowed for emergency usage.

Each HVT/A-32 has four cockpit doors, a rear cargo ramp and two emergency exit hatches located amidships. A dorsal hatch allows rapid insertion/extract via rope.

Numerous variants of the Thundersnow I exist in civil and military organisations, and despite introduction of the larger and more powerful Thundersnow II in 2112, the HVT/A-32 remains in widespread use.

Specifications:

Crew: 3 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Crew Chief)
Capacity: 26 Troops (Seated), or 8,500kg of Cargo
Length: 16m
Wingspan 9m
Height: 6m (To top of vertical fins)
Empty Weight: 14,629kg
Loaded Weight: 20,638kg
Max. Takeoff Weight: 26,625kg
Powerplant: 4x Pytor-G BX85 Pitch Thrust Vectoring Engines, 2x Skylark L621 Hovering Engines
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.94 (Level Flight)
Range: 1,302nmi
Combat Radius: 370nmi
Ferry Range: 1,998nmi
Service Ceiling: 32,000ft
Rate of Climb: 6,432ft/min
Armament: 1x 25mm Chin-Mounted K-1B Gatling Cannon w/1100 Rounds, 2x Internal Bays w/ up to 550 each.

Description

HVT/A-32 ‘Thundersnow’ as used by the Escean Military. Updated.

Aircraft depicted is Air Corps 04288 Zero-Eight ‘Neyu Coba’ as flown by Captain Delye col Gias’Tun circa 2117.

The Hale VTOL Transport/Assault – 32 ‘Thundersnow’ (also known as the Thundersnow I) was commissioned by the KHA Aerospace Division in 2087, and entered full production and operational service by 2093 with the Escean Army and Air Force, while the Marine Corps settled on the heavier HVT/N-20 ‘Sealion’.

The Thundersnow was developed as a high subsonic, all-weather assault transport capable of lifting two thirteen-man squads into combat and providing them with supporting fire. This aircraft is equipped with a chin-mounted, trainable 25mm Gatling cannon and two internal bays for guided air-to-air or air-to-ground missiles. Large flare/chaff dispensers and a powerful AA assisted electronics warfare suite offer protection from guided weapons, while composite ballistic materials and aluminium oxynitride windows cocoon the occupants against ground fire.

Like its predecessor, the HVT/A-26 ‘Tornado’, this aircraft retained the two retractable pads that extend from beneath the ‘wings’. These pads offer greater stability on a variety of surfaces, such as snow, ice or sand, without the need for modification. Flight control surfaces consist of four vertical stabilisers, twin canards and two horizontal stabilisers. The squared-off wings, which house the pads and vertical takeoff engines of the aircraft, create a form of lifting body.

The engines of the Thundersnow allow it to approach the speed of sound in level flight and exceed it in a dive. Four Pytor-G BX85 Pitch Thrust Vectoring Turbofans provide primary propulsion for the aircraft, mounted directly above the fuselage. Two additional wing-mounted Skylark L621 engines offer dedicated thrust for vertical takeoff, with induction vents to provide air-cooling in lieu of water injection for extending periods of hovering.

Fully crewed, a Thundersnow has a pilot, co-pilot and crew chief. An artificial assistant program helps to reduce workload and allows the aircraft to be flown in an operational state with a single pilot. Collimated displays project data onto the windshield, which can automatically polarise in harsh light or darken completely for covert night flying without impeding pilot vision. The windshield can also enhance light for night flying and through the aircraft’s sensory suite, map the terrain ahead and present obstacles, targets or friendlies to the crew in real time. Like all modern Escean aircraft, the Thundersnow utilises ultrasonic haptic flight control systems activated by either a Crew Identification Tag or a SPARO Synchronicity Tag, with physical backup units stowed for emergency usage.

Each HVT/A-32 has four cockpit doors, a rear cargo ramp and two emergency exit hatches located amidships. A dorsal hatch allows rapid insertion/extract via rope.

Numerous variants of the Thundersnow I exist in civil and military organisations, and despite introduction of the larger and more powerful Thundersnow II in 2112, the HVT/A-32 remains in widespread use.

Specifications:

Crew: 3 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Crew Chief)
Capacity: 26 Troops (Seated), or 8,500kg of Cargo
Length: 16m
Wingspan 9m
Height: 6m (To top of vertical fins)
Empty Weight: 14,629kg
Loaded Weight: 20,638kg
Max. Takeoff Weight: 26,625kg
Powerplant: 4x Pytor-G BX85 Pitch Thrust Vectoring Engines, 2x Skylark L621 Hovering Engines
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.94 (Level Flight)
Range: 1,302nmi
Combat Radius: 370nmi
Ferry Range: 1,998nmi
Service Ceiling: 32,000ft
Rate of Climb: 6,432ft/min
Armament: 1x 25mm Chin-Mounted K-1B Gatling Cannon w/1100 Rounds, 2x Internal Bays w/ up to 550 each.