Vintage Viper (D21)

The Viper is a 'pusher' configured twin engined fighter with forward swept wings that is used exclusively by Colonial pilots. It is long nosed, with the foreward fuselage having air intakes and a pair of cannons with significant ammunition stores, a wireless set, gun camera and rudimentary DRADIS. The rear has two powerful Voram direct injection engines, armoured fuel tanks, the wings and a vertical stabaliser. The wings have two machine guns fitted in them.

It is an extremely maneuvreable design at fighting speed, lacking issues with prop-wash and rear thrust allowing incredible acceleration and climb. A forward swept wing further improves climb which makes pulling on the stick a favoured way of going evasive; the plane can virtually fly straight up too. Large wing area and proportionately bigger control surfaces make turning and rolling that much easier at speed. A skilled pilot is necessary as pitch and yaw are issues when managing engine power settings as well as to deal with the unconventional configuration and different flying characteristics this naturally entails. The pilot has a spacious, high and relatively quiet cockpit that is protected by the armour plating fitted in the 'razorback', though the greenhouse canopy and long nose can make ground taxiing tricky regardless. The Viper is the fighter of choice for all Colonial pilots and holds the imagination of all who set eyes on it.