About the Wolverine N
The Wolverine N is one of the most heavily armed dogfighter variants of the Wolverine employed by the C Quadrant Defenders.
The spaceframe has been modified to improve maneuverability and reduce drag, eliminating both the propeller engines and their nacelles.
A pair of variable dihedral wings have replaced these engines to provide better lift in atmospheric conditions and reduce drag.
Based on the heavy weapons loadout and equipment displaced by the wing control mechanisms, the nose of the N variant was lengthened to add more room for equipment.
This means that the atomic rocket ont he underside of the hull is the sole source of propulsion, but the aerodynamic considerations and other improvements more than make up for this limitation.
The nose contains a standard complement of four machine guns.
A XIP cannon has been mounted on each wingtip to increase the spread of shells.
XIP cannons fire a Xenon-Infused Projectile, a small shell capable of detonating a bright flash of concentrated heat.
While these aren't as powerful as a gauss cannon, they are certainly more powerful than standard machine guns would be.
They also have the benefit of being used as flares in combat, illuminating targets for friendly forces to spot.
The most prominent feature of the Wolverine N is the large ventrally mounted neutron ray.
This weapon fires a concentrated beam of neutrons, magnetically repelled from a central source.
Three sequencer discs build up the neutrons, after which a large capacitor in the dorsal equipment bay discharges to force the neutrons outward through an emitter cone towards the target.
The resulting beam of neutrons creates one of the most powerful weapons that can be fitted to a space fighter.
This state-of-the-art variant of the Wolverine boasts a marked improvement in agility, and a major step forward in weapons techology.
The N is the preferred choice among seasoned pilots, owed to its durability, combat readiness, and handling characteristics backed by the unmatched skill of the engineers and maintenance crews that keep them ready to fly.
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The Wolverine N and pilot.
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The N has a noticably longer nose than the base model Wolverine.
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A striking X-shaped silhouette from the adjustable dihedral wings -- no engine nacelles in sight.
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The wings fold together for landing and compact storage.
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Behind the cockpit is a storage compartment for the pilot's sidearm and cap. The space is also used for storing ancillary power capacitors.
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Another compartment behind that contains the main storage capacitor for the neutron ray. The wings are marked with blue and white CQD insignia.
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Under the central fuselage is the neutron ray: the heavy hitter of Wolverine N.
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Each wing is tipped with a XIP cannon.
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The neutron ray up close. The emitter cones are at the top, and the three discs form the sequencer.
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This was the first time I reached the logical conclusion of "does it really need propeller engines in space?"
The reason the nose is longer is purely for proportion's sake -- it looks cool.
It's kinda X-wing-ish, but whatever, that's going to be hard to pry out of my design principals.
I seem to recall it was popular when I posted it in June 2007.
The tail new tailplane from an airline set was one of the important contributing factors in keeping the streamlined design.
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