TW-P51W "Wildstorm" Mustang Techno-Wizard Fighter:

Golden Age Weaponsmiths has been producing reproductions of the Mustang fighter for several years as a cheap fighter that is surprisingly for its age. The techno-wizard pilot in the mercenary company "Texas Irregulars" was looking for an aircraft design for their forces. The mercenary company had already purchased several Merlin VTOL fighters but those aircraft are only available in limited numbers and are very expensive. Other techno-wizard designs, including other Mustang variants were rejected for a variety of reasons. Various jet fighters were looked at but eventually it was decided that they would use a propellor driven aircraft because generally they have a much slower stall speed and would be far less expensive to produce. Since Golden Age already produced the fighter and they were very inexpensive, the P-51 Mustang was selected to be modified by the mercenary company.

The fighter is mainly used for strafing troops and vehicles in the ground support role, but is has been found that the fighter can deal well with both helicopters and sky cycles in air combat. Generally, the Texas Irregulars uses Merlin fighters to deal with other airborne targets but there have been several occasions where the propellor driven aircraft have had to fight in air combat. Since the introduction of the fighter, several independent pilots and small mercenary companies who employ techno-wizards have purchased these aircraft.

While the fighter looks externally identical to an unmodified mustang, the aircraft is extensively modified with both technology and magic. Before the fighter is finished its reconstruction, it is virtually a new aircraft. The work on the fighters requires several weeks of the labor from more than one techno-wizard.

The old gasoline engine is replaced by a fusion reactor adapted from a power armor. This engine driving the propellor produces far more power than the original conventional engine and the fighter is far aerodynamic than any power armor. As a result, the Mustang's top speed is increased by approximately 10%, from just under 490 miles per hour to almost 530 miles per hour. As well, the fusion reactor has years of energy and the amount of time the fighter can remain in the air is mostly limited by pilot's endurance. Originally several types of techno-wizard conversions for the engine were attempted by these were eventually dropped in favor of the fusion reactor. In the space freed up by using a smaller engine, a TK-Flyer style engine was mounted allowing magical flight along ley lines. This flight is virtually silent and this has been used for surprise attacks several time by the Texas Irregulars.

The frame and armor of the mustang were both reinforced. This is for several reasons with the main reasons being to allow greater ordnance payloads, to compensate for stress at high speed, and to allow the fighter to withstand more abuse in combat. Modern electronics are added to the aircraft during its refit. The internal systems on the fighter are approximately equal to those mounted on small robot vehicles. The internal systems are designed to give the illusion of old style gages but in reality are multi configuration holographic plasma displays. The fighter's cockpit is sealed and has internal life support to protect the pilot from hostile environments and at high altitudes.

The Wildstorm Mustang actually carries fewer guns than the standard Golden Age Mustang but the weapons are powerful individually. Instead of six .50 caliber machineguns, the techno-wizard mustang mounts four magical lightning blasters. The mustang has four hard points total with two mounts per wing. With the addition of improved sensors, the aircraft can use missiles as well as bombs. Mini-Missile pods are one of the most common ordnance types carried.

What makes the "Wildstorm" Mustang beyond the sum of it's conventional technological and techno-wizard features is the additional of elemental magic. A minor air spirit is persuaded to merge with the aircraft. If the aircraft is destroyed, the elemental will simply go back to its home plane and not attack anyone in the area. The air spirit gives the fighter an incredible responsiveness and makes the fighter incredible to fly. The fighter also can activate magical ball lightning similar to the Lightning Knight light tank. This ball lightning can be used form a protective field around the aircraft which inflicts damage on missiles and other projectiles fired at the fighter. The fighter cannot launch missiles or drop bombs while the electrical field is active due to the fact the electrical field would detonate them but while attached to the fighter, the ordnance is not effected. The elemental magic protects the mustang from all forms of electricity including magical and ion weapons when the electrical field is activated. Unlike the electrical field on the light tank, the electrical field is not considered an effective weapon for ramming although it has been used for that role by some ace pilots. Along with the ability to generate a protective field, the ball lightning can be fired in any direction by the pilot.

Model Number: P-51W "Wildstorm" Mustang
Vehicle Type: Single Engine Techno-Wizard Fighter
Crew: One

M.D.C. by Location:
[1] Wings (2):100 each
[2] Elevators (2):45 each
[2] Rudder (1):55 each
Cockpit:100
Engine:90
Propeller:40
Landing Gear (2):10 each
[3] Main Body:220

Notes:
[1] Destroying a Wing will cause the plane to crash.
[2] Destruction of the elevators or rudder will leave the plane uncontrollable and pilot must eject to survive.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the Aircraft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight

Speed:
Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when traveling and not on take off or landing.
Flying: 528 mph (849.7 kph) with an altitude of 45,500 feet (13868.4 meters) using conventional propeller driven flight. 200 mph (320 kph) on Telekinetic flight system but aircraft must remain on a ley line for flight system to operate.
Range: The Mustang will overheat after twelve hours of operation at above 300 mph (482.8 kph) on propeller driven flight. Effective unlimited on Telekinetic flight system.

Statistical Data:
Height: 13 feet 8 inches (4.17 meters)
Wingspan: 37 feet .5 inches (11.3 meters)
Length: 32 feet 2.5 inches (9.82 meters)
Weight: 7,560 pounds (3430 kilograms) empty, 11,800 pounds (5352 kilograms) fully loaded
Power System: Dual Flight System, Fusion Reactor with five year lifespan and Telekinetic flight system for flight on ley lines.
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment), does not include hard points
Black Market Cost: 10.5 million credits.

Weapon Systems:

  1. Four (4) Heavy Lightning Blasters: Mounted in the fighter's wings and replace the six machineguns mounted on the original mustang. All of the lightning blasters can be fired together and inflict incredible damage when all four are fired together. No matter how many cannons are fired together, it counts as one attack. The lightning blasters have a slightly better range and have an unlimited payload compared to hand held lightning blasters. The weapon pulls its energy from the air elemental and does not need to be recharged. Lightning blasters can be fired while the electrical field is active.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).
    Mega Damage: 1D4x10+10 per electrical blaster and 4D4x10+40 for all four blasters firing simultaneously (Counts as one attack)
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
    Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
  2. Wing Hard Points (4): The "Wildstorm" Mustang can carry a variety of ordnance on its hard points. The fighter has two hard points on each wing for a total of four hard points. With the addition of sensor systems, the fighter can control missiles instead of just bombs and unguided rockets. Mini-Missile pods are very popular. There is no provision for jamming pods or towed decoys. External ordnance cannot be launched while the electrical field is active but is protected from the magical field while attached to the fighter.
    1. Bombs and Missiles: The only restriction is that a hard point must carry all the same type of missiles or bombs. Both unguided and guided bombs can be carried.
      Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude that bombs are dropped at (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley)
      Payload: 4 short range missile or light bombs, 2 medium range missiles or medium bombs, or 1 long range missile or heavy bomb (all ordnance on a hard point must be the same size and type of ordnance)
    2. Mini-Missile Pod: Large capacity mini-missile pod. The aircraft normally carries missile pods for ground strafing, anti-troop, and anti-emplacement attacks. Normal missile used are armor piercing, plasma, or fragmentation mini-missiles.
      Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles only (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Damage: Varies with mini missile types (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Rate of fire: Each pod can fire one at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 8, or 16 and can be linked with other mini missile pods for greater number of missiles (Counts as one attack no matter how many missiles in volley)
      Payload: Each pod carries 16 mini-missiles.
  3. Ball Lightning Bolts: The fighter can generate up to five ball lightning bolts. They normally orbit around the fighter and create an electrical field around the fighter. While this field is active, the fighter glows a bright blue and cannot be concealed using the spells of Chameleon or Invisibility. While the field is active, the fighter is immune to all forms of electrical attack including ion weapons. As well, any missile or projectile must pass through the electrical field before striking the fighter. Assume an object will make it about half way through the energy field before detonating to calculate to see if the blast radius will still affect the fighter (reduce damage by half in that case). The electrical field may be used as a weapon to attack targets by edging close to a target but piloting rolls are at -30% and is considered stunt flying. The ball lightning may be fired at a greater range than the electrical field but reduces the power of the electrical field for each ball lightning that is fired. If more than two ball lightning are fired in a melee (less than three remaining around the fighter) then the electrical field will drop until the balls come back in the beginning of next melee.
    Maximum Effective Range: Electrical Field: 30 to 50 feet (9.1 to 15.2 meters) dome around fighter. Reduce by 10 feet / 3 meters from 50 feet /15.2 meters for every ball lightning fired. Ball Lightning Bolt: 300 feet (91.4 meters)
    Mega Damage: Electrical Field: 1D6x10+20 to anything within the electrical field (not including the fighter). Ball Lightning Bolt: 3D6+6 each
    Rate of Fire: Electrical Field: Active as long as three or more ball lightning are around fighter Ball Lightning Bolt: One per melee attack of gunner or pilot
    Payload: Five Ball Lightning Balls per melee.
  4. Techno-Wizard Modifications: The"Wildstorm" Mustang has the following Techno-Wizard Modifications built into the Tank. These require P.P.E. or I.S.P. from the pilot.
    Special Features:

Special Equipment:
The fighter has all the standard features of a standard fighter (same as standard robot minus loudspeaker and microphone) plus these special features listed. The special equipment is a combination of both magic and technology

Combat Bonuses:

[Golden Age Weaponsmiths is a trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune ).

Copyright © 2001, Kitsune. All rights reserved.

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