VF-1S: Skull-001
Created By: EVE Scienctists for the Robotech Project
Used by: The Skull Leader, CAG of all Veritech Sqadrons
No mecha is quite so well known or feared than that that leads the Veritech Squadrons of the RDF.
With it's distinctive markings, yellow and black trim, with Jolly Roger tail fins and when it Battloid mode, that symbol on it's chest, the VF-1S or Skull-001 is instantly recognised.
Probably one of the first Veritech's built, Skull-001 has had a long life, first flown by Lt. Comdr. Roy Fokker, famed leader of the Skull Squadron since the creation of the Veritechs. It was then flown by Lt. Rick Hunter, who after Fokker's death became the new Skull Leader.
The VF-1S most notiable difference is the fact it has four lasers where the ordanairy Veritech has one or two. It also appears to be better armed and stronger then the ordaniary Veritech, and may even be slightly faster.
The VF-1S appears to be the only one of it's kind, the rest of the Veritech Squadrons been made up by VF-1J's.
The VF-1S, like all Veritechs, of course has three mods Fighter, Guardian and Battloid, and is armed with not only lasers, but 8 or 12 missles beneath it's wings and a gatling gun, all of which can be used in any of the modes.
It is unknown whether the Veritech Lt. Hunter flies during the last battle with the Imperial Fleet is the famous Skull-001 with modificatons to it so the FAST back can be attached to it. It would appear so, and Comdr. Hunter probably flies during the reconstruction years. Although the Robotech book #19 'The Zentraedi Rebellion' suggests that the orignal Skull-001 is in a meusem at least a few months before Khyron's final attack on Macross City.
Either way Skull-001 probably ends up in a meusem sometime after the battle in Macross City.
If this is true the Skull-001 is probably the only Veritech (even Lt. Max Sterling's plane was distroyed during the escape from the Zentraedi) to survive the entire war intact. The skill of the men who flew it also had an enormous impact on it been recongised, along side the SDF-1 itself as one of the symbols of Humankind's efforts and victories during the First Robotech War.