US Air Force/Navy/Marine Corps/Coast Guard C-13Ø Hercules

US Air Force/Navy/Marine Corps/Coast Guard C-13Ø Hercules

A COMMON USMC C-13Ø TRANSPORT OVER AFGANISTAN IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE GCW.

The C-13Ø is a cargo aircraft with an incredible career. It served the US Militaries for a full century before being retired, outlasting many aircraft that were designed to replace the aircraft. Many C-13Ø were operate by civilian companies and were operated by many militaries until the coming of the Invid. Because of the huge numbers of the aircraft, the simple law of averages meant that many of the aircraft would survive even that global-scale catastrophe, and indeed many Invid Colabs (often called “frags”) used them in service to their masters. The aircraft had many advantages including the fact that they can operate under primitive conditions, are easy to repair, and can operate from dirt runways. Because of these many advantages, the C-13Ø was brought into service by the RDF during the reconstruction, at first only as an interim measure. Many governments and independent groups have purchased them, as well as private concerns.

The intention, at the time, was simply interim mass-transport. However, with the success of the program the C-13Ø remained in service for so long that even the UGC REF keeps them in service. Several were modified aboard the SDF-ØØ1 MACROSS for long-range Search And Rescue a mere month after the Space Fold accident (though to limited effect, due to injuries sustained in combat).

There are a great many variations on the C-13Ø. There is the standard cargo versions that can carry troops or passengers as well. There is the MC-13Ø Combat Talon that is modified with much better sensors. There also is the AC-13Ø that is a gun ship version of the C-13Ø. There is the KC-13Ø that is a tanker version of the C-13Ø. Finally, there is the SC-13Ø version first developed aboard the SDF-ØØ1 (see SC-13Ø).

Many of the pre-GCW-era C-13Ø have been refitted to modern specifications; The refits were relatively easy. The avionics were replaced by more advanced avionics, the aircrafts skin was replaced with MDC alloys, and the grav pods were installed in those that did not have them, even though most pilots still prefer to use their wings to fly.

This aircraft can carry up to 2Ø tons of cargo, ninety two passengers, or sixty four paratroopers. The aircraft has large ramp in the rear for cargo and has two doors for paratroopers on either side of the body behind the landing gear mounts. The aircraft does not have an ejection system for the crew so in case of emergency the crew must have a grav pack or a parachute to survive. Most crews prefer to ride out the crash, and the C-13Ø has proven remarkably survivable; A KC-13Ø crashed nose-first into a mountainside, and with the exception of two crew members with broken bones (one a rib, the other an arm) and one crewmember with a 4” laceration on her forehead, the only injuries were moderate hemotomas (big goose eggs). More noteworthy, however, was THE LACK OF A FIRE.

There is no current plan to take the C-13Ø out of service permanently, due to the LOW cost of operation; For the same price of life-long expected operation for a C-13Ø, the REF could OBTAIN a trans-atmospheric shuttle, but never fly her. Though the Titan Tunny and Mom’s Kitchen are more robust and could carry much heavier loads, the cost of individual ships and operation is much lower, and very often the C-13Ø has not only sufficient cargo load, but more still. The advantage of the VTOL capability of the Titan and Kitchen no longer applies, due to the advent of grav pods (from the Atorian War).
Model Number: C-13Ø
Vehicle Type: Quad Engine Tactical Transport Aircraft
Crew: Five
Troops/Passengers: 92 (In place of cargo) , 64 Paratroopers, or 74 patients on litters.

M.D.C. by Location:

* Wings (2)-
** Elevators (2)-
** Rudders (2)-
** Cockpit-

24Ø each
12Ø each
12Ø each
18Ø

*** Engines (4)-
*** Propellers (4)-
Landing Gear (5)-
**** Fuselage-

16Ø
25
1Ø each
5ØØ

Notes:
* Destroying a Wing will cause the plane to crash.
** Destruction of rudders or one elevator will still allow the aircraft to be controlled by the varying of power levels of the engines but transport has a penalty of -1Ø to dodge, and a -3Ø% penalty to all piloting rolls. Destruction of both of the elevators will leave the plane uncontrollable and aircraft crew must evacuate to survive.
*** The destruction of one engine and/or propeller will reduce the transports top speed by one quarter and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 5% penalty to piloting. The destruction of additional engines and/or propellers will give cumulative penalties. Destruction of all four engines and/or propellers will cause the aircraft to crash. Pilot may attempt a emergency landing or transport crew can choose to eject.
**** Depleting the M.D.C. of the fuselage will shut the Aircraft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.

A PRE-GCW US COAST GUARD EC-13Ø USED PRIMARILY FOR INTERDICTION DUTIES.

Speed and Statistical Data:

Taxiing on Ground: 4Ø mph (64 kph). Can land and take off from primitive runways.
Flying: 384 mph (618 kph/333 knots). Cruising speed is 3ØØ mph (482.8 kph/26Ø.7 knots).
Service Ceiling: 33,ØØØ feet (1Ø,Ø6Ø meters).
Range: 3,ØØØ miles (4,828 km/26Ø7 nautical miles) with maximum payload. Hercules has approximately 25% better range when the aircraft is not carrying any cargo. The Hercules can be refueled in the air.
Height: 38 feet 3 inches (11.66 meters)
Wingspan: 132 feet 7 inches (4Ø.41 meters)
Length: 97 feet 9 inches (29.79 meters)
Weight: 76,78Ø pounds (34,827 kg) empty and 175,ØØØ pounds (79,379 kg) maximum takeoff weight

Power System: Conventional, Four 4,5Ø8 hp (3,362 kw) Allison T56-A-15 turboprops, uses aviation fuel.
Flight System:

PRIMARY: Aero-foil effect. Grav pods create distortion fields, and this can interfere with electronics. Therefore, most pilots prefer to use their normal wings.

SECONDARY: Grav Pods. Allows vertical take-off and landing, but does interfere with some electronis (most notably anything pointed DOWN and MRI).

TERTIARY: Rocket Assisted Take Off Assembly (RATO). Can be used to reduce take-off area, or to gain a few extra knots for a few minutes (before over stressing the wings) to escape and evade enemy aero-space craft.
Cargo: 2Ø tons (18.1 metric tons)
Cost and Availability: 3.5 million credits; Almost always.Black Market Cost and Availability: Not very expensive and rarely available because they are openly available with the only restriction being armaments and some avionics/electronics.

Weapon Systems By Variant (Military Versions only): Militry versions of the Herc are armed, though only the AC-13Ø variant is extensively armed.

AC-13Ø Specter:

Crew:

Troops/Passengers:

Additional MDC By Location:

1Ø5MM Howitzer- 8Ø.

4ØMM Bofors Cannons (2)- 4Ø each.

2ØMM Vulcan cannons (2)- 25 each.

7.62MM Mini-Guns- 1Ø each.
Weapon Systems Specific To the Spectre:

1. One (1) 1Ø5MM Howitzer: Very powerful cannon but limited in rate of fire. Controlled by Gunner and are located on left side. Weapon is normally used at a fraction of possible range.
Effective Range: 8.7 miles (14 km) for non rocket assisted and 12.1 miles (19.5 km) for rocket assisted projectiles.
Mega-Damage: By 1Ø5MM artillery round type (See artillery table for details: Fragmentation 1D6×1Ø, High Explosive 2D4×1Ø, Armor Piercing 2D6×1Ø, Plasma 3D4×1Ø, and has a vast number of other type of rounds as well).
Rate of Fire: 2 attacks per melee.
Payload: 1ØØ rounds.

2. Two (2) 4ØMM Bofors Cannons: Controlled by Gunner and are located on left side.
Range: 3,ØØØ feet (914 m).
Mega-Damage: 4D6 for single shot of Fragmentation with a blast area of 12 ft, 1D4×1Ø for a single shot of Armor Piercing with a blast area of 3 ft, 2D6×1Ø for a burst of ten rounds of Fragmentation with a blast area of 4Ø ft, and 3D6×1Ø for a burst of ten rounds of Armor Piercing with a blast area of 8 ft.
Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of gunner.
Payload: 25Ø Rounds each.

3. Two (2)MM Vulcan Cannon: Controlled by Gunner and are located on left side.
Effective Range: 4,ØØØ feet (1,22Ø m).
Mega Damage: 1D6×1Ø for a burst of 3Ø round, 2D4 for each round.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: 3ØØØ rounds (1ØØ bursts) each.

4. 7.62MM Mini-Guns (2): Unlike other weapons, Mini-Guns are controlled separately.
Mega Damage: One round does 1 MDC to MDC targets or 3D6×1Ø SDC to soft targets. Twenty round bursts do 2D4 MDC.
Rate of Fire: Equal to combined hand to hand attacks of gunner.
Effective Range: 2,ØØØ feet (6Ø9.6 m).
Payload: 4ØØØ rounds (2ØØ bursts) each.

5. Masive Ordinance Bomb (1): Various Massive Ordinance Bombs such as BLU-22 ( “Big Blue 22”, often referred to as “Daisycutters”), Massive Ordinance Air Burst Bomb (also called “Moab/mow-ab”, or Mother Of All Bombs”). The ordinance is ejected out the aft of the aircraft, then a parachute opens, slowing the decent sufficiently to control the impact point. Various means of guidance can be employed, including GPS-based JDAMS, laser designator, thermographic tracking (heat/cold seeking), and even a wire guided version (though it requires one Hell of a wire).
Mega Damage: Varies by type. Use LRM stats.
Rate of Fire: Once only.
Effective Range: Only a few miles.
Payload: Typically only one; However, RRG-761’s (EMP) can be double packed and even triple packed (must be manhandled into drop position, effectively reducing attacks per melee to one every 1Ø melees).TYPICAL COMBAT PROFILE: The plane will circle over a targeted area, pouring fire into the area. Time-lapse photography at night can show PRECISELY what spot is targeted- Tracer rounds cause a “funnel” of red, green, yellow, etc. apexing in the target spot.

Other Variants:

MC-13ØH Combat Talon:

Special Operations variant of the C-13Ø with additional sensors including night vision equipment. The aircraft also has a special "skyhook" recovery gear to pick up ground personnel and equipment. It should be considered identical to the standard C-13Ø with the exception of the following areas:
Crew: Seven.
Special Equipment:

The equipment of the MC-13ØH Spectre has been upgraded but many of the original systems are still on the aircraft. Consider the aircraft to carry all standard equipment that robot vehicles carry (not including loudspeaker and microphone) plus the following extra systems:Skyhook Recovery System: Special equipment that consists of a V shaped yoke in the front of the aircraft and additional recovery equipment. The aircraft must fly as slow as possible to recover the person or equipment in question. A special balloon is used so that the pilot can make the recovery. Pilot needs to make a normal piloting roll to have grabbed the object. If the pilot fails the roll, normally they just miss the balloon and must try again. If the roll is missed by over 4Ø% then it has been a critical failure which may indicate having dropped after being grabbed or being tangled in the aircraft's exposed equipment.
Note that the Space-equipped version of the C-13Ø, as originally developed aboard the SDF-ØØ1 MACROSS for long-range SAR Missions, was essentially the MC-13ØH rigged with liquid-fueled rockets and cropped wings (the wings were clipped just inboard of the engine nacelles, with new engine nacelles based on those used by the VC-22A Osprey were fitted on).

KC-13ØH Hercules:

Refueling variation of the aircraft. Unlike the AC-13Ø and MC-13Ø, it does not carry any additional sensor systems and has the cargo bay converted into carrying extra fuel. This aircraft is very useful if operating a large number of aircraft that require fuel. It should be considered identical to the standard C-13Ø with the exception of the following areas:

Crew: Five.

Range: 5,75Ø miles (5ØØØ km/5,ØØØ nautical miles). Refueling aircraft will reduce the aircrafts range.

Special Equipment:

Refueling Gear: The aircraft carries fuel to refuel other aircraft. Can refuel approximately 12 light fighters (like the F-16), 6 medium fighters (like the F-15), or 4 heavy fighters (like the F-111). Can carry enough fuel to refuel heavy bombers for short ranges only (such as to get them home). After a series of avoidable crashes, the Air Force-designed hard-connection system was replaced with the Navy-designed soft connection system, allowing the KC-13Ø to pull double-duty as a flying tow truck when necessary. The KC-13Ø may use all of its fuel for itself.

EC-13Ø: Used by the Air Force, and for a short while by the Coast Guard for interdiction duty. Capable of tracking multiple targets. One such is pictured above.

Crew: As amny as 15.

Range: 3,ØØØ miles.

Special Equipment:

An extensive sensory suite; However, each ship was specifically tailored, and therefore no two were ever exactly alike.

FEATURES:

ESM: Radar Detector. Passively detects other radars being operated.

Radar: Combat grade radar. Range 1ØØ miles, can track up to 5Ø individual targets. 95% reliability (24% against unfriendly stealthed vehicles).

Blue Force Tracker: Identifies friend from foe. Overlays the information on both the radar and HUD, ensuring that friendly forces are not accidentally targeted.

GPS: Standard tracking device. Ties into the Blue Force Tracker.

Anti-Jamming System: Reduces Electronics Countermeasure by ¾ (decrease skill level appropriately).

FLIR/SLIR: Forward and Side Looking Infrared. Allows pilot to get visuals on targets at night.

AJP: Active Jamming Pod. Causes -25% to detection but when it is active, other vehicles/bases can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on jamming signals. Jamming also causes a -4 penalty to all radar guided weapons. The jamming pod is only mounted inside the port taileron.