| Mk 4 Stork | |
|---|---|
| |
| The Mk 4 Stork, pictured left, with Mk 5 Buzzard. | |
Design
| |
| Designer | Nucleana Aerocraft |
| Role | Scout/Light Bomber |
Specifications
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| Weight | 2 tons |
| Armor | Whatever the pilot's wearing at the time |
| Primary Armament | 2x250kg Bombs |
| Secondary Armament | The pilot's index and middle fingers |
| Powerplant | 2xB6 engines arranged in H12 configuration |
| Top Speed | 85kmh |
Description[]
The Mark 4 'Stork' is a fin-based high-wing aircraft developed by the aeronautical branch of the island nation of Nucleana. The Stork is powered by two sizable B6 petrol engines arranged in an H12 configuration, which makes up and accounts for a large portion of the main body, providing ample amounts of power for the paltry two-bladed propeller.
Purpose[]
Initially conceived as a means of quickly delivering small packages between the scattered islands, the Stork found new use as a liaison and light armed scout, carrying two centrally-mounted 100kg bombs at speeds up to 70kmh. It is an extremely stable airframe, which proves itself as a fantastic if fragile spotter.
Later redesigns saw the aircraft rebuilt and outfitted with wing-mounted 250kg bombs, as well as streamlining of the airframe for higher speeds, allowing for the swift delivery of death from above. Plans to develop wire-guided munitions deployed from the aircraft fell through after being deemed too difficult to produce consistent results, however guided bombs are being looked into as a viable alternative.
Performance[]
Featuring a thin steel body with wireframe and pipe-supported wings and tail surfaces, the Stork is an extremely fragile aircraft, especially so when the large fuel tank that feeds into the engine is taken into account. Featuring little in the way of armor, the craft remains quite nimble, though any ground fire can cause issues. Speed and maneuverability are the primary defenses of the Stork.
The massive H12 which the Stork is built around drives a 5-foot twin-bladed propeller, mounted in the middle of the airframe in a variant of the pusher configuration. This provides excellent visibility to the pilot situated at the front of the aircraft, at the cost of all forward protection from enemy fire. The Stork has an excellent roll rate, but the absence of a vertical control surface makes flying a 'bank and yank' affair.Thanks to the large engine, it has a decent vertical climb rate, though is more apt to be seen flying close to the earth due to the lack of any bombing optics.
Variants[]
Mk 5 'Buzzard'[]
The Mk 4 Stork was developed into the Mk 5 Buzzard, to answer the call for an aircraft that can carry and deploy a 1,000 kilogram bomb onto a given target safely. The Buzzard is, for all intents and purposes, two Storks joined at the tail and with a shortened central wing, with control cables for both engines routed to a single seat.