Production Notes
Mechanic
Style arrangement: Tenjin Hidetaka
Paint arrangement: Muneharu
Aircraft Explanation
The Sv-51 was the first ever combat-ready Variable Fighter, and was developed by the former Anti Unification forces. The Sv-52, equipped with thermonuclear reaction turbine engines, was developed by the Anti Unification forces for combat against the Zentrādi, and is a masterpiece that has disappeared into the shadows of history as a counterpart to the VF-1.
With its highly-manoeuvrable canards and special bird-like wings that can change their shape at will, the Sv-52 has both high-speed performance in Fighter and low-altitude manoeuvrability in GERWALK. However, compared to the VF-1—which was created around the same time—the Sv-52 is nearly twice as large, and together with its increased weight, it had a fatal weakness as a fighter aircraft.
Most of the Sv-52 were lost in the First Interstellar War, but a few were preserved in shelters in Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and other countries, and escaped the flames of war. The aircraft used by Magdalena is a restored version of an aircraft from that period. Due to a scarcity of documents, the appearance of her aircraft is closer to the Sv-51γ than the Sv-52. Therefore, strictly speaking, Magdalena's aircraft is a "custom Valkyrie of unknown origin, modelled on the Sv-52."
Even though the cockpit, frame, and other parts are as original as possible, the originally spacious design of the aircraft has been improved with new technology, and the engines have been replaced with uniquely tuned burst engines from the VF-17D, raising the Sv-52's performance to a level comparable to that of the VF-171.
SPEC
Model Number: Sv-52γ
Classification: Variable Fighter
Attached to: Vistula & Oder
Design: Sukhoi, Israeli Aviation Arsenal, Dornier
Engines: Shinnakasu, P&W, Royce FF-2020 Thermonuclear Burst-Turbine x2 (588 kN x2 maximum thrust in outer space), small thermonuclear thrusters for vertical ascent, thrust reversers.
Maximum Speed (at 10,000 m): Mach 4.8+ (At altitudes above 30,000 it can accelerate to Mach 21.0+, however at altitudes below that it will reach its heat-resistance limit. It can launch to satellite orbit in its normal configuration.)
Offensive Equipment: none
Defensive Equipment: A) Energy Conversion Armour SWGA System, B) chaff, flare and smoke discharger system.
Caption:
• The new head with a clear top, on the assumption that the sensors have been enhanced for racing.
Sv-52γ Oryol
TOPICS
A look at the original form of the racing-spec Valkyrie that appears in "Macross the Ride"!
Sv-51γ
The first combat-ready Variable Fighter in history, deployed by the Anti Unification camp in the Unification War. Like the Unified Forces' VF series, the Sv-51 is a product of Over Technology and was developed with combat against aliens in mind. Its development schedule was about one to two years faster than that of the Unified Forces' Variable Fighter—the VF-0 Phoenix—and it was deployed in combat towards the end of the Unification War.
As a result of pursuing highly manoeuvrable aerial combat, even though the Sv-51's flying range is short, it exhibits excellent manoeuvrability at subsonic speeds. When in Fighter, its overall length was 22.7 m, making it larger than the VF series. However, the Sv-51 boasted great controllability and kinematic performance, and is considered to have surpassed the VF-0 in terms of practicality. The final production number was 32 single-seaters and 6 two-seaters, for a total of 38 planes. In addition, there were two types: the mass-production α type for ordinary pilots, and the specially-tuned γ type for ace pilots. Additionally, 12 of the single-seater aircraft were later converted to the Sv-52, and appear to have continued to be used even after the end of the Unification War.
GERWALK
By operating its foldable wings as if it were flapping its wings, the Sv-51 demonstrated great manoeuvrability and controllability even while hovering.
BATTROID
Despite being the first combat model, the Sv-51 was also capable of mid-air transformation. However, due in part to the larger size of each part, the transformation time was slightly slower than that of the VF-0 from the same generation of Valkyries.
FIGHTER
The main wings are foldable. The Sv-51 is equipped with conventional turbofan jet engines, and has two VTOL auxiliary fans on the underside of the fuselage. In addition, the γ type for ace pilots was also available in wine red, jet black, and other colour variations.
CHARACTERS
Character Designer: Enami Katsumi
Magdalena Zielonaska
"I don't use my family's influence! It's because I fear the influence of my family that I can live proudly!"
Magdalena is the descendant of Polish-Lithuanian nobility, the equivalent of the samurai class in Japan. Her nickname is "Lena". She has a quite a nice-looking body. Lena is the daughter of the "Vistula & Oder" Investment-Bank* in the Macross Frontier Fleet, and is so talented that she graduated from university a year early. Her favourite Valkyrie is the Sv-52γ, a modified version of the Sv-51γ that her grandfather allegedly flew in the First Interstellar War. According to her, it's "the oldest and best Variable Fighter". Lena participates in Vanquish as part of a Satellite Team, which is the equivalent of a Works [Team]. Her racing, driven by the motto "never forget the history of human competition", is definitely harsh. Lena's flashy, rough-and-tumble close-quarters combat in particular has captured the hearts of Vanquish fans, and she is extremely popular among them. She is presumed to be moody and selfish, and someone who thinks she can do anything if she has the money. In reality, however, Lena is a high-brow lady with a very strong sense of responsibility who takes good care of others.
* Translator's note: non-standard English due to webhost's TOS restrictions.
Nicolas Francoise Berthier
"Give everything to the god of wings. Only those who do so will be victorious."
Nicolas was born into a wealthy pioneer farm on planet Eden. His father was a Valkyrie pilot who participated in the First Unification War*, and by the age of 3, Nicolas was riding in the rear seat of the VT-1 that was used for patrolling and developing the farm. At the age of 5, Nicolas received a lecture from his father on building human-powered airplanes, and by the age of 8 he was piloting the VT-1. By the age of 13, Nicolas was already a household name in the amateur races on planet Eden, and after turning down an offer from the armed forces, he became an air racer that travelled between planets and Emigrant Fleets. At the age of 22, he made his debut in Vanquish, which was on the rise at the time. Since then, Nicolas has remained undefeated, with the motto "participate in every race, always win". Even though he is a cyborg with a brain implant, Nicolas has not switched to an AVF because he enjoys flying with his enhanced body, and feels that it wouldn't be fun if the Valkyrie was too high-tech.
* Translator's note: appears to be a typo in the original text. Unclear if it is intended to be the "Unification War" or the "First Interstellar War". Typo unchanged in the book version, too. Note: references to father (and his military history) not included in Japanese internet articles about this character.
"Macross" Glossary to Better Enjoy "Macross the Ride"
(Character) Basara Nekki
Fire Bomber's guitarist and vocalist. Basara tried to deliver his singing voice to both friend and foe alike, and continued to sing on the battlefield while piloting the Fire Valkyrie, a customized VF-19. At first, Basara's actions were criticized, but it was later discovered that his singing was effective against the enemy. He helped to end the Varōta War. However, Basara seems to have harboured resentment toward the fact that his singing was being used as a weapon.
Caption:
• A legendary vocalist. Gossip magazines reported the rumour that he was Minmei's son.
(Band) Fire Bomber
A rock band that made its major debut in 2045 in the 37th Super Long-range Emigrant Fleet Macross 7. The four members of the band are Basara Nekki, Mylene Jīnasu, Ray Lovelock, and Vihīda Fīzu. During the Varōta War, Fire Bomber participated in combat as Sound Force—a civilian cooperative unit—as the only means of countering the Protodevilun. They livened up the Galaxy Network at the time, and are still loved by many fans in 2059.
Caption:
• Fire Bomber made its major debut after Mylene joined the band. Fire Bomber gradually becoming more well-know, and their name spread to even the remotest corners of the galaxy.
(Organization) New Unified Government
This new government is also based on coexistence with the Zentrādi, and is a reorganization of the Earth Unified Government after the First Interstellar War. The government is pushing forward in such things as the regeneration of the Earth after the war, and the Humankind Dissemination Plan. Along with the establishment of the new government, the Unified Forces also changed its name to the New Unified Forces, but they are often still referred to as the Unified Government and Unified Forces as they were before the war. The official name is the New Unified Space Government.
Caption:
• Macross City is the head of the new government. The city was developed around the SDF-1 Macross, which had made an emergency landing on the Earth.
(Other) Satan's Dolls
Exsedor, who was once a First-class Records Officer in the Zentrādi Forces, became aware of the roots of the Zentrādi people, and remarked: "we are Satan's dolls, demonic dolls made for combat." This was a derisive remark about the Zentrādi people, who are giant bio-weapons created by the Protoculture.
(Manoeuvre) Kulbit
A manoeuvre developed from the Cobra. In contrast to the Cobra, in which the aircraft decelerates by raising the nose to a high angle and then lowers it to return to level flight, the Kulbit sees the aircraft keep the nose raised and flips once before transitioning back to level flight.
Manoeuvre Diagram
Pugachev's Cobra
← direction of movement ←
Kulbit
flip
(Manoeuvre) Pugachev's Cobra
An aerial combat manoeuvre. While in level flight, the nose is raised to a high angle to decelerate, then the nose is lowered while maintaining altitude to return to level flight. It can also refer to the state when the nose remains lowered. The manoeuvre is also known as the Cobra.
(Intelligent Life) Protodevilun
Energy lifeforms that were created in the sub-universe, a different spacial dimension. It is said that those lifeforms possessed the "Ehvil Series" of bio-weapons and decimated the Protoculture. Even though the Protodevilun were sealed away 500,000 years ago, they were resurrected in the 2040s. Their conflict with the Macross 7 Fleet was later called the Varōta War.
Caption:
• Ivano Gepurunicchi
The Protodevilun's supreme commander. He commanded the Varōta Forces in the hostilities with the Macross 7 Fleet.
Caption: