| Sketchley's Translations Main Index | Macross Portal |
| By AARON SKETCHLEY (aaronsketch@HOTdelete_thisMAIL.com) | Ver 1.0 2017.08.17 |
| Mechanic: Ai UN 04A: VT-1 Ostrich / VE-1 Elint Seeker |
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VT-1/VE-1
The Two-seater Specification VF-1 That Had Limited Use
Right: VE-1 Elint Seeker
Aircraft Explanation
Even though the VF-1 Valkyrie is a single-seat specification in which all fuselage controls are possible by a single pilot, there were also variations where the specification was changed to a two-seater aircraft due to their operational purpose, by exchanging the nose block and so on. An example of that is the unarmed two-seater training aircraft, the VT-1 Ostrich. This aircraft, which was developed for model-conversion training, had all sorts of sensors and radar antennae arranged in various parts of the fuselage, and attempted to improve its operability during training with the prerequisite that it would have dedicated Super Pack equipment outside of an atmosphere (this form is called the "Super Ostrich"). Also, the airborne early-warning VE-1 Elint Seeker also exists among the same two-seater specification craft as the VT-1. This Valkyrie was active as the eyes of the SDF-1 Macross as a two-seater specification aircraft equipped with packs that had an EWAC System built into them.
Data *data is for when they are in fighter form (common to both aircraft)
Attached to: Earth Unified Forces
Length: 14.23 m
Empty Weight: under investigation
Engine: Shinnakasu Heavy Industry / P&W / Royce FF-2001 Thermonuclear Turbine Engine x2
Thrust: 11,500 kg x2
Maximum Speed: Mach 2.81 (at 10,000 m), Mach 3.87 (above 30,000 m)
Development Genealogy Chart
VF-1 > VT-1
VF-1 > VE-1
Size Comparison:
VF-1J, VT-1, VE-1
Up: VT-1 Ostrich (when equipped with Super Parts)
Main Pilot:
Ichijo Hikaru
Operation Record
The Northrom Company took charge of the production of the VT-1, and its deployment also advanced into the SDF-1 Macross. The VT-1 can be observed as having been mainly operated in a Super Parts equipped state on the SDF-1, which was forced to voyage from the outer edge of the Solar System. The Ostrich that Ichijo Hikaru and Lynn Minmei rode in together and used without permission was also equipped with Super Parts. Also, the fuselage number of that aircraft was "VT-102".
Caption: Hikaru, who tried to cheer up Minmei, took out a VT-1 without permission. He gave her a ride, headed toward the vicinity of Saturn's rings, and pleased her by making a rainbow at Saturn.
Caption: The VT-1, together with Misa Hayase and others' Liaison Craft -which had come to search for them-, sustained an attack by a Nūjaderu-Gā unit, and were taken prisoner by the Zentrādi.
Caption: When they escaped from the enemy ship, they were swallowed up in a Space Fold, hurled to the broken down Earth, and roamed to various places as a lone aircraft; until they reunited with the SDF-1.
Cockpit
The nose block that was adopted into the VT-1 and VE-1 ensured internal space by increasing vertically in size, and has a two-seater cockpit layout. The front seat has the same controls as the single-seater model, and the rear seat omits the rear-view mirrors and uses a large display. Additionally, the regular control system is also arranged in the rear seat, and it is possible to control the aircraft from both the front and rear seats.
Left: An illustration that views the two-seater cockpit from the rear. The seating location in the rear seat is higher than the from seat.
Right: The internal appearance of the cockpit with the rear seat in the center. The type of ejection seat is shared with the general VF-1.
Caption: Minmei being surprised at the warning that enemy craft are approaching. The method where all sorts of information is projected on the canopy is shared with the general VF-1.
Caption: The display situated in the center of the front seat's console is a touch panel.
Left: The open canopy structure. Including the front and rear seats, the canopy doesn't have a segmented form, but is a single unit.
Right: The layout of the cockpit when in Battroid. On the left is the single-seater type.
Battroid Mode
The mode is for practising to master the humanoid form, which doesn't exist in conventional armaments. The head is equipped with a radar instead of a fixed armament.
Right: Other than having a head with a radar antenna that is asymmetrical on the left and right, there are no other differences in the shape of the two-seater Valkyrie.
Fighter / GERWALK Modes
From the VT-1's operational purpose as a training craft, improvements were applied to its details, in addition to the cockpit. The removal of armaments from the VT-1 was the most significant improvement, but such things as the enhancement of its sensor functions was also completed. Also, this craft is considered to have been based on latter production Valkyries, from block 5 or later.
Right: The normal VT-1 Fighter Form. Along with an expanded nose block, the Wingtip Detection System (the swollen parts) is one of the improved points.
Left: As hardpoints for the installation of missile pylons can be confirmed on the underside of the main wings, one can consider that it was also possible to arm the VT-1 in an emergency.
Right: The normal GERWALK form. The tail assembly and back block of the VT-1 can't be folded up like the general VF-1, due to the effect of the vertical expansion of the nose. Therefore, the back block and tail assembly are folded up in a state that surrounds the root of the nose in GERWALK and Battroid forms.*
* Translator's note: originally was "The normal GERWALK form. The way that the tail assembly and engine pod (the backpack on the back when in Battroid) are folded up differs from the general VF-1.
Caption: The VT-1 when the Super Parts are being purged immediately following its [Space Fold] Defold at the Earth. As the parts become dead weight in an atmosphere, the VT-1 was going to be used in an unequipped state.
Up: The main-wing variable-sweep wing structure and above and below oriented two-dimensional vectored [vernier] nozzles are shared with the general VF-1. No big difference can be seen in the overall shape of the wing.
Caption: When they investigated the crumbling Earth, they mainly used the VT-1 in GERWALK. They also hung and spread a tent from the fuselage to avoid the wind and rain.
Up: The underside of the fuselage in a normal Fighter form. As the radar antenna -the equivalent of the VT-1's head module- produces air resistance when flying, it is folded up and stowed away.
Left: An illustration where the GERWALK form is seen from the rear. Even though the arms are stowed away, they can be unfolded. In the enemy ship, they destroyed a bulkhead by using the arms.
Caption: A Super Parts equipped VT-1 with full power thrust. The volume of loaded propellant has been enhanced as the VT-1 is for training, and the Ostrich excels in its cruising range in outer space.
Caption: Attitude control verniers are built into various parts of the Super Parts. While the VT-1 is a training craft, it exhibited manoeuvrability that wasn't inferior even to the general VF-1.
Caption: A VT-1 in GERWALK applying sudden breaking to shake off the Nūjaderu-Gā. As the VT-1 was unarmed and couldn't counterattack, Hikaru tried to capitalize on the VT-1's manoeuvrability and escape from the enemy craft.
Left: The top of the fuselage when it is equipped with Boosters (the illustration is when its in the GERWALK form). It also has attitude control verniers forward of the nozzles.
Up/Right: A Booster is installed in the opening on the side of the unit that is installed on the [Valkyrie's back] engine pod. The illustration on the right is the antenna that is installed on the right Booster.
Up: The Conformal Tanks that are installed on the leg engine nacelles have a shape that swells out on the top and bottom of the units.
Up: The nozzles on the Boosters can be moved in all directions. They also differ from the Booster Units on the general Super Parts, and the front part of the boosters cannot be exchanged to effect a change in performance [like those on the general Super Parts].
Right: A Super Parts equipped GERWALK. The composition of the attitude control verniers on the Conformal Tanks differs from those on the general Super Parts.
Up: A Detection System is included inside the bulges around the wingtip lights. The two holes on the main wing-tips are attitude control verniers.*
* Translator's note: originally was: "A Super Parts equipped VT-1 in Fighter form. As the two holes on the main wing-tips are attitude control verniers, and the wingtip lights are juxtapositioned in the Detection System."
Up: An illustration of the unfolded under-nose radar antenna. The backpack and tail assembly are folded up to surround the rear of the nose even when the VT-1 is equipped with Super Parts.*
* Translator's note: originally was: "An illustration of the unfolded under-nose radar antenna. Also, one can confirm that the tail assembly is folded up when seen from this angle."
Up: Above is an image that represents a parked VT-1 when in Fighter form. Even though the landing gear have been omitted, the circles below the VT-1 signify the tires when it has landed.
Right: An illustration where a Super Parts equipped VT-1 is seen from the rear. Although the arms are stowed away, their unfolded structure is the same as the VF-1.*
* Translator's note: originally was: "(...) their unfolded structure is the same as normal."
VE-1 Elint Seeker
The aircraft is an enemy-search and air-control Pack equipped two-seater aircraft of the same specification as the VT-1. The pack consists of Boosters (NP-BP-E3) equipped with a radome (with an APS-201 Observation Radar built in), Arm Containers that are equipped with HF, VHF, VLF, and all sorts of communications relay antenna (NR-SR-E3 on the right arm, and NR-SL-E3 on the left arm), and engine nacelle Supplemental External Tanks that have Side Observation Radar built in (NR-FS-E3). In addition, Shinnakasu Heavy Industry was responsible for the development of the pack, and the Bifors Company participated in the development of the electronics they were equipped with.
Caption: A VE-1 gauging the location information of an enemy ship that was approaching the SDF-1. Capitalizing on its excellent radar performance, the VE-1 was used even for such things as guiding motherships and carrier-based aircraft units.
Right: Fighter Form
It features a revolving radome on the top of the fuselage, and a large antenna in the bottom. Markings representing an eyeball have been added to the sides of the boosters. The VE-1 excels not only as an airborne early-warning system, but also in electronic warfare abilities, such as electronic jamming and signal tracing.
Caption: In the battle in the vicinity of Saturn, the SDF-1 operated its automatic tracking equipment, based on the information from the VE-1, and fired its main gun. It was successful in sinking the enemy ship.
Left: Battroid Form
The outward appearance of the VE-1, which is clearly different from the general VF-1, has a peculiar Battroid form. The radome moves above the head, and the lower antenna becomes a part of the left arm. One can observe that the head has also been exchanged for a module with different performance, that is completely different from the general aircraft.