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Exo-Atmospheric Super Parts
At the same time as the VF-11 Thunderbolt diligently succeeded the VF-1's armament characteristics and strategic roles, it inherited the design ideology of function-expansion by optional equipment. The dedicated Super Parts that were developed for the VF-11 are options that emulate the FAST Pack equipped type of Valkyrie (nicknamed Super Valkyrie) that was conceived in the VF-1, and aimed for an improvement in tactical abilities outside of an atmosphere. The development of the parts was carried out by Shinsei Industry, who also designed the VF-11 itself, and when this craft was operated in space, almost invariably, it was equipped with these option parts. In addition, Super Parts equipped VF-11 were also referred to as the "Super Thunderbolt", which imitated the VF-1.

Caption: A VF-11 that's equipped with Super Parts exhibits excellent space manoeuvrability. That performance can be proved in such things as the hostilities with the Zentraadi remnants.

Caption: Even in Battroid form, the functions of the Super Parts are completely unharmed, and the VF-11 achieved a fighting strength that overwhelmed the battle-suits of the Zentraadi Forces.

High Manoeuvrability Vernier Nozzle / Micro Missile Launcher
A micro-missile Launcher (Hughs HMMM-Mk6) is built into the front of the unit, and each unit has 4 launch ports on the left and right of the upper surface (the part with the dotted line). Also, there are high-manoeuvrability verniers in the vicinity of the nozzle in the lower part of the front of the unit.

Chaff and Flare Launching Port / High Manoeuvrability Vernier Nozzle
Several high-manoeuvrability verniers are arranged on the leg propellant units. A chaff and flare dispenser port is located somewhat rear of the center of the unit (the part with the dotted line).

Caption: Lieutenant Isamu Dyson, who piloted this craft, freely used the chaff and flare shells (the red points of light in the picture) and displayed manoeuvres that avoided and pulled away from the missile barrage.

Fighter Mode
Right: the configuration where the VF-11 is equipped with 2 booster units on the top of the airframe and propellant units on the sides of the engine nacelles is shared with the Super Valkyrie.

Down: the shape of the underside of the VF-11 is almost unchanged from the unequipped form, as it doesn't have arm units; which differs from the Super Valkyrie (VF-1).

Up: the booster units (MP-SP-09) feature 2 boost thrusters per unit. Also, when equipped with Super Parts, the upper part of the VF-11's tails are stowed, as they interfere with the booster units.

Battroid Mode
Right: although the Battroid's appearance when seen from the front hasn't greatly changed from the normal specification due to the compactness of the Super Parts, it's functions have been substantially enhanced.

Up: by being equipped with the Super Parts, the VF-11's manoeuvrability in Battroid form has also been enhanced, and it's hand-to-hand fighting performance has also been improved. The slits that can be seen at the front of the booster units are exhaust vents for the micro-missiles.

Right: the Booster Units in Battroid are positioned as if they are covering the VF-11's auxiliary thrusters. Also, it's possible to exchange the micro-missile launchers in both units for different packs, according to the mission.

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Endo-Atmospheric Solid Fuel Booster
In "Project Super Nova", the VF-11B often bore the burden of the support role, such as the pursuing observation craft. However, the VF-11B is a VF that stubbornly does not deviate from the standards of the current craft, and it had difficulty being on par with the prototype AVF, which has a performance that is in a different league from that of the VF-11. Then there was this solid booster rocket so that the VF-11 could be applied to the project. The purpose of this equipment is only to increase the speed of the VF-11, and a tremendous propulsive force is acquired in exchange for the loss of the VF-11's manoeuvrability as a fighter craft. On top of the airframe balance having become extremely one-sided, the boosters weren't suitable for normal operations, as they had a short combustion time of about 5 minutes.

Caption: 3 rocket booster equipped VF-11 followed the YF-21 in order to track and record it's manoeuvres. Isamu piloted one of those fighters.

Caption: Although Isamu's craft was swallowed up by the volley of practise missiles that the YF-21 had evaded, he barely escaped the pursuing missiles by using a disconnected rocket booster as a decoy.

Support Rack (top part)
The chart on the left is of the top booster's attachment system. It is fixed like it is floating above the fuselage with a pair of support racks on the left and right.

Right: A booster is equipped on the top and another to the bottom of the aircraft. At this time, the Anti-Aircraft Laser's gun barrel is put to bed so as to not interfere with the booster (its impossible to fire it).

Up: Although the VF-11's thrust is balanced by installing boosters on the top and bottom of the fuselage, even with a disconnected top booster, Isamu evaded missiles.

Up: The nozzles have a simple round-shaped structure and don't have the ability to vector their exhaust. Manoeuvrability is extremely low, due to this equipment being designed to be used only for flying straight ahead.

Caption: Although it exhibited a great thrust, to the degree that it cannot be compared to a VF-11 that isn't equipped with the boosters, the booster equipped VF-11 still didn't have enough speed to catch up to the YF-21.

Up: Although it seems like the lower booster has only 1 support rack, there is 1 front side support rack. There are a pair of support racks on the right and left in the rear, too.

Left: The lower booster is fixed like it is installed in the space between the engine nacelles. For that reason, the VF-11 cannot be equipped with a gun pod.

The Instant of Booster Separation
When Isamu's craft evaded the missiles, excessive G's hung onto his aircraft, and that caused the booster to separate.

Related Matter: the Operation of Unmanned Craft
An unmanned version exists among the many VF-11 Thunderbolt that the Unified Forces of that time had produced as it's main fighter. Although the shape and structure of the nose has been revised when the VF-11 was made unmanned, it can still be equipped with super parts and so on; such things as the VF-11's basic cruising performance and extensions seems to have been preserved. ?The unmanned specification Super Parts equipped VF-11 sortied and were used as targets during the tests to measure the combat performance of the Ghost X-9.

Caption: the unmanned specification VF-11 were given an orange colouring, probably to make the target easy to recognize, just like the "Target Drone".

Caption: it is thought that an excellent control AI system was installed in the unmanned VF-11. ?However, they were defeated one after another by the Ghost X-9.

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© Aaron Sketchley