| Sketchley's Translations Main Index | Macross Portal |
| By AARON SKETCHLEY (aaronsketch@HOTdelete_thisMAIL.com) | Ver 2.0 2013.04.04 |
| Mechanic: TF SMS 04A: YF-29 Durendal |
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YF-29: the holy sword that calms the fighting down
Aircraft Explanation
The YF-29 Durendal is an aircraft that was developed with the assumption that it would be used in a decisive battle with the Vajra. The Macross The YF-29 Durendal is an aircraft that was developed under the assumption that it would be used in a decisive battle with the Vajra. The Macross Frontier Fleet and L.A.I. Co. played an important role in the development of this aircraft in the environment of the incident where the 117th Large Research Fleet had sustained a Vajra raid. It's greatest feature is the Fold Wave System, a device that uses high-purity fold quartz that exists only inside of the Vajra's bodies. As a result, it became possible to supply the craft with energy from sub-space, and coupled with 4 high-power thermonuclear reactor engines, this craft acquired an overwhelming manoeuvrability. Simultaneously, the fold quartz enabled the control of fold waves as an additional function of the Fold Wave System, and the YF-29 succeeded in interfering with the communications between the Vajra in combat.
Main Pilot: Saotome Aruto
Data *data is for when it's in fighter form
Attached to: Macross Frontier Fleet
Length: 18.73 m
Width: 14.15 m (when wings are at maximum extension)
Height: 3.88 m (not including the landing gear)
Empty Weight: 15,620 kg (not including outer-space equipment)
Engine: Shinsei/P&W/RR FF-3001/FC1 Stage II Thermonuclear Turbine Engine (2,105 kN max. thrust in space) x2, Shinsei Industry/LAI/RR FF-3003J/FC1 Stage II Thermonuclear Turbine Ramjet composite engine (1,470 kN max. thrust in space) x2 (thrust can be increased by switching to ramjet mode when in high-speed mode in an atmosphere)
Engine Thrust: (FF-3001/FC1) 2,105; kN x2, (FF-3003J/FCI) 1,470+ kN x2
Maximum Speed: Mach 5.5+ (the heat-resisting limit speed at 10,000 m, can accelerate to more than Mach 10 for short periods)
Standard Armament: Rammington ES-25A 25 mm Machine-gun x2, Howard/L.A.I. HPB-01A Heavy Quantum Beam Gun Pod x1, TW2-MDE/M25 concealed-base MDE Beam gun turret x1, Bifors MBL-02S Micro-missile Launchers x12
Size Comparison: VF-1J, YF-29
Development Genealogical Chart: YF-24 + VF-25F/TWI = YF-29
Caption: The fighter was bestowed to S.M.S. Warrant Officer Saotome Aruto. Sheryl Nome's and Ranka Lee's songs were placed into fold waves and delivered to the battlefield by the YF-29.
Caption: After the fierce battle with the Vajra, the aircraft was seriously damaged. Although the aircraft was recovered after the battle, the pilot, Saotome Aruto, is still missing.
Standard Equipment
Howard / L.A.I. HDB-01A Heavy Quantum Beam Gun
A beam gun that emits heavy quantum that's transformed into a beam, using the same operating theory as the Macross Cannon. Although it's not as effective as MDE, it is still is an effective armament toward the Vajra.
TW2-MDE/M25 Concealed Base MDE Beam Gun Turret
An improved, small-size version of the VF-25F/TW1's MDE Beam Gun. Because it possesses the ultimate destructive power of cutting out space, it is also used by aircraft carriers.
Garber and OTEC AK/VF-M9 Assault Knife
A hand-to-hand combat weapon that's stored within the shield and is equipment that's shared with the VF-25. It demonstrates the power to easily cut up the Vajra's armour by expanding a pin-point barrier on the knife's surface.
Cockpit
As the YF-29 has a performance that far surpasses that of the VF-25, the preexisting T021 ISC (an inertia control system) cannot buffer the Gs that hang on the pilot. For that reason, the improved T022 ISC version is installed in the YF-29. The T022 can counterbalance a maximum instantaneous acceleration of 30 G.
Caption: The canopy is coated with fold quartz. One could say that it is a completely anti-Vajra specification.
Fighter Mode
The YF-29, which inherits the VF-25/TW1's new concept of "a highly manoeuvrable fighter that doesn't rely on aerodynamics", achieved high manoeuvrability that seems to disregard aerodynamics by rotating the outer-wing engine pods that have approximately two-thirds of the output of the main engines. In order to ensure wing strength, the YF-29's main wings aren't variable wings like the VF-25, instead they are forward swept, which is reminiscent of the YF-19. There are canards in the nose of the YF-29. In addition, the sum total output of the four engines (the outer-wing engines are switched to ramjet mode when flying faster than the speed of sound in an atmosphere, and thrust increases) achieved the operation of a powerful beam weapon without the YF-29 having to be equipped with a Super Pack.
Caption: Not only does it surpass the VF-25, the YF-29 demonstrated the potential to hold its own with the Super Pack equipped model of the VF-27. The battle at the Vajra's homeworld proved the YF-29's superiority.
Caption: Slipping through the battlefield where a countless number of Vajra exist, the YF-29 reached the location of the Vajra Queen. Don't you agree that the YF-29 had astounding manoeuvrability as it alone was able to struggle on to the Queen?
Up: Due to the Fold Wave System, this craft can deploy the pinpoint barrier even in fighter form. That defensive strength was amply demonstrated in the slug-fest at the Vajra homeworld.
Down: The canards on the sides of the nose block are installed with a slight upward angle. These canards are used for aerodynamically inclining the angle of the nose.
Up: A part of the VF-25's airframe structure was appropriated in order to increase the YF-29's development speed. However, the YF-29 weighting limit has been improved from the VF-25's 30.5 G to 40.0 G as a result of additional changes applied to the airframe, to the extent that it can be referred to as a distinct aircraft.
Caption: Just like the VF-25, the YF-29 hovers with the main engines in the legs. In addition, the YF-29 displayed a more diverse trajectory in its flight by using the outer wing engine pods.
Caption: The YF-29 carrying Sheryl in its palm, heading toward the stage at the church. It is making the best use of the features of GERWALK, which can be flexibly operated in ways that a fighter jet cannot be.
Caption: The MDE Beam Gun and Micro-missile pods are unfolded in GERWALK form. The YF-29 can carry out attacks in a vast area, just like a high-speed, manoeuvrable, mobile gun battery.
Caption: In order to rescue Sheryl and Ozuma, by freely using the revolving engine pods even while descending, the YF-29 was able to carry out a high-speed withdrawal.
Battroid Mode
Despite inheriting the structure of the VF-25, which has also had an improvement in the Battroid form's strength, a substantial strengthening has been carried out on the basic structural frame of the YF-29, in order to enable it to cope with the engines, which have been improved to a higher output spec. At this time, the energy conversion armour also has double the armour thickness (the combined strength when operating is about four times), and the YF-29 possesses an armour strength greater than that of the VF-25 when it's equipped with an armour pack. Also, as the back beam gun can also be used in Battroid, one can say that the Battroid form is the YF-29's form that can freely use the maximum amount of armaments, such as the back MDE Beam Gun, the four MMP3/M25 Micro-Missile Pods that are in each leg, and the gun pod main armament.
Caption: Rammington ES-25A Machine-guns are installed on the sides of the head and equipped with Anti-Vajra enhanced armour piercing ammunition.
Caption: The YF-29, tinged with light, heading toward the location of the Vajra Queen. The YF-29 throws away it's armaments and doesn't show any hostility. The true identity of the particles that the aircraft is clad in is unknown, and they may have been a miracle awakened by the fold quartz.
Caption: The shield that's in the rear of the fuselage when the YF-29 is in Fighter. This is an enhanced model of the VF-25's shield, and is laminated with energy conversion armour.
Up: The silhouette of the main body is close to that of the VF-25, which is what the YF-29's basic structure emulates. However, due to a red based colouring, the MDE beam guns and the chest fold quartz amplification apparatus, it's impression is greatly different from that of the VF-25.
Up: The back when the MDE Beam Guns are unfolded. Although the main wings of the YF-29 are folded up from the engine pods, compared to the swing-wing's of the VF-25, the YF-29's wings have an overwhelming increase in volume.
Caption: The YF-29 saluting Sheryl and Ranka, and flying off to the final decisive battle. One could say that it is the result of the YF-29's advanced motion programs and delicate, mobile mechanisms that can trace the movements of humans.