| Sketchley's Translations Main Index | Macross Portal |
| By AARON SKETCHLEY (aaronsketch@HOTdelete_thisMAIL.com) | Ver 1.1 2013.06.18 |
| Macross Chronicles - Zero UN 01A: VF-0S Phoenix |
|---|
Aircraft Explanation
The Unified Forces advanced the development of the VF (Variable Fighter) in preparation for a conflict with aliens who were expected to arrive in the near future - the VF-0 Phoenix is one of the prototype series of VF that succeeded in the modelling for that conflict. The VF-0 harvested the ASS-1 originating Over Technology (hereafter OT) and turned the transformation of an aircraft into Battroid and GERWALK forms into reality. Despite being a prototype, this aircraft acquired the basic performance of a VF: the coexistence of mobile fighting and hand-to-hand combat. The extent of the VF-0's completion as a weapon that puts OT to use was decidedly not high, with such things as using conventional turbofan jet engines for the main engines - as the thermonuclear turbine engine development didn't make it in time for the VF-0. However, the VF-0 has great significance, as it established the foundations of the VF.
Main Pilot
Roy Fokker
Data *Data is when it's in fighter form.
Attached to: Unified Forces
Length: 18.69 m
Empty Weight: 16,191 kg
Engine - main: EGF-127 Turbofan Jet Engine Custom x2. Auxiliary: Shinnakasu ARR-2 Rocket Motor x3
Maximum Speed: Mach 2.74 (at 11,000 m altitude)
Cruising Range: 2,075 km (when equipped with the standard dorsal conformal tanks)
Ceiling: 25,000 m
Armaments: Mauler Laser Machine Gun x2, Howard GPU-9 35 mm Gatling Gun Pod, Raytheon-Bifors AIM-200A I/ALH guided AMRAAM 2 Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile, others.
Size Comparison:
VF-1J, VF-0S
Development Genealogy Chart:
VF-0 > VF-X > VF-1
* Translator's note: originally was ", the Stonewell and all of the Shinsei companies.*"
Caption: The combat test unit that was formed used the Unified Forces carrier Asuka as its mother ship. The engineers who had engaged in the development of the VF-0 were transfered to the Asuka and carried out the VF-0's maintenance.
Caption: In the middle of the training to get completely used to the VF-0, the combat test unit was invested into the Alien Relic Seizure Operation on Mayan Island, and intense fighting unfolded with the Anti-Unification Alliance's SV-51.
Standard Equipment
Mauler Laser Machine Gun
As a fixed armament, the head in battroid form is equipped with a Mauler Laser Machine Gun (2 barrels). A gun with live ammunition was passed over due to internal space problems and they used the Mauler Laser Machine Gun instead, which was miniaturized due to the introduction of OT.
Howard GPU-9 Gatling Gun Pod
Even though the VF-0 can load appropriated weapons from existing fighter aircraft, it adopted the external Howard 3-barrel Gatling Gun Pod as its standard armament. Able to be loaded with composite heavy-metal armour-piercing ammunition, AHEAD ammunition and so on, its firing rate can be adjusted to 60, 1,250 or 2,500 shots per minute, with a load of 550 shells. The gun's driving force is a 90 HP motor that gets its power supplied from the VF-0 itself.
Cockpit
Although the cockpit layout hasn't changed very much from existing fighter aircraft, it incorporates many advanced technologies, such as a holographic type HUD, an eye-following pointing system and an integrated flying system that's AI controlled.
Down: When in Fighter
Up: When in Battroid
Fighter Mode
By studying the ASS-1, the Unified Government confirmed that the aliens' main weapons are highly manoeuvrable battle pods. As the Unified Forces required that VFs also have great air combat abilities, the VF-0 came to have a fighter form structure that conformed to existing fighter aircraft. The VF-0's shape resembles that of the subsequent VF-1, and it is possible to infer the inheritance of technology between the two craft. In addition, because the majority of the output of the engines is devoted to flight in this form, the later mentioned Energy Conversion Armour doesn't function in this form.
Caption: The VF-0's performance as an atmospheric fighter aircraft somewhat exceeds that of the concerned state-of-the-art fighter aircraft. In addition to mainly firing missiles, the fighter form was used for such things as pursuing enemy aircraft.
Left: The VF-0's main engines are EGF-127 turbofan jet engines, which were tuned to their utmost limits, with thrust-vectoring nozzles. The VF-0 excelled in manoeuvrability, and was also able to perform irregular-flight manoeuvres, such as the Cobra.
Right: The fighter form is almost the same as the VF-1, and it has a variable-wing structure. There are 2 supplemental fuel tanks on the top of the airframe, and after the fuel is consumed, they also function as bulletproof armour (it's also possible to dump the tanks).
Down: Three digital fly-by-wire systems are used in the fighter's control system. Moreover, the undersides of the main wings are furnished with a total of 4 hard points, 2 each on the left and right, and all sorts of armaments can be suspended from them. With 3-shot dedicated missile racks on each hard point, it's possible to load a total of 12 missiles onto the VF-0.
Caption: Roy Fokker made the best use of the GERWALK form's manoeuvrability and carried out combat at high speed. It seems to be possible to say that his method of operation made the best use of the GERWALK form's characteristics, which enabled tight turns.
Left: Even though the slight opening in the VF-0 between the backpack and torso is different from the VF-1, the structure of GERWALK had already been established where the arms were unfolded and it became possible to fight flexibly.
Left: With the unfolding of the legs, hovering becomes possible, and low altitude stability improves. Also, together with shortening the interlude when transforming to Battroid from Fighter, the GERWALK form also decreases the danger of crashing while transforming.
Right: After deploying only the head, the laser machine gun can fire in a wider sphere. Also, because Energy Conversion Armour functions in GERWALK form, unlike in fighter form, the GERWALK form was expected to have a defensive capability that was proportionate to that of a heavy combat helicopter.
Battroid Mode
The VF-0's Energy Conversion Armour System, which functions extremely effectively in Battroid form, can be seen as a part of the reason for the OT armaments that were applied to the VF-0. With the adoption of OT derived laminated layered armour, whose strength is increased by adding electromagnetic pulses, the VF-0 overcame the problems of armour strength insufficiency and bullet-proofing when in Battroid. In addition, the electrical power that this system and others need, as well as what the driving force uses, is provided by the conversion of the output of the engines into electrical power.
Caption: Even though the battroid form was originally positioned as a land warfare weapon, Fokker performed dog fights in it; and it displayed diverse uses, such as missile interception.
Up: The upper surface of the shoulders become the cornerstone of the transformation, in the connection with the hinge-type chest that is a part of the transformation structure.
Right: Even though the VF-0 is large compared to the VF-1, it has a smarter shape in Battroid form. Incidentally, the skull marking is Roy Fokker's personal mark.
Up: The lower arms are formed with a curved surface shape as they fasten to the legs when in Fighter. In addition, the majority of the output in this form is turned into energy conversion armour, and it exhibits a defensive capability that equals a tank.