My Combat Shuttle

[Abbadon_2008]

One of my creations in Bryce.
Not a commercial pic. Just something I made for my own perverse enjoyment.

It's a military transport and landing craft for futuristic conflict.

http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/3686/combatshuttle01oh1.th.jpg (http://img361.imageshack.us/my.php?image=combatshuttle01oh1.jpg)http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/1365/combatshuttle02vh3.th.jpg (http://img525.imageshack.us/my.php?image=combatshuttle02vh3.jpg)http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2700/combatshuttle03sb2.th.jpg (http://img525.imageshack.us/my.php?image=combatshuttle03sb2.jpg)

It's not intended to be beautiful. It's a workhorse, a box with wings and engines. Sort of the C-130 or An-22 of its era.

The downward-pointing fins on the wingtips are made that way to minimize the height of the craft while its in the hangar bay aboard a larger ship.

The engines might be oversized. But I like the basic design.:whistle:

[Ara Pacis]

So, the downward angle of the wing tips isn't intended to be used for compression lift at hypoersonic velocities?

Looks like something from Star Wars, the later trilogy.

[mugaliens]

zoom...

[Abbadon_2008]

So, the downward angle of the wing tips isn't intended to be used for compression lift at hypoersonic velocities?

Looks like something from Star Wars, the later trilogy.

I could factor compression lift into the technobabble. :whistle:

But I was really thinking in a different direction.

[Ara Pacis]

I could factor compression lift into the technobabble. :whistle:

But I was really thinking in a different direction.

Wouldn't have to be techno-babble, since it's a real phenomenon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compression_lift). Howeover, it does seem rather bulky and looks like it might deviate from the Area Rule (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_rule), but I suppose that depends on intended speeds and usage. If it's a powered drop-ship type of use that benefits from high drag, and then launches again vertically, and doesn't have to fly very fast or far in a horizontal mode, then your shape makes more sense. But I'm just guessing.

[Abbadon_2008]

It's more of a dropship. It can launch from a mothership, offload its troops, vehicles, and cargo, then return. It does have VTOL capability. I don't think it would be very fast within an atmosphere, given its bulky shape.

Also, it has short legs, and cannot operate far from a base or mothership. Designed as a workhorse, it could spawn variants -- tanker, electronic warfare, mobile field hospital/ambulance, etc...