This is Animation Special Macross Plus: Variable Fighter's Aero Report

[Sketchley]

Random musings at the start:
this is a big book, and I don't intend to translate all of it.  I do intend to translate the majority or all of the Variable Fighter's Aero Report.  As such, I'm going to reserve a post for each VF or section, and fill them in later, when I find the time and motivation.


The following may not be copied without my written permission.  For further information see the Terms of Service.
Please extend the courtesy of proper citation via linking when you quote or paraphrase this translation.

Pg 51
Variable Fighter's Aero Report
Here, we'll introduce the continuing to evolve, successive generations of variable fighter, up to the development of the YF-21.

O.T.M.
... is the initials taken to abbreviate Overtechnology of Macross.  It is the generic name of technology and a body of theory brought by an alien spaceship that crashed into South Ataria Island in July, 1999, (the ship being repaired and became the Macross).  The OTEC Co. became the main alien technological analysis research laboratories, and is said to be indicated in the developing of gravity control, super dimension(al) navigation technology, and so on.  About the VF series (Variable Fighter series) explained in the following pages, they are adopting these O.T.M. technological theories.  As O.T.M. was an unknown technology for the human race, there were various troubles when the theories were put into operation, and a good deal of effort was paid to overcome these troubles.

VF-1 Valkyrie

Pg 52
VF-1 Valkyrie
Data (when in fighter)
Length: 14.23 m
Height: 3.84 m
Width: 14.78 m ( maximum extension); 8.25 m (minimum extension)
Vehicle Weight: 13.25 t
Engine: 2x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry / P&W / Royce FF-2001 Thermonuclear Turbine; thrust 1,150 Kg / reactor thrust [driving force] 650 MW x2
Vernier: large thrust vernier: Shinnnakasu NBS-1 x4, low thrust vernier PW LHP-04 x18.
Maximum Speed: Mach 2.71 (at 10,000 m), mach 3.87 (at 30,000 m or higher)


Pg 53
Caption: VF-X (testing machine) flight testing type

Development History of the Valkyrie
On July 1999 AD, the object that fell on South Ataria Island turned out to be an alien spaceship.  Moreover, at the same time it was presumed that the physique of this alien has a height five times that of the human race.  With that, in April, 2009, if combat became unavoidable with the possibly coming in the future aliens, it was judged that a combat system to fight against them is necessary, and they had to develop a new style of weapon based on the technological research of the alien technology.  There was, in an especially big way, two seperate flows in this development.

Firstly, the development of the human form destroids, which are a good match for going hand-to-hand in ground combat with aliens whose physique is 5 times (a human's).

Secondly, the development of a fighter that can act not only on the ground, but in all regimes, both inside and outside of the atmosphere, for guarding the alien spaceship that is scheduled to be restored and become a space battleship in the future.

The alien technologies research laboratories OTEC company, which had been established in March, 2000, demanded for the submitted [presented] tentative anti-alien use all environment [circumstance] variable combat system ability in a new style, while demonstrating high manueverability on the ground and in space, was assumed to be able to transform into a human shaped weapon that is able to go hand-to-hand with giants.  This is because the expected emergency deployment capabilities of the destroids that were also being developed was extremely insufficient.  To this excessive demand, Stonewell Bellcom, one company in the competing manufacturers, whose engineering ranks analyzes the technology of the crashed alien spaceship (thereafter named Macross), and introduced the application of the new technology into a tentative new variable fighter that was presented [submitted].  This is adopted, and it became time for genuinely putting it into a prototype.  In this case, it became a united project including the same firms who had been up until now mainly developing aircraft, for the sake of conducting technical support, along with Shinnakasu Heavy Industry, who were anticipated to step ahead with the reaction engine technology, and Sentinental Co, who were the highly valued ground weapon manufacturer developing the Destroid series.

The development doesn't advance at all, and even though various technological problems occured, this project solves or cancels the problems one by one; and at last the roll-out of the first mass produced craft put to practical use is in November, 2008, AD.  This is only four months before the launch of the Macross.  Therefore, most of the craft produced will be used as the guard [escort] of the Macross, which is the purpose of the development of this craft.

[Sketchley]

VF-1 Valkyrie con't

Pg 54~55
Captions:
Gerwalk <VF-1>
Gerwalk transformation Process

Battroid <VF-1>
Head Hatch when in Battroid <VF-1D>
Arm Manipulator(s)

Text:
GERWALK
(...)

Battroid
(...)

Armoured Valkyrie
(...)


Pg 56
Explanation of Each Type (of VF-1)

Captions:
VF-1A:
- Head when in Battroid

VF-1S:
- Head when in Battroid.
- Parts of the back of the head.
VF-1D:
- Head when in Battroid.

Text:
VF-1A
(...)

VF-1J
(...)

VF-1S
(...)

Pg 57
Explanation of Military Equipment
GU-11 Gun Pod
(...)

AMM-1 (Anti-) ground Missile
(...)

RMS-1 Large Anti-Ship Reaction Missile
(...)

Explanation of the VF-1's Hardpoints
(...)

Pg 58
VF-1 Super Valkyrie
(...)

VF-1 Super Valkyrie
(...)

Pg 59
VT-1
(...)

Unit [Force] Deployment
(...)

VT-1
(...)

VE-1
(...)

Pg 60
VF-1 Cockpit
(...)

Ejection Seat
(...)

Pg 61
Instrument Panel (since block 5)
(...)

Control Stick
(...)

Initial Type of Control Stick for the VF-1A
(...)

Pg 62
Each part of the VF-1's fuselage
(...)

Ejection Seat <Marty & Beck V Mk 7 Kai [custom]>
(...)

Pg 63
Armoured VF-1
(...)

Pg 64
Explanation of the interior of the VF-1
1~77
Pivot penetrating material [structure]
78~101

Pg 65
1 Nose cone
2 IFF Antenna
3 Radar mobile stem
4 hip conjunction port mobility use actuator
5 Pivot
6 P&W LHP-04 low thrust vernier thruster
7 catapult connection metal
8 UHF Antenna
9 foreward landing gear door
10 Tire
11 forward landing gear stud
12 torque ring
13 forward landing gear storage door
14 oxygen tank
15 handhold
16 Mauler RÖV-20 Anti-air Laser Machine Gun
17 Howard GU-11 55 mm three barrel gun pod
18 Intake vain
19 nose unit expansion and contraction actuator
20 variable ramp plate
21 Air intake variable ramp actuator
22 turbine blade
23 superconduction ram air compressor
24 Actuator
25 Counter vernier nozzle
26 P&W LHP-04 low thrust vernier thruster
27 Above knee moveable joint actuator
28 below knee moveable joint actuator
29 main landing gear cover
30 main landing gear stud
31 main landing gear shock absorber
32 tire
33 inner pylong pivot
34 slat actuator
35 integral tank inside the main wing
36 slat actuator
37 outer pylon pivot
38 left leading edge slat honeycomb structure
39 left wing positioning light
40 left wing formation light
41 RWS

[Sketchley]

The following may not be copied without my written permission.  For further information see the Terms of Service.
Please extend the courtesy of proper citation via linking when you quote or paraphrase this translation.

Pg 66-67
[upper half of the two pages]

VF-4 Lightning
Data (when in fighter)
Length: 14.92 m
Height: 3.72 m
Width: 14.28 m
Unloaded weight: 13,950 t
Engine: Shinnakasu Heavy Industry / P&W / Roisu [Royce] FF-2011 Thermonuclear Turbine; Thrust: 14,000 kg x2
Vernier: High Maneuverability Vernier Thruster / P&W HMM-1A
Maximum Speed: Mach 3.02 (altitude 10,000 m), Mach 5.15+ (altitude 30,000 m and above)


VF-X-4
The VF-X-4 prototype [trial manufactured] first edition craft which was constructed with 35% of the parts having been appropriated from the VF-1 Valkyrie.  Except for the silhouette, the VF-X-4 and the later mass-produced VF-4 have few common features.


[lower half of the two pages]

The Implementation of the Thermonuclear Reaction Engine
The invisible introduction of OTM cannot be missed in the implementation of the firm request at the end of conventional wisdom that ground warfare abilities will be given to an aircraft that can change into a humanoid.  Above all else, the achievement of the thermonuclear reaction engine's implementation is the greatest.

In a process different from existing [traditional] nuclear fusion, the thermonuclear reaction engine is a system that changes [transforms] the mass of a substance [material] into thermal energy.  Because of this, it is possible to use the engine for propulsive power [impellent] from the heat-expansion of the inhaled atmosphere.  Compared to a chemical combustion engine, it creates a far larger quantity of heat in the reaction.  The thermonuclear reaction engine demonstrates an almost unlimited cruising ability in the atmosphere.

Thus, the Valkyrie was liberated from the large space and weight increases from the fuel load that has been a large problem in aircraft from the start of aviation.  The saved space and weight was applied to such things as the transformation system and armour.


VF-4 Lightning III
At the time of the trial manufacture and adoption of the VF series, several manufacturers competed against each other in order to get the best results.  Before the adoption of the VF-1, it is said that a prototype called the VF-X-2 was manufactured.  However, the development of this airframe was delayed as it had adopted more OTM than the VF-1.  Because Earth had rushed into the Bodolza War before the production of the real VF-X-2 craft started (as opposed to a prototype), development on it was stopped after the Earth was annihilated, and it became a phantom airframe.

The prototype of the VF-X-3, which was being prototyped at the same time, had indicated that it was going to become the craft that competed with the VF-4 to be the successor of the VF-1.  This was indicated approximately when the prototype of the VF-1 had started to get on the right track.  

The chief designer of the VF-X-3 was Colonel [(navy) Captain] Chris J. Takatoku, who was said to to be the father of the variable fighter, and had accumulated experience during the development of the first generation Valkyrie.  The development proceeded at the main development base at the Grand Cannon IV on the Earth's surface with the basic design and got as far as the production of a full-size mock-up.  VF-X-3 was built centered on the VF-1's design camp.  And even though the VF-X-3 had been reported as exhibiting a high performance far surpassing the VF-4, it had gone missing, along with chief Takatoku, with the annihilation of the Grand Cannon IV.  The design data along with the mock-up were lost.  At present, there is presumed to be only several photos of the VF-X-3 remaining.

The VF-4 is a developed model of VF.  It's full-blown development is indicated as taking place at the same time as the VF-X-3, and in the form of the VF-X-4.  Because of the investment of Zentraadi-series technological know-how on top of existing OTM, the VF-X-4 consisted of an airframe style considerably different from the VF-1.  With the goal of shortening the development period, parts sharing with the VF-1 was promoted.  The prototype number one craft, the VF-X-4V1, really achieved a sharing of 35% with the VF-1.  Even though this ratio fell down to about 25% in the VF-4A-0, an additional prototype, the VF-4 was judged to have a fighting strength 40% better than the VF-1.  This was based on the result of trials within the examination program, which included simulated dogfights* with the VF-1.

Externally, the VF-4 has adopted a three-hull form.  Stored within the twin engine nacelles are propellant tanks and armaments.  Due to it's characteristic shape with the nose block arranged in the center, it received the pet name of "arrow" from pilots.

A large beam gun is installed in the engine nacelles.  In addition, this craft features a load of six half-embedded style long-range missiles.

In the test flights, many of the opinions of the UN Forces ace pilots who had played an active role in the anti-Bodoruzaa War were adopted.  Within the well-known test pilots who added their names to the project, Hikaru Ichijo's name can be seen.

The VF-4's space maneuverability, where it is thought it would be mainly operated, is valued more than the persuit of general-purpose performance.  Due to that, it's atmospheric maneuverability is a little inadequate.  Therefore, when the VF-5000 was adopted, the VF-4 came to be mostly deployed to the space flying corps, which are mainly actively in the void of space.

Production began from February, 2012, and the VF-4 force [units] were deployed just in time to the Megaroad that departed in September the same year.  However, because the construction of production facilities for parts and so forth within the Megaroad had started before the official adoption of the VF-4, the Megaroad was able to carry out the maintenance of parts supply and the like after the VF-4's deployment.

Thereafter, the deployment of the VF-4 force progressed favourably.  From 2020, the VF-4 played an active role as the UN Forces' main fighter, which had changed to it from the VF-1.  Production of the VF-4 ended in 2022; and from 2030, the mainline seat was handed over to the VF-11.  The total number of production craft was 8,245.

Furthermore, even though there are many documents that address Variable Fighters*, also including the VF-4, as Valkyries*, the formal name of this craft is the "Lightning III".  "Valkyrie", which is the popular name of Variable Fighters in general, is the formal name of the VF-1.


*Translator's note: I've made both terms plural to be more comprehensible in English.  The source text is neither singular nor plural.  Ergo Variable Fighter and Valkyrie are equally applicable.

[Sketchley]

The following may not be copied without my written permission.  For further information see the Terms of Service.
Please extend the courtesy of proper citation via linking when you quote or paraphrase this translation.

Pg 68

Caption: an image illustration of the VF-5000 flying at high-altitude near the stratosphere.  Picture: Kawamori Shouji

VF-5000
It is an airframe that emphasizes atmospheric mobility, in a variable fighter who's development originates in the dedicated-fighter ideology [thought] that spread rapidly after the anti-Bodoruza battle.

Mainly, the VF-5000 is in charge of air superiority combat and covering the skies of the battlefields that the VA (Variable Attacker) are dispatched to.

Development begain from 2011 as a joint project of both the Shinakasu Heavy Industry and the Stonewell Bellcom companies.  However, because the aircraft development divisions of the Shinnakasu Heavy Industry and the Stonewell Bellcom companies had combined and formed the new Shinsei Industry company in the immediately following 2012, while the development of the VF-5000 starts, it became the first craft developed by Shinsei Industry.

Nevertheless, in practice, the VF-5000 is an airframe that is said to be an improved version of the first generation Valkyrie, the VF-1.  It is based on the basic design layout of the VF-1, and has been further developed by the introduction of researched Zentraadi technology.  Because of that, the VF-5000 can't be called an entirely newly developed craft.

The entire airframe is composed of a blended-wing body, which excels in the VF-5000's special quality: atmospheric air-power.  Straight-like level-surfaces are used frequently in the composition of the VF-5000 to improve it's stealthiness.  Accompaning that, the lines of each mobile part and each joining part are also composed of straight lines.  Moreover, with the same concept, a stealth coating is also applied to the VF-5000 that effectively reflects radar from the entire fuselage.

With the objective of ensuring the rear field of vision in dogfights, the canopy is clear and without window frames.  The field of vision of the pilot is also exceedingly great because the seating position of the pilot is also high.

The HUD is the type that projects on the interior of the canopy, which is the same as the latter period [final] Valkyries.  In the midst of air combat manuevers, the pilot can hardly see the control panels, and it is possible to manuever the craft without seperating one's eyes from the target.

Since the VF-5000 uses the same basic design as the VF-1, it has a price lower than the VF-4.  Furthermore, the VF-5000 has a few high-performance abilities greater than the VF-4, and it especially exceeds the VF-4 in atmospheric mobility.  Because of it's low price and additional high-performance abilities, the VF-5000 won the seat of the main force fighter from the VF-4 in the latter half of the 2020's.

Nevertheless, because the VF-5000 wasn't a completely newly developed craft, that seat was soon assigned to the VF-11.

[Sketchley]

VF-11

Pg 69

Pg 70

Pg 71

[Sketchley]

The following may not be copied without my written permission.  For further information see the Terms of Service.
Please extend the courtesy of proper citation via linking when you quote or paraphrase this translation.

Pg 72
VA-3

Caption: Being Towed on a carrier, a bomb equipped VA-3B Invader.  24 MK.82 conventional explosive bombs, and 2 external tanks are suspended on pylons under the main wing.  Picture: Kawamori Shouji.

Introduction of the VA Series
It was pointed out that the general-purpose FCS weapon control system installed  in the general purpose VF series, which had been developed to be able to fight in all regimes, was not useable for specialty attack weapons, and the lack of a bombload was a deficiency (of the VF series) for regional attack missions.  Moreover, the high production costs from the use of an increased number of processes and new materials (in the VF series) became a problem, too.

Though, this problem did not come to light while combatting against Bodolza, because the main duty of the VF series was air defense duty in space, since the start of the Megaroad (Emigrant Fleets) and emigration has started, and with the point of regional control [supression, supremacy], the very bad cost-performance of the Valkyrie has been clarified.

Starting at this time, airframe development harvesting the idea of specialized fighters, and a lot of airframes excelling in a specific-use were developed.  It can be said that (VFs developed) after the VF-1, such as the VF-4, VF-5, VF-5000 and so on, are specialized fighters of that idea.  Originally, even though the Destroids undertook regional attacks, the VA series has been developed to answer the development ability of a deployable attack craft.

Before the development of the VA series, the VF series undertook the control [supression, supremecy] of a region's ground and skies by maintaining authority by air-superiority; and though the VF series did attack positions [locations, bases], because of it's weakness of offensive power, there are plenty of demonstrations of the VF series (limited) ground control effectiveness, as it had to do it in a large quantity of spread out waves.  Then, a variable attack craft, with a ground-attack use [only] FCS installed, and having the ability to be equipped with a large amount of armaments, was developed.


VA-3 Invader
(partially con't on page 73)
The VA-3 is an all-regime attack craft, developed as a specialized craft for limited area [local] attacks with strategic reaction warhead attacks and conventional bombs.  With abundant know-how in ship-board attack craft, the Grumman [Guraman] Aircraft Department of the Northrum [Noosuromu] Company, took charge of development (of the VA-3).

It is designed for the Lo-Lo-Lo attack* ideology, that keeps (the craft) flying at low altitude from takeoff, to the attack and return; without consideration of the velocity, performance and so on, but valuing a durable, high-survivability airframe design.  From the beginning, it's mobility at low and high altitude in the atmosphere, due to it's slightly rearward angled main wings and rounded nose-line, is valued.  A large nacelle exists in the middle of the main wing, which becomes the arm in battroid form.  Though the VA-3 is not equipped with an afterburner, as it is thought that it will mainly be used for low-level flight in an atmosphere, supersonic flight is possible because there is surplus engine thrust.

The battroid mode has the peculiar shape of craft in the Zentraadi line.  Moreover, because it's defensive ability for ground combat is stressed more than it's ability as an aircraft, the VA-3's airframe can be said to be characteristic of a Destroid.

The VA-3 automatically navigates, as well as has an FCS that automatically takes aim after target acquisition with the radar.  This is with an inertial navigator as the system center of the computer, where data from the Doppler device is processed, and attacks (are formulated) because of radar searches against the target; and it is said that the VA-3 is equipped with electronic equipment that can do all of this completely automatically until (the VA-3) withdrawals.

To improve the attack accuracy on the target, a TRAM** standard device, that combines infrared rays and laser detection data with the radar system, is developed at the same time.  The VA-3 doesn't have any fixed armaments, however it has 6 hard points on the main wings, and 5 hard points on the body [trunk], and boasts a total payload amount of up to 19,820 Kg.

The VA-3B is equipped with a forward-looking [observance, surveillance] infared sensor and a low-altitude flight camera in the lower side of the nose.  It is a model that has changed the electronic equipment system and has improved all-weather performance.


Pg 73
captions:
1. Head detail in battroid mode.  There are four accessory cameras surrounding the main camera in the center, and (with them) the ground monitoring and surveillance capability has been improved.  This aircraft has the cockpit in the head, which is unusual in a variable aircraft.

2. In the volumous loading of the large VA-3, a large gattling gun pod for ground suppression is often carried.  In a design that unites the flow of a Zentraadi Battle Pod, (the Zentraadi lineage) can especially be seen in the arm manipulator.

3. VA-3 Battroid Mode


Electronic Warfare Fighter
A derived type, made into a specialized electronic warfare airplane, called the EVA-3A.

It's main duty is to disrupting the enemy radar and do reconnaissance before an attack, as well as providing guidance [leadership] to the Attack Fighters.

In this airframe, the offensive equipment of the VA-3 attack craft has been removed, and in the (already) installed type of electronic equipment, the navigation equipment has been strengthened, the nose has been lengthened into a two-seater for the boarding of a special operator who handles the electronic equipment in the EVA-3A.

The body [trunk] of the craft and the vertical tail have been redesigned; with the ALQ-200 Multi-Band Track Breaker*** that can deceive enemy radar, the ALQ-192 Communication Jamming Device, and the ALQ-199 Tactical Noise Jamming Device installed there.

Besides this, it is possible to carry frequency band pods suited for a (specific) function [duty, task] on the hardpoints; up to 5 of these pods can be suspended.

The EVA-3, as the eyes of the mobile attack force, are deployed as one company [battery, troop] of 4 craft per attack air group.


* Lo-Lo-Lo Attack: "Ingress, Attack, and Degress at low Altitude"
** TRAM: Target Recognition and Attack-Multisensor
*** Track Breaker: are usually employed against tracking radars in single target track mode, these are typically fire control radars associated with SAMs, AAMs and AAA. Track breaking techniques are therefore of major importance in tactical and strategic aircraft.
Track breakers attack the automatic tracking mechanism of the victim radar. If the threat is a pulsed radar a track breaker will usually transmit a 'cover pulse' at the same time as the return pulse. This masks the return and the victim tracking mechanism is then allowed to lock on to the cover pulse rather than the weaker real return. The jammer has then seduced the tracking mechanism and can, within limits, move the target about its real position and typically turn it off to break lock.
The target will often be made to erratically jitter which makes it impossible to accurately guide a missile or fire a gun at the target.  (from http://www.ausairpower.net/TE-RWR-ECM.html )

[Sketchley]

VF-17

Pg 74

Pg 75

[Sketchley]

VF-19

Pg 76

Pg 77

Pg 78

[Sketchley]

YF-22

Pg 79

Pg 80

Pg 81

[Sketchley]

Variable Fighter Squadron Marking

Pg 83~93

Pg 94
VA-3 SVA-145 Cloud Dancers
AD
(...)

VF-3 SVA-155 *
ARMD-05 AKAGI
(...)

* I believe the VF is referring to the squadron number, not the type of VF (or VA as the case may be).

Pg 95~98

[Sketchley]

Finished pg 53... there were some monster sentences in it >.<  I've tried to preserve them as much as possible, but it may make for some run-on sentences.  There's one that I'd like to go back and try to resort out... but...

And fun facts: I've discovered a typo in the Japanese!  This is the second one that I know of in this book (number of semi-recessed missiles on the VF-4, anyone?).

[Sketchley]

Finished the sections on the implementation of the thermonuclear turbine engines and the VF-4.

[Sketchley]

Finished VF-5000 section: http://www.macrossroleplay.org/forums/index.php?topic=2250.msg33504#msg33504