Classic Wings TW-P-51V Mustang Techno-Wizard Fighter:

The P-51 Mustang is one of the best known fighters of World War Two. It is often the fighter which people think about when they think of fighters of World War Two. Even with the dwindling interest in history in the later part of the Twenty-First Century, the fighter still drew in the people who dreamed of simpler times. The number of P-51 fighters surviving slowly dwindled as the century went on. Eventually, a company decided to make all new tools and dies to produce a virtually perfect reproduction of the World War II P-51 Mustang. Along with them, a company made smaller scale versions of the fighter. The tools and dies used to produce the P-51 actually survived the coming of the Rifts and found their way into the Golden Age Weaponsmiths facilities where they converted one of their factories to produce the old fighter. It was found to be effective against Coalition sky cycles yet was only a fraction of the price.

Before the coming of the Rifts, there were several Aviation Enthusiast Groups which flew old aircraft. Some of these include the Confederate Air Force and the Fighter Factory. They collected extensive libraries, both paper and electronic, on the designs of old aircraft. Even though magic was but a flicker compared to what it became after the coming of the Rifts, they had already began experimenting with combining magic into their aircraft. Several of them had prophetic warning about the coming of the Rifts and they decided to hide in remote areas to wait out the magic storms which ravaged the planet. When they emerged, they saw a world which had changed completely. The militaries had been wiped off the globe for the most part and the old relics where often the only air forces remaining. They began a systematic study of how to incorporate magic into their aircraft. They kept their aircraft flying often through just magic. It is believed that these pilots became the first techno-wizard aviators. These people were also often the only source for information about old aircraft.

Eventually these people decided to begin building new aircraft, often from scratch. They had began considering building facilities for large numbers P-51 Mustang fighters when Golden Age Weaponsmith began producing numbers of the old fighter. This gave the techno-wizards a ready source of the aircraft and they began converting the fighters to techno-wizardry. They specialized in propeller driven designs and there is a bit of a rivalry between the pilots of propeller aircraft and jet fighters. The conversion of old World War Two aircraft was the origin of the company "Classic Wings."It is believed that the company was the school where many of the techno-wizards producing other designs such as the "Wildstorm" fighter first learned their trade. "Wildstorm" fighters have not become Classic Wings.

Classic Wings builds several different variations on their Techno-Wizard P-51 and the cost can vary widely based on equipment in the aircraft. Some models run the Golden Age version of the Packard Merlin engine while others have the engine replace by a fusion reactor which gives virtually unlimited range. Some pilots elect to not have the "Armor of Ithan" force field although it is a standard option and is preferred. The final option is new and has only been introduced within the last few years. This is the addition of a "Buzz" Prop, basically a variation on the spell "Spinning Blades" and is carried in several different aircraft in addition to the Classic Wings P-51 Mustang.

All models, those with a convention piston engine and with a fusion reactor, all mount the telekinetic flight system for flight on ley lines. Compared to the Golden Age piston engine, the aircraft has virtually unlimited range when flying on ley lines. Top speed on Ley Lines is about two hundred miles per hour and is virtually silent. For normal flight, the copy of the Packard Merlin engine has a maximum range of thirteen hundred miles with a top speed of a little under four hundred and ninety miles per hour. The range is vastly increased on fusion powered versions with a top speed of around five hundred and thirty miles per hour. The engine does overheat if run continuously at high speed. Like many other fighters, the engine is derived from those carried in many power armors and is extremely lightweight.

Many features seen in other fighters seem to have originated with Classic Wings designs. This includes a full electronic suit including a compact but powerful fire control radar system. The cockpit of these fighters is fully environmental and are equipped with advanced holographic displays. Normally, the displays mimic the gauges of the original P-51 but can be reconfigured when the pilot needs more comprehensive displays. The flight system is an advanced fly by wire system which gives the fighter incredible maneuverability.

Unlike versions of the P-51 made before the coming of the Rifts, the Golden Age version of the P-51 is made from advanced high strength. While these allow the fighter to withstand enormous abuse, the plane is still a bit fragile when compared to most advanced aircraft designs and the techno-wizard P-51 produced by Classic Wings is further reinforced so it can withstand greater damage. In addition, most versions of the Classic Wings Mustang have an "Armor of Ithan" force field to augment the increased armor. The fights carry the impervious to energy enchantment which makes them completely immune to conventional energy weapons.

The P-51 Mustang produced by Golden Age carries six machine guns on the wings. They inflict excellent damage when coupled with Wellington Industries' ammunition although they have a limited payload. While the Wildstorm Mustang replaces the six machine guns with four lightning blasters, the Classic Wings version retains the six machine-guns but converts them into telekinetic machine guns which inflict slightly greater damage than conventional versions. Unlike the lightning blasters, they have to be recharged although they are useful against targets which are impervious to energy. The hard points of the fighter are reinforced compared to the Golden Age version and the fighter has the ability to carry four heavy bombs or missiles. The advanced electronics allow the missiles to be controlled by the pilot and a variety of smaller ordnance can be carried including mini-missile pods under the wings.

Model Number: TW-P-51V Mustang
Vehicle Type: Single Engine Techno-Wizard Fighter
Crew: One

M.D.C. by Location:
[1] Wings (2):100 each
[2] Elevators (2):45 each
[2] Rudder (1):55 each
Cockpit:100
Engine:90
Propeller:40
Landing Gear (2):10 each
[3] Main Body:230
Magical Armor of Ithan Force Field (Optional - 3 times per day):100

Notes:
[1] Destroying a Wing will cause the plane to crash.
[2] Destruction of the elevators or rudder will leave the plane uncontrollable and pilot must eject to survive.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the Aircraft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight

Speed:
Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when traveling and not on take off or landing.
Flying:
Conventional Piston powered: 487 mph (783.8 kph) with an altitude of 41,900 feet (12,780 meters.)
Fusion Reactor Powered: 528 mph (849.7 kph) with an altitude of 45,500 feet (13868.4 meters.)
Telekinetic Flight System (All Models): 200 mph (320 kph) on Telekinetic flight system but aircraft must remain on a ley line for flight system to operate.
Maximum Effective Range:
Conventional Piston powered: 1,300 miles (2,092 km) . The Mustang cannot be refuel in the air.
Fusion Reactor Powered: The Mustang will overheat after twelve hours of operation at above 300 mph (482.8 kph) on propeller driven flight.
Telekinetic Flight System (All Models): Effective unlimited on Telekinetic flight system.

Statistical Data:
Height: 13 feet 8 inches (4.17 meters)
Wingspan: 37 feet .5 inches (11.3 meters)
Length: 32 feet 2.5 inches (9.82 meters)
Weight: 7,560 pounds (3430 kilograms) empty, 11,800 pounds (5352 kilograms) fully loaded
Power System: Powered by a conventional piston engine or a fusion Reactor (five year life span.) Mustang uses a Telekinetic flight system for flight on ley lines.
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment), does not include hard points
Black Market Cost: Standard Model with conventional piston engine costs 7.8 million credits, Standard Model with five year fusion reactor costs 10.8 million credits. "Buzz" props cost an additional 500,000 credits and reduce cost by one million without "Armor of Ithan" forcefield.

Weapon Systems:

  1. Forward TK Machine-Guns (6): Fairly lightweight and mounted in the wings. The weapons replace the six .50 caliber Browning machine-gun carried on the original Mustang. All six cannons can fire together. It is enchanted by a series of spells so the cannon acts as a more powerful version of the TK Machine-gun. This increases the weapon's damage and instead of being reloaded, the cannon must be recharged by the spell Telekinesis and 50 P.P.E. each once per month. The cannon does full damage to targets that are impervious to energy.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).
    Mega Damage: 6D6 each and 3D6x10+30 for all six.
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
    Payload: Unlimited, although the spells must be renewed every month whether the cannon have been used or not.
  2. Wing Hard Points (4): The Classic Wings Mustang can carry a variety of ordnance on its hard points. The fighter has two hard points on each wing for a total of four hard points. With the addition of sensor systems, the fighter can control missiles instead of just bombs and unguided rockets. Mini-Missile pods are very popular. There is no provision for jamming pods or towed decoys. External ordnance cannot be launched while the electrical field is active but is protected from the magical field while attached to the fighter.
    1. Bombs and Missiles: The only restriction is that a hard point must carry all the same type of missiles or bombs. Both unguided and guided bombs can be carried.
      Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude that bombs are dropped at (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley)
      Payload: 4 short range missile or light bombs, 2 medium range missiles or medium bombs, or 1 long range missile or heavy bomb (all ordnance on a hard point must be the same size and type of ordnance) per hard point.
    2. Mini-Missile Pod: Large capacity mini-missile pod. The aircraft normally carries missile pods for ground strafing, anti-troop, and anti-emplacement attacks. Normal missile used are armor piercing, plasma, or fragmentation mini-missiles.
      Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles only (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Mega Damage: Varies with mini missile types (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Rate of Fire: Each pod can fire one at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 8, or 16 and can be linked with other mini missile pods for greater number of missiles (Counts as one attack no matter how many missiles in volley)
      Payload: Each pod carries 16 mini-missiles.
  3. Spinning Blade Propeller (Optional): This is an additional weapon systems which is only available on later versions of the fighter. Sometimes called "Buzz Props", the enchantment is a modified application of the Spinning Blades spell, this system converts conventional propellor blades into powerful weapon and defense. When activated, the twelve blades appear in a floating circle ahead and slightly wider than the arc of the converted propeller. These blades then spin like a demonic "buzz-saw", protecting the fighter against incoming projectiles. The blades can also be launched offensively in any direction at targets individually on in groups. When launched as a group, the blades inflict double damage. Also, the volley of blades is impossible to parry and can only be dodged.
    Maximum Effective Range: Defensive: 60 feet (18.3 meters) around aircraft, Offensive: 720 feet (219.5 meters)
    Mega Damage: Individually inflict 1D6 per blade, when fired as a group inflict 2D6 per blade (24D6 for the group when all 12 are launched)
    Payload / Duration: 12 melee rounds per activation (cost 20 P.P.E. to activate)
    Bonus: Blades have a +6 to parry missiles, rail gun rounds, auto-cannon shells, and other projectiles aimed at the aircraft. Parrying a missile will destroy the blade parrying the missile. The defense system can also parry energy blasts but is only at +2 to parry.
  4. Techno-Wizard Modifications: The Classic Wings Techno-Wizard Mustang has the following Techno-Wizard Modifications built into the Fighter. These require P.P.E. or I.S.P. from the pilot.
    Special Features:

Special Equipment:
The fighter has all the standard features of a standard fighter (same as standard robot minus loudspeaker and microphone) plus these special features listed. The special equipment is a combination of both magic and technology

Combat Bonuses:

[Golden Age Weaponsmiths is a trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2005, Kitsune. All rights reserved.

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