Topic: Early Federation ship

[Spartan-039]

I'm starting to work on a new ship that has been in my mind for a while. I want to create a whole line of Federation ships very, very early on during their exploration of space. Especially an experimental desgin that has a bit of a Babylon 5-ish feel to it. Sort of like a ship desgined for use, but only the prototype was built. Like the saucer section of an early Federation ship connected to a spinning center section for gravity, etc. I'd like some suggestions before I get done with the first version of the ship. Anything will help. I'll post the concept art when I finish it.

[intermech]

Most ships start as sketches. Sketch out some of your ideas, and then post them here. There are plenty of opinions available from that point out.

[Spartan-039]

Allright, I'll be done by tomorrow. hopefully it will be somewhat liked.

[atheorhaven]

I'd start with some basics here.  The Phoenix had the front cockpit, twin nacelles, and missle body.  Maybe incorporate the old Vulcan ring drive in the back of a missle-like body, or a centrally fixed section the nacelles attach to with rotational sections fore and aft of there.  Or mount the saucer vertically and spin that for "gravity" with nacelles attached to the center axis, and maybe a bridge structure attached ahead of the saucer where it could act as a lifeboat.

I'll draw out some ideas on lunch here quickly to show you what I mean.

(edit: very rough, but here's the illustration to give you an idea of what I mean.  Personally, I like the rotational sections the best with the Vulcan drive ring second.. but the centre saucer idea could certainly be explained with early rotational gravity simulation.  Use what you like, or nothing at all.. no worries either way.) 

[Atolm-Rising]

Well I can help out with ideas
if you want that is

[Spartan-039]

I'll get the pictures here soon to show you a rough idea of what I mean.  It takes a while on my computer for it to be uploaded.

[Atolm-Rising]

Here's what I got thus far...

[Spartan-039]

Very good. But it still really isn't the thing I'm looking for. Think of something like the Phoniex, but on a much larger scale, missle-like, with a large, rotating section in the middle with the nacelles on the sides of a box-like thing for a shuttle bay on the back.

[intermech]

I like that a whole lot Atolm. Could be used to start a whole new sci-fi genre. In that case, what about swaping out the nacelles for a ring. Keep the pylons as they are.  Put large bearing structures at the end of the pylons where the ring attaches as if the ring rotates through a set of rollers at the end of the pylons. Buzzards could be put on the bearing structure. Boy do I wish you could have rotating parts in SFC!

[Atolm-Rising]

I like that a whole lot Atolm. Could be used to start a whole new sci-fi genre. In that case, what about swaping out the nacelles for a ring. Keep the pylons as they are.  Put large bearing structures at the end of the pylons where the ring attaches as if the ring rotates through a set of rollers at the end of the pylons. Buzzards could be put on the bearing structure. Boy do I wish you could have rotating parts in SFC!

thnks , Nexus is the game for that...lol

[Atolm-Rising]

Very good. But it still really isn't the thing I'm looking for. Think of something like the Phoniex, but on a much larger scale, missle-like, with a large, rotating section in the middle with the nacelles on the sides of a box-like thing for a shuttle bay on the back.

Thanks too,
sorry mate...lol, this ship is designed under a different principle, gravity created under accelleration(rather than rotating parts)... so the vessel would be constructed like a building, thus the "up" or "top" of the ship would effectively be the bow of the ship.

[Spartan-039]

Makes sense, I might go with that. But I first have got to figure out how the heck to get my 3D modeling program to even bloody work.

[Starfox1701]

So she is setup like a Battletech ship. Seems a bit small considering the fuel load needed. 20+ metric tons per burn/day is alot for an interstellar ship that size. I think it would make a good alternet Vulcan type though. Kinda looks lit the Taplana Hath.

[FoaS_XC]

I think it would make a good alternet Vulcan type though. Kinda looks lit the Taplana Hath.

I think that reason is exactly why it would make a good Early-Fed ship. It's likely that Early federation ships would borrow a lot from the Vulcans.

[Atolm-Rising]

So she is setup like a Battletech ship. Seems a bit small considering the fuel load needed. 20+ metric tons per burn/day is alot for an interstellar ship that size. I think it would make a good alternet Vulcan type though. Kinda looks lit the Taplana Hath.

I dunno, Impulse is pretty damned powerful , and if the ship has low warp, like say warp 1-2 like the Phoenix ancestry, then she's got a good enough power source  to do what is expected too

[FoaS_XC]

Spartan, I am slightly confused. I know you want a gravito-rotational ring, but did you want a vulcan-style drive or a nacelle-syle?

[Spartan-039]

I wanted a nacelle drive, but wither will do. Which is easier to make?

[Atolm-Rising]

I wanted a nacelle drive, but wither will do. Which is easier to make?

I only opted the nacelles because the Phoenix herself had them... So I said why not (and you know how I like Annular nacelles, ie warp rings   )

[Spartan-039]

Well, once I get my 3D modeler to work correctly, then I'll try both he nacelles and the rings.

[FoaS_XC]

one thing to keep in mind if you do gravito-roational rings. You need 2 counter-rotating segments of equal mass - otherwise the direction of motion can get very screwy.