Valkyrie Development History (Variable Fighter: VF)

Written by Tatsuto Nagayama (Studio Nue) with illustrations by Kunio Aoi (Studio Nue); ©1982-2003 Big West

Translated by Miyuki Saito with Ezekiel Letourneau (Studio Kappa); ©2003 Nanashi's Information Group

For personal viewing. Please do not copy or redistribute. This version is printer-friendly.

The MSS Plan

Development of the Battroid was started because of the crash of the gigantic space ship in 1999. This

space ship was named SDF-1 Macross. And the maintenance of the space ship strategy plan based on this

ship, was called the Macross Strategy System (MSS) had begun. Meanwhile, United Nations Forces applied

the super technology (OTM: Over-Technology of Macross), decided the equipment and strategic weapons

for MSS.

Within, the United Nations Forces had a serious problem.... Since the Army seriously considered fire

power and destructive power, they reported to the headquarters of the United Nations Forces that they

wanted to equip only Destroids (which have a walking system) as the new type of mecha.

This was the actual denial to the power of the Air Force and it gave a shock to the Air Force whose main

force were their aircraft, and also to the Navy and the Marines.

However, this priority theory of the human type walking weapons had a persuasive power. Because the

main purpose of MSS maintenance was for potential combat with Giant Aliens. Also, the Army had a great

expectation for the practical use of walking Destroid system. This plan which aims to the realization of

ground combat mecha as the main power, be the substitution for conventional tanks and others.

Of course, the three other forces: the Air Force, the Navy and the Marines did not keep themselves

silent on this matter. They strongly emphasized the effectiveness of Air Force power and mobility.

However the development deliberation was making progress on the Army's side. The main reason was the

future prospects and effectiveness of the Destroid types and the cost reduction by its interchangeable

systems. Especially because the United Nations Force were struggling financially at that time and even the

MSS maintenance was facing reprieve. So for them, the reduced cost was a huge merit. Also the Air Force

was approved the development of the all environ unmanned fighter, the QF-X (a.k.a. Ghost). For this

reason it seemed difficult to approve only the Air Force with a concentrated budget.

Just before "Destroid type - single equipment" of the Army was approved after several investigation

meetings, the Air Force proposed the unprecedented idea.

The idea was a complex that had the ability of a Destroid with a fighter craft. The Air Force insisted that

this system could create the maximum "Compatibility of application" of a Destroid and the "Mobility" of an

aircraft. This proposal of the Air Force sounded odd but it had a probability in itself.

The basic concept of this proposal was "Fuselage Transformation". It housed much know-how through

numerous research based on a VTOL craft named the "Nut Cracker" that was planned by US Marines in the

1970’s. (By the way, this Nut Cracker featured a system in which the fuselage folded 90° in order to

perform take-offs and landings on ships. As a result this development was cancelled, but later it

considerably contributed to the VF-1 concept). Besides, the Air Force had luck. It was Stonewell Co.,

known as the major fighter maker who was doing their own informal study under the forecast of the large

quantity of Destroid deployment. The three Forces (Air Force, Navy and Marine) immediately formed a

United Nation Forces project team and they announced the "Variable Fighter (VF)" concept. Dr.

Tachikahoff Ph.D., from Stonewell Co., was selected as a chief designer. It was at the beginning of the

Battroid model opposing the Destroid. The Project Team sent United Nations Forces an unofficial notice of

the basic specification. It had such a high efficiency that it surpassed Destroid models. It completely

cleared the main weakness of the Destroid, "Movement" and "Deployment" (this is normal because the

craft possess the aircraft ability), and the selling point was also the maintenance and diversion of machine

parts of conventional crafts.

The design's abilities and ideas of Dr. Tachikahoff, Ph.D., were highly valued by the leaders in the

military forces including the Army. The United Nations Forces finally decided the parallel usage of Battroid

and Destroid in December 2000. Even though Battroid was expected the high cost of production (about 20

times more than the Destroid), it was judged that the cost effectiveness was suitable for the prices.

It was the ironical fact in history that the Battroid was created by the tactics dispute and budget

acquisition battle by the three forces.

Battroid Development has Begun

The BVF-X (Battroid of VF-X) Plan was officially announced in the development of the new mecha and

began its basic design in February 2001. Stonewell was selected as the main contractor and Bellcom was

selected as their partner. The fuselage, engine, and equipment were designed individually. However, the

manufacturing process did not go smoothly.

A number of difficult problems were discovered. Even the superiority fighter makers Stonewell/Bellcom

were having difficulty in solving those problems.

In addition, the insufficient propulsion of the first thermonuclear reaction turbine engine the P&W/Roice

TG-301 was also a serious problem. It could not reach the planned thrust of 9,800 kg and this also

resulted in an failure of ignition. Because of those problems, only 55% of the total design was finished on

the scheduled date of March 2003.

The situation worsened, they had to choose either to change the total basic design or just give up

the entire plan.

But this serious situation was saved by the two major makers; Shinnakasu Industry of energy field and

Centinental Co., who was the leader of ground mecha.

The technical contributions by those two companies was remarkable. The engine problem was solved by

a redesign by Shinnakasu Industry. This design was completed and designated the FF-2001-10. The thrust

marked 13,000 kg, which exceeded the required number.

Centinental Co., offered their knowledge in several areas such as a super tension armor, Wamolium

(a.k.a. Dark Face) and others.

The basic design was somehow completed at the end of December 2005. However the craft exterior

was extremely unique --- The main wing possesses a VG mechanism, a packaged V-tail and variable

nozzle that attracted most people’s attention. However, the transformation mechanism of Battroid was

absolutely restricted.

This shows one of the accidents that happened during

the development tests. A VF-1 lost an arm at high

speed during formation flying and stray arm destroyed

the stabilizer of a fellow aircraft. The craft managed

to return by maintaining balance by adjusting angle

of the jet exhaust.

People (non-government people) are puzzled looking

at the arm section at a crash site. The United Nations

Forces announced that it was "Special machinery

and tools that were being transported".

The development of both the Battroid and the Destroid

used to be the top secret during the Unification War.

It was thought of as being a monster when they were

seen by non-government people.

The final exam of Battroid cockpit control. The point

of passage was that the egg has to be picked up

without any damage from the case on the table.

Progress of Tests and Making it Practical

The production of first test model was started in January of 2006. This time, it was a struggle against

time since the completion date given by the United Nations Forces was a mere 36 months and that had to

include flight testing. Finally, the first original model (Serial # 505001) was rolled out (completed) by

around the clock non-stop operation and this model was given the model designation: VF-1A.

The first flight of this original model was November 29th. Meanwhile, 4 more models were completed

before the middle of December. However they found another problem during their 28 weeks of

concentrated assessment testing.

The first problem were the engines. The maneuvering control of FF-2001 often had functionality trouble.

In February 2009, the third model exploded after it flew into the highest level of atmosphere. Captain

N. Blackstone of the Navy was the pilot on that flight and he was killed in the line of duty. Seven accidents

of the same type occurred during February and March. And this caused a temporary grounding until a they

could come up with a safety solution.

Besides that, it's fragile armor and time consuming maintenance and also excessive thrust were pointed

out after the tests. However the overall system was highly regarded. Mass production was started after

approval of use in March 11, 2009. They barely completed it on the given time.

By the way, they accidentally discovered another transformation application during those tests--It

was "GERWALK".

At the end of February 2009, Mr. K. Watanabe, a chief test pilot from Stonewell was on the second

VF-1A model during a VTOL test. Unexpectedly both arms of this model opened, they had turned around,

and entered a unstable condition out in front, then got stuck.

Mr. Watanabe made an emergency landing. He discovered that it made possible a high speed hovering

glide that was up to 500 km/h on the ground's surface in a half Battroid Mode, by adjusting the nozzle,

thrust, and balance-assistance he then managed to return safely base.

They installed a High-speed Gear Weight-countering Resistance System (HGWRS) on the side fairings of

the craft in order to interact with the GERWALK mode.

GERWALK mode was approved for it's usage after they installed a control sensor for hovering/VTOL as

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The repair of the PCS (Propulsion Control System) solved this engine problem. However the accidents

during Battroid transformation occurred one after another. This puzzled the designers until their approval

by the total re-installation of the control system.

There was one more incident during the operation tests. The application testing of the VF-1 in Battroid

mode were confidential considering the equipment's nature so they performed around midnight in a

secluded area. Non-government people who witnessed this application test were frightened and made

phone calls to the military, police station and local authorities! The Military ignored those reports but they

must’ve been in dire distress behind the scenes.

additional equipment. GERWALK mode is the most effective for the total annihilation combat. There is one

actual combat film of the United Nations Forces that shows a scene of a VF-1 in Fighter mode quickly

transformed (its even firing during a roll at extremely low altitude!) into GERWALK, then it nose-dived and

wiped-out all enemies. The VF-1 made a definite qualitative difference with this GERWALK mode compared

to the Destroid.

This Air combat-Battroid-GERWALK complex, the so called the VF-1 series did not allow the appearance

of any opposing strategic mecha for a long time.

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