Guide:Class B5
| |
| Class B5 / HSA(P/C)-20 'Chippewa' or 'Heavy Howler' | |
|---|---|
| Class Overview | |
| Category | heavy atmospheric/spatial shuttle |
| Operational | 2197-2259 |
| Constructed | 120 |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 12.2 m |
| Beam | 8.6 m |
| Height | 4.1 m |
| Mass | 13.1 tons |
| Performance | |
| Cruise Speed | sublight |
| Max Speed | sublight |
| Endurance | 16 days |
| Complement | |
| Crew | 2 |
| Passengers | 6-10
|
| Tactical Systems | |
| Beam Weapons |
|
| Shields |
|
| Canonicity | |
| Design | Matt Jeffries (for War of the Worlds) |
| Name | own |
| History | own
|
A companion design was fielded for the Class A6 light shuttles in 2197, intended almost
exclusively for deployment aboard the Horizon and Advance heavy cruisers. No lesser vessel could
have embarked the heavy Class B5 cargo hauler, nor would they have needed its capabilities. The
winged bullet design generally resembled the A6, but at notably larger scale. The shuttle offered
seating for 6-10 passengers, two tons of water-equivalent cargo, or a combination thereof,
depending on the seating configuration. A separate flight deck could be provided for the flight crew
of two by installation of a modular bulkhead, but this was seldom the choice of shuttle crews.
However, a permanent bulkhead separated the aft compartment which featured a toilet, an
equipment locker and an airlock with top and bottom hatches.
Aft of the pressurized compartments was the fusion pile, powering atmospheric jets on the upper aft corners or impulse engines with a linear nozzle arrangement at extreme stern. Fuel was stored within the winglet-tipped wings, which also contained cooling inlets and internal mountings for various sensors. The underhull landing antigravs also had repeaters in the wings. For storage in starship hangars, the winglets folded up against the wings, and the wings against the hull, so that four of the craft could fit within a Horizon hangar. Two was the standard contingent, however, leaving room for a reconnaissance cutter. Later starship designs would still make use of the design, supplanting quality with quantity: the early Mirandas, Suryas and Coventries carried four B5 craft in peacetime, only embarking more modern types when needed, while Coronados often featured six standard models and two special assault variants.
The B5 could be configured for orbital mapping, planetary surveys or simple freight hauling, and was the vehicle of choice for landing parties that were planning to extend their stay beyond one day. Even though far less nimble than the corresponding Class A craft, the heavy shuttle offered a proper airlock, a gullwing cargo door to port side and a narrower passenger door to starboard, and enough internal room to avoid the cramps inevitable aboard smaller craft on long missions.
Advancing technology was overtaking the craft already, though. The aerodynamic design was becoming unnecessary, given the recent advances in compact gravity generator, propulsion and deflector technology; the bullet hull was highly wasteful of useable interior volume, and a boxier alternative was being sought. In 2249, the last Class B5 (officially ‘Chippewa class’, but more often known as the ‘Heavy Howler’ due to the characteristic combination of engine and aerodynamic noise) atmospheric shuttles were drawn from starship service in favor of either the smaller Class F or slightly larger Class G ‘flying boxcars’. Active service continued in planetary assignments, though, and the type was the mainstay of outpost operations well into the 2250s.
Notes
- I've removed the mention of Type III phasers, as these were not introduced until 2 years prior to the B5 being fully phased out of service.