Guide:Richtofen
| |
| Richtofen | |
|---|---|
| Class Overview | |
| Category | clipper |
| Operational | 2268 - 2293 |
| Constructed | 20 |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 141.9 m |
| Beam | 135.0 m |
| Height | 17 m |
| Mass | 95,100 mt |
| Performance | |
| Max Speed | w 6.5 |
| Endurance | 5 months |
| Complement | |
| Officers | 2 |
| Enlisted | 16
|
| Tactical Systems | |
| Beam Weapons | 2x phaser IV emitters (single) (fwd nacelles)
|
| Shields | 1-layer globular shield |
| Transporters | 1x GP (3-pad); Mk III |
| Historical | |
| Ships of Note |
|
| Canonicity | |
| Design | aridas sofia |
| Name | aridas sofia |
| History | aridas sofia, Timo
|
Background: Hobbyist's Guide
For the latter half of the 2260s, the attention of starship and starcraft designers was turned towards the novel concept of linear-sequential rather than radial excitation of warp coils. The possibilities of the new type of drive were alluring. The practical execution proved elusive, however, and threw many procurement projects to disarray with repeated delays and complications. But even traditional warp technology had something to offer for the latter half of the 23rd century. It was just a matter of scale.
Once, the Ariadne clippers had attained their considerable speed through the use of immense ring drives. The joint Vulcan-Terran enterprise Panastric offered to repeat this feat of relative advantage with two 128-meter, 40,000 ton nacelled drives, further promising superior acceleration and top speed. The vessel being put forth was not a light cruiser, however. Rather, a crew pod just two decks high would be riding between the mammoth drive units, almost apologetic in its slimness and lack of major systems. The nacelles would contain virtually everything required for propulsion, starting with bulging bow sensors and ramscoops, continuing with coil sections, and ending in sequential fusion reactors and the MHD taps in their exhaust systems.
For crew safety, maximum separation would be maintained between the active sections of the nacelles and the habitat pod. Each nacelle would protrude far ahead of the pod, and the stern ends would be rigged some 130 meters apart on broad wings of pronounced dihedral that also held the vessel’s fuel reserves. The pod was pentagonal in shape, 65 meters long at centerline and 45 meters wide at the broadest point, and was smoothly, nearly featurelessly covered in thermoceramic armor. The hull exposed but two impulse propulsion units aft and a few access hatches on the ventral side.
The type was in theory chiefly an engineering exercise. In practice, it was also a sales success, as Starfleet procured twenty hulls and ten spare pairs of engines outright. Class leader USS Richtofen (NCC-L330) continued where the Chasseur class had left off and rounded out Starfleet’s modern scouting forces with a fast albeit low endurance type.
An established top speed of warp 5.5 inevitably led to a ‘clipper’ designation, a useful distinction in an era whose other scoutships remained lumbering heavyweights. Furthermore, scouting was to be but one of the many duties of the type: a principal application was as priority courier, for dignitaries and dispatches as well as for troubleshooters and tactical teams. If not for the rather horrid unit price, Starfleet would have ordered another fifty.
A Richtofen needed considerable engineering support at home base, to be sure. Planetary patrol missions initially projected as taking place from colonial bases had to be limited to systems of high level of technological resources and know-how. This was just as well, because some 70 % of the Richtofen force ultimately fell under the direct command of Fleet Operations.
Availability problems were a primary factor in downscaling of Richtofen operations in the late 2280s, with the succeeding Frobisher class largely taking over. However, miniaturization had also led to the highly successful Tai series of courier sleds, less than half the size of the Frobishers yet almost as fast and capable as the Richtofens. A handful of the old clippers survived in Admiralty VIP transport role until the 2290s, then gracefully bowed out to their betters.
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