The Stories of a Dreamlander

My Little Pony: Warfare is Magic

Empire of Neighpon: Aircraft (Teikoku Kūgun)

The Imperial Air Force was raised from nothing, trained and learned through painful lessons, and trial-and-error. Aircraft designs were many, all workable ideas tried, and a large number of prototypes created. From this, a number of very good designs were created, and some unique features incorporated, including expanded use of Scandium Alloy. Scandium, when alloyed properly, has the strength of titanium, the light weight of aluminum, and the hardness of ceramic. Extensive use of it in most Neighponese aircraft, allow them to withstand greater stresses than other NEIGHTO aircraft, and maintain neutral buoyancy with smaller gas bag diameters.

S1A "HAJIME"

DESIGNATION:

Nacowjima S1A "Hajime"

ROLE:

Scout/Light Anti-Sub/Light Utility Aircraft

AIRCRAFT TYPE:

Lifting Body with neutral buoyancy

GUN ARMAMENT:

1 x 1 7mm Nagoya Type-03A GPMG

ORDNANCE ARMAMENT:

Up to 250lbs (113kg) of ordnance

HARD POINTS:

1 under-fuselage

OVERALL LENGTH:

6.88 meters/22.5 feet

OVERALL HEIGHT:

2.36 meters/7.74 feet (Landing Gear retracted)

ENGINES:

1 Suzuki VM-02 Fractal Petroleum

CRUISE SPEED:

60kts/111kph/69mph

MAXIMUM SPEED:

87kts/161kph/100mph

FERRY RANGE:

720 nmi

This is the primary scout plane of the Japanese fleet. With a center-mounted 7mm Machine Gun, the Neighponese had to invent an interruptor gear to allow the weapon to fire through the single propeller. Like all NEIGHTO aircraft, it's a lifting body and neutral buoyancy design. It's primary intent is reconnaissance, and anti-submarine duty. Armament is one single depth charge under the main body. They're supposed to drop in a formation for the best chance of a hit. The hardpoint can also accept a two-bomb rack of 45kg/100lb fragmentation bombs for light troop support. The only down side is that both bombs get released at the same time. The craft can have up to two ponies inside of it, side-by-side, for personnel transfers.

F2 "KITSUNE"

DESIGNATION:

Mitshoebishi F2 "Kitsune"

ROLE:

Strike/Fighter

AIRCRAFT TYPE:

Lifting Body with neutral buoyancy

GUN ARMAMENT:

2 x 11mm Nagoya Type-03A HMG

ORDNANCE ARMAMENT:

Up to 795lbs (360kg) of ordnance

HARD POINTS:

2 internal, 1 under-fuselage

OVERALL LENGTH:

7.22 meters/23.7 feet

OVERALL HEIGHT:

1.86 meters/6.1 feet (Landing Gear retracted)

ENGINES:

2 Suzuki VM-03 Fractal Petroleum

CRUISE SPEED:

125kts/231.5kph/143mph

MAXIMUM SPEED:

180kts/333.36kph/207mph

FERRY RANGE:

900 nmi

A real breakthrough in air combat, the Kitsune's performance is slightly better than the Equestrian F/A-2 Eagle, though it has a shorter ferry range and lacks the Eagle's 20mm cannon. Instead, it has the ability to launch the 610mm "Long Lance" Torpedo from a special under-fuselage hardpoint. It is intended to carry two 150kg (330lb) Armor-Piercing bombs in two internal bomb bays with swing-down bomb arms. These bombs are intended to pierce the hides of the thickest enemy warships. Also available are 45kg/100lbs high explosive bombs, and 255lbs (15kg) light armor piercing bombs. For air-to-air combat, the Kitsune has two 11mm machine guns in the nose. Unlike Equestrian aircraft, it doesn't have the ability to use the 70mm Hydra Rocket Pod, somewhat limiting its ability to support ground forces to just two bombs each. For heavy fighter protection, additional 11mm machine gun ammunition is loaded, instead of bomb ordnance. Note that the Kitsune establishes "neutral buoyancy" only when the basic 11mm ammo load and one pilot are aboard with a combat load of fuel. Other than that, it needs soem take-off distance to achieve proper lift. Despite its shortcomings, the Kitsune is a very agile aircraft, and being rather thin, is harder to hit with AAA weapons.