Verusa Revision Phase, Early Summer 1916Revision: Barnett 1916 V12 'Swallow' EngineInspired by the advanced aircraft that was the Lesser European Swallow, Johannes Barnett revisited his old engine - now the staple of the Verusan Sky Crusaders leading aircraft - and set out to utilize his genius once more to improve upon it, so as to upgrade the existing engines in these aircraft without increasing the size, cost or reliability of the engine itself. To achieve this, he set out to raise the engine's RPM and torque by tampering with the camshaft's lobe and lift duration and by raising the compression ratio of the engine, bringing the engine up to between 280 and 300 hp. If necessary, cost can be shifted up slightly, but the engine must remain compatible with all airframes utilizing it and keep it's reliability.
Efficacy: 4
Johannes Barnett is called upon once again to improve the engine bearing his name, along with the aid of junior engineers from both the Sky Crusaders’ design team and his own company. The list of requirements is long: apart from merely improving the power output by the engine, he must also maintain its size and reliability, as well as keep it compatible with both the Great Emu and Lesser European Swallow planes which use it. This succeeds somewhat – by fine-tuning the power stroke and increasing the compression ratio, more power is extracted from the engine. However, there are limits to how far this can be pushed before the engines suffer damage from insufficiently high-octane fuel.
The final product is the Barnett 1916 V12 “Swallow” Engine, which offers an improved 250 horsepower output as compared to the 1915 model, which only gives 200 hp. The “Swallow” Engine is of course compatible with its namesake to improve its already awesome speed, as well as with the single squadron of Great Emus in operation, where it allows the Great Emu to carry an even larger bombload of 550 lbs. However, it will cost 1 PP per squadron to upgrade squadrons with the Barnett 1916. Mr. Barnett also submits a written opinion that in his view, the engine cannot be substantially improved further while maintaining backward compatibility with current airframes.
Revision: Incandescent AmmunitionGiven the enemy's notable use of bright ammunition to guide pilots while firing, the VSC seeks out similar cartridges in two forms - relatively short ranged (350-400 m) 'incendiary' rounds, filled with magnesium and phosphorous, which are set to burn furiously upon being fired and meant to turn the target ablaze, and 'guide' rounds, with a magnesium and aluminium oxide powder at the base, meant to allow the pilot to lead their shot more effectively. Upon completion, these munitions should be used alongside ball rounds in mixed belts, with one guide round every five rounds, and one tracer every two, in the following order.
BALL - BALL - INC - BALL - TRACER - INC - BALL - BALL - INC - TRACER - ...
Efficacy: 2
In a move inspired by the KPAF, the Sky Crusaders design team decides to start on the field of incendiary ammunition as well. The move is welcomed by pilots, especially the neophytes, who have witnessed first-hand how tracer rounds have allowed Kolechian pilots to gain a gunnery advantage.
Two variants are planned, both with magnesium fuel: a standard tracer round for leading targets, and a shorter-range incendiary for lighting up enemy aircraft. Of these, the first variant turns out well, with the magnesium oxidation producing a brilliant white light that serves acceptably in the tracer role.
The incendiary variant, however, proves much more troublesome. Although initial trials show it to have the desired effect of igniting the canvas skin on targets, the magnesium-phosphorous combination proves a little too volatile for use as incendiaries. While the first few bursts from the Bolt work as intended, chambering the round in an already-hot breech sometimes causes it to detonate, creating a nasty jam in the gun that is difficult to clear in mid-flight. For now, only the tracer variants are issued to pilots, but they should still help the Sky Crusaders improve their accuracy to match the KPAF.
Revision: Lesser European Swallow Maneuverability ImprovementsGiven the relatively sub-par performance of the Lesser European Swallow in terms of maneuverability, the needless bracing is removed and time is devoted to testing the airframe and tweaking it's control surfaces so as to result in a much more responsive aircraft.
Efficacy: 1
Some junior engineer has had the realisation that metal-framed aircraft shouldn’t be constructed in exactly the same way as wooden-framed ones – in fact, it’s almost guaranteed to need fewer structural elements owing to the greater strength of the metal. While conceptually correct, it turns out that he was a little too zealous in removing excess bracing – the first flight of his modified Swallow ends in disaster as the tail snaps clean off the fuselage, sending the unfortunate test pilot a thousand feet into the ground. Enthusiasm for the project quickly fizzles out, and the plans for the newly nicknamed “Boneless Swallow” are filed away.
Revision: JTT Penetrator Aerial MunitionRevision: JTT Penetrator Aerial Munition *NEW NAME 500 lb Stroke of Fury*
In cleaning out the desk of a engineer who had just been committed to the Royal Sanitarium for chronic perversion, his fellow VSC engineers made a startling discovery. Amidst his collection of "Basselton Bible" pornographic comic strips, was a surprisingly brilliant design idea scrawled in the margins...
"We got our Barracuda, and it's fuckin' huge am I right? Something to really be proud of. But our birds won't even take it. Too big they say. Them Navy boys are eggin' us on, so we gotta do it! So how 'bout this. Just the tip. Just slip that in there, and it'll get the job done. Gotta see how it feels, am I right?"
The "JTT Penetrator Aerial Munition" is the 300 lb warhead and impact fuse "tip" of the Cloud Killi, re-encased into an aerial munition shell. The additional weight of the casing and fins should place the total munition weight at 500lb (edit), just enough to fit on a Great Emu. In the hands of a skilled bombardier, the encased 300 lb warhead should penetrate the deck armor of a destroyer, and could be used to destroy other hardened structures such as dry docks, rail terminals, and bridges.
Efficacy: 6
The JTT Penetrator Aerial Munition is the uncredited brainchild of a now-fired VSC engineer, with the (now censored) comic strip taking pride of place in the design documents. Fundamentally, it’s the 300lb warhead and fuse of the Clown Killi torpedo (itself derived from the Barracuda), put into a bomb casing with stabilising fins. Drawing from the earlier work on the Clown Killi, the JTT is mechanically compatible with the Bar’s Shelf-AABR racks, and thus with the existing Emu and Great Emu squadrons. However, with a weight of 500 lbs, it’s just slightly too heavy to be carried by any plane but a Great Emu upgraded with the Barnett 1916 engine, which can carry a grand total of one each.
A few test drops of the JTT Penetrator are undertaken with the single upgraded Great Emu that Johannes Barnett left behind. Against ‘hard’ targets such as shallow bunkers and concrete-piled bridges, the JTT’s performance is superb, inflicting catastrophic damage to foundations and superstructure alike. Against ‘soft’ targets such as troops in a field, the JTT is less destructive than one might expect of a munition its size. However, the engineers have added a fragmentation jacket around the warhead, improving its anti-personnel effectiveness as compared to the regular Barracuda warhead. In a miracle of cost-cutting, the JTT Penetrator is about the same price, per squadron outfitted, as the smaller, more numerous Mk. 1 “Bottled Fury” bombs.
The name remains a subject of some debate. Initially, the whole thing was simply named the JTT Penetrator which was what its inventor named it, with no one actually knowing what JTT stood for. This changed when a junior engineer found out what JTT meant in another one of the lewd comic strips, whereupon there was an uproar to change the name to something else. Within the VSC’s engineering department, there is a small but vocal group of engineers insistent on sticking to a naming theme, descended from the “Bird Watchers”, who originally spoke out against naming the Emu after a flightless bird. This group has seized the opportunity to rename the JTT Penetrator “Stroke of Fury” (to match the Mk. 1 “Bottled Fury” Bomb) and are now collectively known as the Furious. Some remain dissatisfied with making the innuendo more explicit, while a couple of dissenters point out that it should be the “Stroked Fury” to properly match. Whatever the case, it looks like design naming in the Verusan Sky Crusaders will remain a contentious issue for now.
“Stroke of Fury” Aerial Munition: A 500 lb bomb, based off the 300lb Clown Killi torpedo warhead but encased in an aerodynamic bomb casing with stabilising fins. The Stroke of Fury has excellent armour penetration and a large blast radius with acceptable anti-personnel performance, from including a fragmentation jacket. Can be carried by planes outfitted with the Bar’s Shelf-AABR bomb rack with suitable lifting capacity. Cost 1 PP.
It is now the Production & Deployment Phase, Early Summer 1916. You have 30 production points remaining.Planes:
-‘Rhino’ Biplane: A unarmed, single-seater reconnaissance plane. Very misleadingly named, as its fragile wood-and-canvas frame can’t withstand the slightest collision. On the other hand, it’s about as easy to turn as a charging rhino. At least it gets up to a good speed, powered by a five-cylinder rotary engine. Now comes with 'feet' on the wings. Cost: 3/1
--Rhino-F: A variant of the Rhino with a Bolt Machine Gun, modified to use the Crossguard synchronisation gear to shoot directly ahead through its own propeller arc. Cost 4/1
-VRAC A.1 “Emu”: A two-seater biplane with a water-cooled engine in the pusher configuration. The Emu mounts two Bolt machineguns, in front and rear-facing swivel mounts, operated by the observer sitting forward of the pilot. Is reasonably fast and maneuverable for its size. No longer includes carved wooden emu heads. Cost 5/2.
--VRAC A.1b “Great Emu”: A variant of the Emu sporting the air-cooled Barnett 1915 V12 engine in place of the old inline engine. The Great Emu is faster, but less manoeuvrable than a regular Emu, and has a greater bombload of 490 lbs. It also has integrated Bar’s Shelf-AABR bomb racks included to carry said bombs. Improved sub-variants with the Barnett 1916 engine can carry up to 550 lbs of bombs. Cost 6/2
-Verusan F1 Lesser European Swallow: A single-seat monoplane, using the even newer air-cooled Barnett 1916 V12 engine turning a four-blade propeller. It’s armed with a pair of forward-firing Crossguard-synchronised Bolt Machine Guns, giving it good firepower. The Swallow uses a metal frame of hollowed steel tubes instead of wood, giving it higher strength and cost. The wings are wire-braced with thick roots, with a moderate dihedral angle for stability. Speed in level flight is excellent, and great in a dive, but manoeuvrability is below par. Cost: 7/2
Balloons:
-Sky Eye Observation Balloon: A three-man hot air balloon for aerial observation. Two observers sketch out enemy dispositions, while a phone operator relays information to the ground and controls the balloons’ altitude. Comes with spiffy gold-rimmed monocles to help the observers see ‘further’. Cost 1/1
Equipment:
-“Barnson’s Bird-Watching Essentials”: A set of gear for aerial observers. Currently consists of a set of high-quality binoculars, sketchpad and drafting pencils. Cost 1 PP for 2 squadrons.
-Bolt Machine Gun: A belt-fed machinegun capable of accurate firing out to 2000m. It is air-cooled and operates on a closed-bolt firing cycle. Cost 1 PP.
-Mk.1 “Bottled Fury” Bomb: Verusa’s first purpose-designed bomb! A 75-pound high explosive bomb, which is equipped with fins to stabilise it when dropped. Creates a slight fragmentation effect when it explodes. Cost 1 PP.
-Hawk Eye Camera: A fast shutter glass-plate camera, set at infinity focus for aerial photoreconnaissance. Requires the pilot to change the plates after every shot and is mounted to take photographs through a hole in the bottom of the cockpit. Cost 1 PP.
-Crossguard Gearing: A synchronisation gear that allows machine-guns to fire through a spinning propeller using mechanical impulses from a cam wheel, while reducing the rate of fire. The trigger is reconfigured to be a button on the control column, which actually serves to disengage the safety sear instead of firing the gun. A manual safety switch is also included in the cockpit.
-Firefly Flaregun: A single-shot flare pistol firing red, green, blue and white flares into the air for long-distance signalling. They are cheap and can be issued to every airman.
-Bar’s Shelf Bomb Rack: A simple wooden bomb rack that holds two Mk.1 “Bottled Fury” bombs, which are released by pulling a cord. Is currently only available for Rhinos.
--Bar’s Shelf-AABR: A pair of semi-retracting clamps that holds a single “Bottled Fury” bomb each, with multiple such pairs per aircraft. Now comes with a monocular, for pilots to see where their bombs are going. Cost 1 PP.
-Barracuda Torpedo: The Verusan Navy’s one and only torpedo, an eighteen-foot, 1600-pound monster powered by a wet-heater motor. The Barracuda has a range of up to 3000 yards, and comes with actual barracuda teeth, supposedly to "improve penetration of enemy hulls". Cost 2 PP.
-Clown Killi Aerial Torpedo: The Clown Killi is a Barracuda torpedo with a reduced range (and thus fuel load) of 1500 yards, and a smaller warhead of 300 pounds. Unfortunately, it weighs 1200 lbs, too much for any aircraft to carry yet. It is compatible with Bar’s Shelf-AABR bomb racks but suffers from a complete lack of clever slogans painted on it. Cost 2 PP.
-NVR-“Seashell” Voice Set: The latest in radiotelephone equipment used by the Verusan Navy, the Seashell set is a radio voice receiver/transmitter designed for shipboard use, weighing in at 80 pounds for the receiving portion alone. The system operates at frequencies of 500-1000 kHz, and can send a (poor quality) voice transmission up to a distance of 25 miles, scaling up as more power is applied. Cost 3 PP.
-“Stroke of Fury” Aerial Munition: A 500 lb bomb, based off the 300lb Clown Killi torpedo warhead but encased in an aerodynamic bomb casing with stabilising fins. The Stroke of Fury has excellent armour penetration and a large blast radius with acceptable anti-personnel performance, from including a fragmentation jacket. Can be carried by planes outfitted with the Bar’s Shelf-AABR bomb rack with suitable lifting capacity. Cost 1 PP.
Pilots:
-Daring: For King and Country! Verusan pilots are more aggressive and willing to take risks in combat.
-Uniforms: Blue with purple accents. Pilots are commissioned with a ceremonial sabre, which they bring along for every mission, stored in a sheath in the cockpit.
-Knight of Flight Badges: A badge awarded to pilots who demonstrate heroism and bravery in combat above and beyond the call of duty. Comes in three different classes and is extremely shiny.
-Colourful: Sky Crusader aircraft are painted a wide variety of colours, standing out against the skies. Pilots are far less likely to follow the wrong aircraft home.
Technology:
-Basic/Intermediate biplane design
-Basic/Intermediate monoplane design
-Basic pusher configuration design
-Basic balloon design
-Wooden frame construction
-Simple metal frame construction (steel)
-Basic control surfaces: ailerons, elevator and rudder
-Rhino Horn mount technology
-Shiny badges
-Camera mounting
-Basic Synchronisation Gearing
-Basic hardpoints
-Intermediate V12 engine design
-Basic torpedo design
-Basic crystal receivers, voice
-Tracer ammunition
-Basic armour-penetrating bombs
Resources:
-1 Air Academy: Trains new pilots how to take off. Landing is left as an exercise for the student.
-1 Experimental Aerodrome: Designs new planes and other air-related equipment. Produces five dice worth of progress every turn.
-31 production points base.
-1 production point from the Midako sale (1 turn remaining)
Lancer 1 | Verusan F1 Lesser European Swallow (1915 model) | No Equipment | Air Superiority | Regular | Alderic | Maintenance Cost 2
Currently assigned to secure air superiority outside Dreidansk
Knight 1 | VRAC A.1 "Emu" | Mk.1 "Bottled Fury" Bombs, Bar's Shelf-AABR | Level Bombing | Rookie | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 2
Currently assigned to bomb enemy defenses outside Dreidansk
Knight 2 | VRAC A.1b "Great Emu" (1915 model) | Mk.1 "Bottled Fury" Bombs | Level Bombing | Rookie | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 2
Currently assigned to bomb enemy defenses outside Dreidansk
Knight 3 | VRAC A.1 "Emu" | No Equipment | Air Superiority | Rookie | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 2
Currently assigned to secure air superiority outside Dreidansk
Squire 1 | Rhino-F Biplane | Bolt Machine Gun | Defensive Patrols | Rookie | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to perform defensive patrols along the Demisonne-Derboise Road
Squire 2 | Rhino-P Biplane | Hawk Eye Camera | Aerial Reconnaissance | Neophyte | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to perform aerial photoreconnaissance outside Dreidansk
Squire 3 | Rhino-F Biplane | Bolt Machine Gun | Defensive Patrols | Rookie | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to perform defensive patrols outside Basselton
Squire 4 | Rhino-P Biplane | Bolt Machine Gun, Hawk Eye Cameras | Aerial Reconnaissance | Regular | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to perform aerial photoreconnaissance outside Dreidansk
Squire 5 | Rhino-F Biplane | Bolt Machine Gun | Air Superiority | Rookie | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to secure air superiority outside Dreidansk
Rook 1 | Sky Eye Observation Balloon | Barnson’s Bird-Watching Essentials | Artillery Spotting | Regular | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to artillery spotting at the Demisonne-Derboise frontlines
Rook 2 | Sky Eye Observation Balloon | Barnson’s Bird-Watching Essentials | Artillery Spotting | Regular | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to artillery spotting outside Dreidansk
Rook 3 | Sky Eye Observation Balloon | Barnson’s Bird-Watching Essentials | Artillery Spotting | Regular | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to artillery spotting outside Dreidansk
Rook 4 | Sky Eye Observation Balloon | Barnson’s Bird-Watching Essentials | Artillery Spotting | Neophyte | No Aces | Maintenance Cost 1
Currently assigned to artillery spotting at Basselton
Prestige: Little
Status: Auxiliary Service
Army Relations: Warm
Navy Relations: Warm
Production Points: 30
Total Maintenance: 17
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Topic: Knights of the Skies: Verusa Thread - Early Summer 1916, Production Phase (Read 59991 times)