I'd say that your problems with inventory, kcwong, would dissapear if you weren't stocking such insane amounts of everything on your mecha. There is no need for that whatsoever. One batch of nutrient pills can last you loooong time, if you care to stop by for a meal at a restaurant every now and then. 3000dp points of mecha welding set is enough to fix quite a few battered machines. I don't think I ever used a spare clip, and I stopped salvaging every limb, weapon and module from defeated mecha, as soon as I realized that I'm never gonna use 99,99% of that crap. The parts are easy enough to come by.
Do you have any tips about using those gunships? I have salvaged a few custom Corriahs (sp?), but at best I can only make them -6MV -2TR -1SE, max speed about 340. I assigned one to a newer lancemate, who started with 7 in all skills. When my renown was about 60, he did okay. But now I have near 80 renown, he gets destroyed in all bigger battles.
I'm about to finish my first game... a team of 4 plus a robot pet, with so many salvaged mechas I don't know what to do about them. I have 4 Zero Savins... firing 4 Breaker Cannons are expensive (reward can cover it), but they often deliver one-hit kills.
Aerofighters are best used by yourself, as they require some extra careful handling.
The key is to fly fast. 300+ speed gives enemies something like -16 to hit modifier, so you need to be going full speed when in range of enemy weapons.(it doesn't affect your targeting that much - maximum modifier for your own speed is -3 ar 'run', regardless of how fast you go) You need to be extra careful when turning, so plan your attack runs in advance.
Corriarh is armour less, which is a big problem. I'm not sure if it'll fit, but you might want to try refitting the comet catcher armour from Harkney, which is also classified as an aerofighter, I think.
Fitting in a better computer is not so easy. You already have a +2, +2(IIRC), and commonly available comps(e.g. from Savins), can only give you +3, +3. You can find a Chimentero, though, if you're lucky. It's got something like a +5 TR comp on board, so it might help a bit more.
Also, a 7th skill level lancemate doing missions at 80 renown? I'm surprised he survived those 60 ren missions at all, and it's probably a testament to how good a machine the Corriarch is.
In my last game, I found a "storm caller" on a custom mecha, a 6x10DC BLAST 3 OVERLOAD SPD:4 25ammo weapon. The DC looks modest, but it always hits, and at 6 initiative+14ish speed, it can fire continously. By the time it's out of ammo, every enemy that's still standing is at -15MV, -15TR, and have most of their armour stripped. You just need to carry a single high damage weapon to finish them off. With -15MV, pretty much everything hits. Life has never been so easy.