By Douglas Saldana (Dsal) on Saturday, August 10, 2019 - 05:19 am: Edit |
I saw that Steve evaluated a "double secondary hull proposal". I just wanted to throw this in the ring as well:
Federation Tri-Hull Early Emergency Dreadnought (YDNE)
The Federation was a latecomer to the construction of “modern” (by EY standards) Dreadnoughts. When it was learned in Y95 that the Kzinti had deployed several of these massive vessels (only 3 years after the conclusion of the First Federation-Kzinti War) the Federation had not yet allocated funds for a design study much less begun construction. Star Fleet knew it would need at least five years to deploy a DN of its own given that it required designing a new hull of unprecedented size. As a stopgap (and a deterrent) Star Fleet considered constructing an “emergency dreadnought” (as it came to be known) using only existing components from the YCA.
The concept was a cruiser saucer with, not one, but two secondary hulls mounted in parallel but with enough space between them to mount a 3rd engine supported by a single strut from each engineering section (the center engine was parallel to the other engines and NOT attached to the saucer). By mounting the secondary hulls under the far right and left of the saucer (starting just behind the centerline) the desired spacing could be achieved. The “necks” connecting the hulls to the saucer had to be shortened to give the center warp engine sufficient height to clear the saucer but this provided additional stability.
This sprawling and ungainly vessel was dangerously unmaneuverable (a snap turn was a death sentence) but was not expected to do much but “show the flag” until true Dreadnoughts could be deployed. The sole vessel of the class was deployed in Y97 and dismantled in Y102 so that its components could be reused in YCAs then under construction.
By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Saturday, August 10, 2019 - 08:08 am: Edit |
I made a SSD for exactly that design once upon a time.
Garth L. Getgen
By Jeffrey George Anderson (Jeff) on Saturday, August 10, 2019 - 01:14 pm: Edit |
This idea, while it looks good on the surface (the ponderous lack of maneuverability is, IMO, a literarily wonderful balancing element that respects the original material), please think about what sort of abuses can happen.
Back in the `80's, I crayon-and-graph-papered an SSD for a ship that used two secondary hulls from the Commander's Edition SCS. The ship operated six fighter squadrons.
Nowadays, I'm ashamed of that idea, but I thought it important to share it now so it may serve as a cautionary tale.
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