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The Allied Nations gained their victories in last two wars with two factors. First, technological advancement in every field. Second, air superiority with much more planes, better trained pilots and more advanced weapon systems. The Allied Air Force remains one of the largest and best equipped air forces in the world to this day, and a force to be reckoned with.
Utility Helicopters[]
R-9 Bluejay Transport Helicopter[]
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| (Minor) faction(s) |  Allied Nations
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| Type | Helicopter |
| Designation | Transport |
| Mod Relevance | In-Game |
| Country of Origin | United States |
| Produced/ Trained at |
Global United Helicopters, Stratford |
| Key Features | » Cockpit w/ surround windows for maximum view » Seating for infantry » Aerodynamic firing slits » Extra fuel storage » Large reserve of parachutes |
Main Article: Bluejay Transport
"What can I say about the Bluejay? It's the largest helicopter me and my company have designed so far, and I hope it will remain for long time. It has a wide range of functions, which our troops on the front lines desperately need."
- - Igor Sikorsky
After the great success of the R-3 and R-4 helicopters designed by Igor Sikorsky, the newly-formed Allied Nations requested from Sikorsky a large transport helicopter, which was to form the core of the air cavalry units that the Allies were forming to combat the Soviet Union. A few months after receiving the request, his company, Global United Helicopters presented to the Allied officers a R-9 Bluejay helicopter.
At the time it was the largest helicopter ever built, with various improvements from its predecessors. Its powerful engines allowed the Bluejay to carry 10 tons of cargo, eight times that of what the R-4 was capable of. Its three-man crew of pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer has a large radius of view, as the cockpit got its windows in 180°, giving a crew a good view of the battlefield.
The Bluejay was accepted as the primary Allied transport helicopter and soon the first seventy helicopters were deployed to the Europe with the 1st Airborne Cavalry, quickly becoming a continual headache for the Soviet Union. Allied air cavalry doctrine was quickly refined and built upon, and a common tactic was for squadrons of Bluejays to swoop down on Soviet forces, with the Bluejay's passengers firing out of the helicopter's weapon slits at any targets that presented themselves.
This was also taken advantage of during raids on Soviet supply depots, where Longbows would take out SAM sites and other priority targets in order to clear the way, while the Bluejays would close on the supply depots, their passengers raining fire on anything that moved. Once most of the targets on the ground had been eliminated, they would land their passengers, who would then proceed to raze the supply depot to the ground and make off with any supplies they could carry. This would all happen in a matter of minutes, far too quickly for the Soviets to respond in strength.
After the war, the Bluejays were eventually replaced by UNH-1 Cardinal helicopters, which were smaller, faster and more reliable. The Allies' Bluejays were mostly sold off to other countries, such as South Vietnam, while the helicopters that were left remained in service with the 5th Airborne Cavalry, even though they would never be called up during the war, having been displaced by the Peacekeepers. Following the death of President Ackerman, the 5th Airborne Cavalry defected to the Confederate Revolutionaries, taking with them what remaining Bluejays the Allies had.
M40 Pelican Subhunter Helicopter[]
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| File:FrigateInGame.png | |
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| (Minor) faction(s) | Allied Nations
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| Type | Attack Helicopter |
| Designation | Anti-Ship/Anti-Sub |
| Mod Relevance | In game |
| Country of Origin | Canada |
| Produced/ Trained at |
Canadian Aeroplanes Ltd., Toronto |
| Key Features | » Mk. 12 depth charge launcher » SE-410 turboshaft engines (x2) » Submarine silhouette identification guide » Codebreaking machine for Soviet submarines » Wireless television w/ 18 channels |
"It's quite an original helicopter to have on deck, but even though they look like that, they saved the Enterprise several times!"
- - Fleet Admiral William Frederick Halsey, Jr.
This revolutionary design was introduced in the middle of the World War II as a answer for numerous Soviet attacks on convoys of merchant vessels using submarines. Canadian Aeroplanes Ltd., company which in previous war produced several planes and fighters for the Triple Entente, offered their services and promised they would create a helicopter capable of hunting Soviet submarines.
Their development was based on other helicopters of that time, with skeletal wings and a tail not unlike those of Longbow helicopters, but what was presented to the Allied Command was something never seen before. Powered by two SE-410 turboshaft engines, each on the end of the wing, the so-called "tiltrotor" helicopter could take-off easily with its engines pointed upwards, before tilting its engines forward for conventional flight. No one before the Canadians had created such a helicopter, and many officers were sceptical about its speed and manoeuvrability. But they agreed they would give the M40 Pelican a chance.
A number of Pelicans were dispatched to the Atlantic where, flying off the decks of Allied aircraft carriers, were deployed to hunt down submarines which were trying to attack Allied convoys. After three months, the war ended, and plans were to operate the Pelicans off a new generation of Ironclad-class destroyers, which would incorporate airpads into their design. However, Allied High Command wasn't interested in this, and the Ironclad-class was replaced by the newer Michell-class, while the Enterprise-class was supplanted by the new Halcyon and Von Esling-class aircraft carriers. The Pelicans were relegated to Coast Guard duties, stripped of their weaponry.
Only twenty Pelicans remain in Allied possession today, however, as most of the Coast Guard's Pelicans were stolen in various raids by the Confederate Revolutionaries, likely with covert assistance from sympathetic Coast Guard members. They have been reappearing recently, now armed with oil drums acting as bombs and operating off stolen Frigates.
UNH-1 Cardinal Utility Helicopter[]
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| (Minor) faction(s) | Allied Nations
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| Type | Transport Helicopter |
| Designation | Transport |
| Mod Relevance | In-Game |
| Country of Origin | United States |
| Produced/ Trained at |
Pelican Helicopter Plant #1, Hurst |
| Key Features | » Armoured pilot seats (optional) » Bench seats (x2) » Spectrum target designator » Self-sealing fuel tanks » Record player w/ subwoofers |
Main Article: Cardinal Transport Copter
During the early 1960s, the Allied Nations came to the realisation that the current helicopters in Allied service were fast becoming obsolete. While fast and providing a degree of mobility to forces, the R-9 Bluejay was simply too large and too vulnerable to enemy fire. With the Allies lacking a suitable helicopter to replace the Bluejay, a competition was announced for a new general utility helicopter. By December 1964, the Allies had their answer in the UNH-1 Cardinal.
Accepted into service, the Allies soon found the Cardinal to be a good choice when war broke out in Europe. Establishing a reputation for speed and reliability, the Cardinal went on to replace most of the Bluejays in Allied service, providing rapid infantry transportation and insertion. Multiple variants of the Cardinal were developed, such as the machine gun armed Cardinal Slick or the custom Cardinal Raven. However, the mainstay for Peacekeeper divisions remains the UNH-1C, equipped with a spectrum target designator and being cheap and cost-efficient to deploy.
Now that the war in Europe has ended, the Allied Nations have been able to focus their attention on other theatres, most notably Vietnam. With the recent Allied intervention, an increasing number of Cardinals have seen deployment in Vietnam. At present, there are around 2,000 Cardinals in Allied service, with close to a quarter of them operating in Vietnam.
FTUH-51 Cryocopter[]
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| File:AlliedCryocopterIngame.png | |
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| (Minor) faction(s) | Allied Nations
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| Type | Helicopter |
| Designation | Support |
| Mod Relevance | In-Game |
| Country of Origin | Netherlands |
| Produced/ Trained at |
FutureTech Corporation, Amsterdam |
| Key Features | » Custom Cryobeam » "S.H.R.I.N.K." Beam » State-of-the-Art Diagnostic Systems » On-board Library and Mini-Lab » Heated Leather Seats |
Main Article: Cryocopter
Of FutureTech’s many creations, perhaps the best known is its cryobeam, a revolutionary energy-absorption system that works by spraying targets with a high velocity stream of water and a burst of liquid helium, flash freezing the target into a fugue state. Of the many uses of cryotechnology, the most famous is the FTUH-51 Cryocopter.
Pairing FutureTech’s cryobeam with a helicopter chassis developed by Westland Helicopters, the initial idea for the Cryocopter was for it to aid in the capture of criminals, flash freezing them and allowing police forces to detain them without loss of life, as well as to help firefighters put out fires. It is possible that these would have been the Cryocopters only applications, were it not for an accident that occurred during testing, in which one of the subjects who had volunteered to test the cryobeam’s effects on humans was shattered into pieces and killed. Upon learning of the incident, the Allied military began to take an interest in the technology.
With additional funding from the Allied military, the development of the Cryocopter proceeded swiftly. In addition to upgrading the Cryocopter chassis with military grade armour plating and further miniaturise the cryobeam, FutureTech was also able to take advantage of the freed up space to mount another one of its inventions onto the Cryocopter—the strong homogenous residual-interactive neutron kinetic beam, or “S.H.R.I.N.K.” beam, which allowed it to shrink targets down temporarily. The Cryocopter saw extensive usage in the Third World War, often providing support by shrinking targets down to a more manageable size or freezing them solid.
Recently, more and more Cryocopters are seeing use in the civilian applications they were originally designed for, given that the Allied military doesn’t require them now that the war is over. However, given that the situation in North America--not to mention other parts of the world--is heating up, it may not be long before the Cryocopters are requisitioned again for military use.
CH-89 Nightingale Crane Copter[]
Main Article: Nightingale Carryall
Attack Helicopters[]
Westland AH-53 Longbow Attack Helicopter[]
Main Article: Longbow Helicopter MK I
AH-53L Longbow Liberator Attack Helicopter[]
Main Article: Longbow Liberator
XDAH-78 Heisenberg Jet-Assisted Turbogyrodyne[]
Main Article: Heisenberg Assault Copter
Fighters & Interceptors[]
GIC-F Cutlass Ramjet[]
Main Article: Cutlass Ramjet
P-55 Hawker Jumpjet[]
Main Article: Hawker Jumpjet
Firebolt Mk. IX Fighter[]
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| (Minor) faction(s) | Allied Nations
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| Type | Fighter-Bomber |
| Designation | Anti-Air/Anti-Ground |
| Mod Relevance | Lore |
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
| Produced/ Trained at |
Fairey Aviation Company, Manchester |
| Key Features | » PV-1 20mm cannon (x2) » Browning .50 cal machine guns (x4) » Rolls-Royce "Griffon" engine » Multi-purpose underwing hardpoints (x2) » Royal Air Force roundels |
"If anybody ever tells you anything about an aeroplane which is so bloody complicated you can't understand it, take it from me: it's all complete tosh."
- -R. J. Mitchell
Ask any British schoolboy what his favourite plane of the Second World War was, and you’ll get many different answers. But likely as not, somewhere high up on that list is the graceful, deadly, and utterly beautiful Fairey Firebolt; a fighter that ruled the skies in the early days of WWII.
Created under the auspices of Fairey Aviation, by the aid of famous aviation engineer Reginald Joseph Mitchell (who had recently been made redundant by the closure of Supermarine Aviation), the Firebolt was a world-beater when it came out in late 1938 and early 1939, and a worthy successor to Mitchell's Supermarine Racing seaplanes that won Britain the prestigious Schneider Trophy in the late 1920's and early 1930's. Knife thin elliptical wings and a carefully crafted fuselage created a sleek, graceful machine that was a pilot's dream; fast, manoeuvrable, and yet easy to fly. Coupled to an armament of four .50 cal Browning machine guns and two 20mm autocannons, she had the teeth to bite into any Soviet aircraft. A mere two months after the start of the Second World War, the cry of "Firebolt, 12 o'clock high" would send Soviet pilots all but running for home. Perhaps the finest example was on April 12th, 1950, when a mere six Firebolts, patrolling near the French border, defeated an entire wing of Yakolevs on their own.
But sadly, technology marched on as it always does, and the arrival of the jet fighter spelled an end to its domination of the skies. But though the Firebolt was down, it was not out. The fittings for the drop tanks turned out, with only minor tinkering, to be ideal for mounting bombs and/or rockets, giving the Firebolt a new lease of life as a fast ground attack aircraft; and even then, it was still more than capable of squaring off against most Soviet helicopters. Throughout the whole war, the howl of the Rolls-Royce engines would serve as a great morale-booster for the Allied troops on the ground.
After the war, many Firebolts, and their American cousins the WP-501 Stallion, were rendered surplus to requirement and sold off in larger numbers. Some were sold to nations newly aligned to the Allies, to modernise their air forces. Many more met an inglorious end in being scrapped and melted down for their metal. And a chosen, lucky few would find themselves in the hands of private owners, and lovingly restored and cared for.
But even today, the Firebolt still soldiers on, as a squadron forms part of the RAF's "Battle of Britain Memorial Wing", and several more see occasional use as an aggressor squadron for the Allied Air Force, ironically masquerading as Soviet Yakolev Dive Bombers.
Nimbus Mk. V Fighter[]
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| (Minor) faction(s) | Allied Nations
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| Type | Fighter |
| Designation | Anti-Air |
| Mod Relevance | Lore |
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
| Produced/ Trained at |
Fulton & Whittle Industries, Liverpool |
| Key Features | » PV-1 20mm cannon (x4) » Self sealing fuel tanks » Fulton & Whittle "Comet" J9 turbojet (x2), rated at 27 kN each » Royal Air Force roundels » Ejection seat (unreliable) |
Nearly two decades before the start of World War II, in the year 1930, a young man by the name of Frank Whittle conceived the idea of an aircraft engine which would compress air into a combustion chamber, and then utilise the exhaust directly for thrust. The concept itself was not new, and had been discussed for a few years.
When Whittle subsequently joined the Royal Air Force and attempted to persuade his superiors that his idea would work, his engine was dismissed as "impracticable". Whittle continued to work on his design, but was unable to do anything for lack of funding. For several years his design stalled.
It was only in 1938, when a man by the name of Henry Fulton approached Whittle and offered to back him financially, that did Whittle's design finally begin to take off. Whittle was quick to accept, and Fulton & Whittle Industries was founded.
Things went at a fairly steady pace after that, although there continued to be a lack of interest in the design. Whittle continued to refine and improve his designs, patiently waiting for someone and take notice. It was only in 1945 that the British government finally took interest in the possibility of jet powered designs. Fulton & Whittle quickly attracted their attention, for their engines were way ahead of any competitors in the field, and they received a contract to build the first British jet fighter not long after.
Following four years of repetitive cycles of designing, testing, redesigning, and then retesting over and over again, the first operational Nimbus finally took to the air in 1949, mere weeks before the Soviet Union declared war on the rest of Europe. The day after war broke out, the size of the order for Nimbus jets was almost trebled and British defence spending ballooned. Fulton & Whittle were barely able to meet demand, and had to expand their facilities to keep up.
The Nimbus was quick to prove itself. A few weeks after the start of the war a Nimbus of the 31st Fighter Squadron scored the first kill of any British jet fighter. By this time Germany had already unveiled their Ma 261 Vampir fighters, which had been developed in complete secrecy by the Germans. Together, the two new fighters went on to prove themselves superior to anything the Soviets had. The only thing that prevented them from making a major impact in the war at the time was their relatively small numbers. The appearance of two jet fighters was most likely what spurred the Soviets to hasten the development of their own jet fighters.
In combat, the Nimbus, with its twin jet engines and armament of four 20mm cannon, outflew and outgunned anything the Soviets had in their inventory. It boasted a superior climb rate and flight ceiling, a longer operational range and better armour than any Soviet fighter then in service, as well as the staple Allied fighter, the WP-501 Stallion. The Nimbus soon found another use; in propaganda. The Nimbus, along with the Firebolt, quickly became a "poster plane" of sorts for the Royal Air Force, and was common in propaganda and in recruitment posters.
The Allied introduction of jet fighters created a discrepancy in air power which was only be addressed when the Soviets rushed the Yak-16 fighter to production in 1950, in spite of the many flaws with the fighter that had yet to be ironed out. For the next three years, the balance of air power would swing back and forth as each side introduced successive variants that were thought would tip the balance. Almost every year, a newer and better iteration of the Nimbus would be introduced to counteract the improvements in Soviet air power, and for a while the Allies had the upper hand. This situation would continue until things came to a head in 1952 with the Soviet introduction of the MiG-9 fighter, which was simply in a different class from anything in the Allied inventory, with the exception of the Cutlass Ramjet. Following this, Allied air power took a blow, and would only recover in 1954 when the Hawker Jumpjet was introduced to once again tip the scales.
After the war ended, the Nimbus fighters remained in service for a few more years, as they had been constructed in vast numbers and could hardly be phased out while there was nothing to replace them. However, as newer aircraft were introduced, the Nimbus was increasingly relegated to support and trainer roles. Never the less, the Nimbus has come to be associated with the Second World War, just as the Firebolt and the Stallion both have, and will remain in the hearts and minds of the people for a long time to come.
Torrent Mk.XIV Fighter[]
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| File:Torrent.jpg | |
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| (Minor) faction(s) | Allied Nations
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| Type | Fighter |
| Designation | Anti-Air |
| Mod Relevance | Lore |
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
| Produced/ Trained at |
Fulton & Whittle Industries, Liverpool |
| Key Features | » PV-3 20mm autocannon (x2) » Centrifugal turbojet engines (x3) » Room for an upgradeable radio set » Royal Air Force roundels » Model of the "New" DX-3 Sports Car |
During the first Soviet invasion, RAF Fighter Command brought up the real possibility of a Europe overrun by the Soviets. With their fighters and heavy bombers, they could mount an assault against Britain from the air. Fighter Command thus ordered a new fighter to supplement the existing Nimbus Fighters.
The makers of the new fighter would be Fulton & Whittle Industries, the very same designers and manufacturers of the Nimbus Fighter family. The Torrent's first flight was in 1953, and it narrowly made it into service just before the end of the war, and stayed in RAF service during the inter war period, although it had already been made obsolete by the introduction of the Hawker Jumpjet. It is no longer a frontline fighter, having been relegated to trainer duty, where it continues to train aspiring RAF pilots to this day.
Twister Mk. XV Fighter Bomber[]
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| (Minor) faction(s) | Allied Nations
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| Type | Fighter/Ground Attack Plane |
| Designation | Anti-Air/Anti-Ground |
| Mod Relevance | Lore |
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
| Produced/ Trained at |
White Valley Aeronautics, White Valley |
| Key Features | » "Whirlwind" multipurpose missiles (x4) » Large delta wings » Spectrum rangefinder » Royal Air Force roundels » Lightning Mark for each Tesla Coil tower destroyed |
With the introduction of the Hawker Jumpjet, the RAF felt a little underwhelmed. The Germans' idea of close air support meshed well with the current high level command thinking, and the age of the big bomber seemed to be waning (before the introduction of the B-2X Century) . With this new gap in strategic need, the Royal Air Force's Fighter Command jumped to take the lead and replace the shrinking Bomber Command completely. The job went to the talented Hurricane Works team at White Valley Bay Aeronautics.
Hurricane Works saw the need for a plane that could do the job of a whole air fleet. With that in mind, they gave the Mk. XV "Twister" the latest in range finding equipment and jet engine design. They also incorporated a revolutionary new wing, the Double Delta, into their new aircraft, giving it excellent high speed, while also allowing it to perform well at low speeds.
Unfortunately, just as the design was ready for production, World War II ended, with the first operational flight of the newly minted Twister just days before the ceasefire. The expensive plane was still ordered, just in fewer numbers. Despite its extreme versatility and usefulness in a wide range of roles, it suffered from limited manoeuvrability and range even when compared to its predecessor, the Nimbus. The Twister still found roles as an aerial refuelling platform, chase plane, AWACS (before being supplanted in this role by other platforms, such as the AC-47B "Godhand"), and interdictor (albeit briefly). It also had a theatrical role, as the "Vulcan Bomber" in a popular British spy thriller.
Thunder Mk.XVI Interceptor[]
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| (Minor) faction(s) | Allied Nations
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| Type | Fighter |
| Designation | Anti-Air |
| Mod Relevance | Lore |
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
| Produced/ Trained at |
Olympus Aeroworks, Cardiff |
| Key Features | » "Skyblazer" air to air missiles (x2) » High thrust "Lightning" turbojets (x2) » All-aspect radar (mounted in nose cone) » Royal Air Force roundels » Picture of the T-Force emblem |
The last of Britain's famous fleet of T-series fighters was requested for mere months before the start of World War III. There was a need to have a fast interceptor that could take out Soviet airships and conventional bombers before they got within range to attack their targets. Olympus Aeroworks (not to be confused with Olympus Airlines) accepted the contract to make a plane that could guide Ferranti's XMA-4 "Skyblazer" air to air missile.
The new fighter brought the two companies together to make the plane around the weapon, and the weapon around the plane. The plane was named the Thunder, a warning to all that the RAF was still a force to be reckoned with. Its massively powerful radar can pierce across the horizon, allowing the plane to detect targets from as far as 160 km away.
The fighter was not without fault. Its range was rather limited, since it had been designed for speed and climb rather than loitering capability. The "Skyblazer" was also terribly complicated, with only nominal accuracy. This was tragically demonstrated with a test involving a remotely operated B-15, with only 1 out of the 8 missiles hitting a target. By the time the flaws with the "Skyblazer" had been ironed out, the Battle of Britain had been over for quite awhile, and the F-11 Apollo had already cemented its reputation as the prime Allied air superiority fighter. However, the Thunder still serves in the RAF, if in limited numbers; a small number serve in the interceptor role they were originally intended for, although the rest are used mainly as aggressor aircraft and AWACS support (with their massive radar cones). Ironically, Thunders mimic Tu-24 Badgers in exercises, an aircraft that Royal Fighter Command had intended they be used against.
The British T-Force was a grand experiment to keep a fighting force relevant in the age of national interconnectivity. Though it was only mildly successful, it is still only a footnote in the main war versus the evils of the age.
F-11 Apollo Air Superiority Fighter[]
Main Article: Apollo Fighter
Bombers & Ground Attack Planes[]
Rascal Dive Bomber[]
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| (Minor) faction(s) | Allied Nations Republic of Vietnam Ranger Forces
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| Type | Ground Attack Plane |
| Designation | Anti surface |
| Mod Relevance | In-Game |
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
| Produced/ Trained at |
Olympus Aeroworks, Cardiff |
| Key Features | » 37mm autocannon (x2) » 500 lb. gravity bomb » Rear .30 cal machine gun turret » Napier Scimitar inline piston engine » Armoured cockpit |
Main Article: Rascal Dive Bomber
The Rascal Dive Bomber started off as a secret project for the German air force, at the time still limited by the treaty of Versailles. It was the brain child of Herman Poll, an engineer working for Junkers, who had witnessed the power of the dive bomber in military exercises in America, and believed it to be the future for precision bombing. He believed that to be truly effective, a close support aircraft had to be simple and robust to allow it to operate under any conditions from rough airstrips close to the frontline. He stuck to these principles throughout the prototype. Most noticeably, its gull wings gave better ground visibility to the pilot and increased the ground clearance when landed, allowing it to carry heavier munitions. The prototype was almost finished when it was discovered.
At the time lacking an indigenous engine of sufficient power, the design team ordered a British engine for the prototype. The British were suspicious of the Germans ordering a military grade engine and investigated further. Upon discovering the project, they offered that Junkers either give up the designs and prototype or face trial for breaching the treaty.
The British were very impressed with the design and handed it over to Olympus Aeroworks for testing. They decided that, with a little refinement it could easily best any existing dive bomber. Their changes included redesigning the tail assembly to a single rudder (the original had two to improve the rear gunners field of fire, but it was found to be unable of withstanding the stress of dive bombing), adding automatic dive brakes and upgrading the Rascal’s powerplant to the far more powerful Napier Scimitar.
Christened the Rascal due to its unlawful conception, it performed admirably throughout World War II and became a key part of the Allied counter offensive, providing vital air support with precision bombing and strafing from its autocannons. However, time has not been kind to the Rascal, and many have been scrapped or sent to Boneyards in the US following the introduction of the more modern and effective Vindicator. A large number continue to see service with the ARVN in Vietnam, however, where their rugged design and basic engineering allow them to be used in the difficult jungle conditions. Despite its age, the Rascal has proven undeniably effective in providing air support for the South Vietnamese.
B-15 Skyfortress Strategic Bomber[]
Main Article: Skyfortress
B-2 Century Bomber[]
Main Article: Century Bomber
B-9 Artemis Precision Bomber[]
Main Article: Artemis Precision Bomber
TB-1V Vindicator[]
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| File:AlliedVindicatorIngame.jpg | |
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| (Minor) faction(s) | Allied Nations
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| Type | Ground Attack Plane |
| Designation | Anti Surface |
| Mod Relevance | In-Game |
| Country of Origin | Spain |
| Produced/ Trained at |
Sistemas Asturias, Oviedo |
| Key Features | » BDX-8 "Bandarilla Mk.II" spectrum guided bomb (x1) » IndroSys all aspect multispectrum designator » Articulated turbofans (10 kN thrust each) » Fuel tank mounts on wings (x2) » Expandable chin station for future weapon systems |
Main Article: Vindicator
The Vindicator entered service with the Peacekeepers when they requested for a close support aircraft to replace their ageing fleet of ground attack aircraft. The design needed to have vertical take-off and landing capability, in addition to being robust enough to allow effective forward deployment. It also needed to be able to carry sufficiently powerful munitions to be effective against the latest generation of Soviet armour.
The design they selected for production was Asturias Sistemas’ Vindicator, already in service with the Spanish air force. For propulsion it used four articulated turbofans for maximum stability, which made vertical take-off and landing a lot easier for inexperienced pilots to accomplish. It also increases the Vindicator’s survivability as it could return from a mission after taking damage to more than one engine. Its robust and stocky fuselage allowed it to carry many large munitions, most recently the new GAU-6 "Lightning" anti-tank Gatling cannon. It also leaves enough room for an advanced spectrum targeting device which allows a Vindicator to hit targets with extreme precision.
The Vindicator has proved a worthy successor to the Hawker Spectre within the Peacekeepers, feared by enemies but well respected by Allied ground forces who often have a tale or two of a Vindicator helping them out of a tight spot. They are often used to whittle down Soviet tank divisions allowing Allied ground forces to engage them on favourable terms. It continues to deter enemies of the Allies, and looks set to continue see service into the foreseeable future.
ISP-38C Swan Seaplane Artillery[]
Main Article: Swan Amphibious Plane
AC-56A Revenant Gunship[]
Main Article: Revenant Gunship
FTAC-X2 Harbinger Gunship[]
Main Article: Harbinger Gunship
XB-3 Mesofortress Gunship[]
Main Article: Mesofortress Gunship
Scout, Spy & Cargo Planes[]
C-56 Galaxy Cargo Plane[]
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| (Minor) faction(s) | Allied Nations
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| Type | Plane |
| Designation | Transport |
| Mod Relevance | Lore |
| Country of Origin | Canada |
| Produced/ Trained at |
Lockfollow Company, Halifax |
| Key Features | » Reinforced turbofan engines (x4) » Large payload carrying capacity » Fuel tanks for twelve hours of flight » 4 crew members (2 pilots, 1 designator, 1 loadmaster) » Colour TV with over 5 channels |
“She's a damn fine aircraft. There is not a thing a Galaxy can't lift." “
- - Major Alan Dalton, Galaxy pilot
The Galaxy's origin can be traced back to just after the Second World War, when engineers at the Lockfollow Company in Halifax drew up blueprints for a heavy bomber, intended to replace the B-15 Skyfortress, with the possibility of a cargo plane variant. Initially, development proceeded smoothly, but the designers soon ran into a problem--the powerplant. This problem wasn’t solved until 1964, when the Lockfollow Company switched to using turbofan engines, which were far more powerful.
However, by 1964, tensions with the Soviet Union were extremely high, and Allied Command wanted a bomber capable of stopping or at least slowing a Soviet advance should war break out as soon as possible. Norwell-Hucks Corp, another aerospace company stationed in Los Angeles, had taken the opportunity to develop the B-2X Century, a competing bomber to Lockfollow’s design.
Norwell-Hucks won the contract and began producing Century bombers. With the failure of the bomber variant, Lockfollow chose to concentrate fully on the cargo plane variant of their design. Thankfully, the prototype was made shortly thereafter, and by April 1965 they presented to Allied Air Command the C-56 Galaxy Cargo Plane. Allied Air Command made a contract with Lockfollow to produce as many Galaxies as they could to help the transportation of supplies from the United States into Europe, and later the soldiers, vehicles and equipment.
The Galaxy proved to be worthy of that trust, as it was able to transport tonnes of cargo across the Atlantic, safe from the Soviet naval blockade which hadn't counted on the "aerial bridge". Well armoured, Galaxies could weather dozens of hits from Soviet naval anti-air weaponry, and by the time they within the operational range of Soviet MiG-19 fighters, Allied Apollos would already have arrived to escort them to their destination. In their service during WWIII, only 6 Galaxies were shot down.
Several armed variants of the Galaxy have also been developed, namely the Revenant Gunship and the ultimately failed Harbinger Gunship.
Behind the Scenes[]
- The Galaxy Cargo Plane was suggested by V.Metalic, proposed to be a heavy carrier for Allies, but was changed and will maybe show up in Paradox as props.
- The Galaxy Cargo Plane is based on the Harbinger Gunship, C-5 Galaxy and B-52 Stratofortress.
SR-8 Thrush Strategic Reconnaissance Aircraft[]
Main article: Thrush Strategic Reconnaissance Aircraft
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles[]
ASM-1278 Sky Knight[]
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| (Minor) faction(s) | Allied Nations
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| Type | Ground Attack Drone |
| Designation | Anti-Ground |
| Mod Relevance | In Game |
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
| Produced/ Trained at |
Fairey Aviation, Manchester |
| Key Features | » "Jethro" 500 lb. armour piercing bomb » Forward swept wings » Independently moving canards » Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan delivers 13.3 KN of thrust » Encrypted communications array |
Main article: Sky Knight-class UCAV
The ASM-1278 Sky Knight came to fruition through the Allied Navy's request for a new strike aircraft to operate from the recently laid down Von Esling class aircraft carrier. Based on recent breakthroughs in the field of remotely piloted aircraft, it called for an unmanned aircraft able to operate from a small deck under harsh conditions, and deliver a 500 lb bomb load in high risk environments.
One of the companies to put forward a design was Fairey Aviation. They had not had a design accepted into service since their famous Firebolt and were fighting off a merger with United Aviation. For them it was especially important they won the bid. In contrast to the designs put forward by other manufacturers, they designed their Sky Knight to be cheap and disposable, making use of the Von Esling's impressive automated assembly lines. They argued that without an onboard pilot, an aircraft no longer needed to be made complicated or sophisticated as it was no longer carrying a human being.
The Sky Knight's small fuselage and wings are mass-produced from cheap alloys and can be quickly assembled by the automated assembly lines onboard Aircraft Carriers. The Sky Knight itself is well designed for carrier operations. Its forward swept wings provide high lift at low airspeeds and resistance to stalling and its canards allow it to rapidly manoeuvre or decelerate, making deck landings and combat operations easy to acquire for trainee operators.
Allied high command were pleasantly surprised to see a cheap, robust design amongst many excessive and extravagant designs and announced Fairey as the winner. Today, the silhouette of a Sky Knight is a welcome sight for any Allied force, providing air support where other aircraft wouldn't dare and delivering their 500 lb payloads with pinpoint accuracy.
ASM-1280 Sky Paladin[]
Main article: Sky Paladin-class UCAV
ASM-1303 Pulsar[]
Main article: Pulsar Drone Missile
ASM-1352 Hermes[]
Main article Hermes UAV
ASM-1542 Quasar[]
Main article: Quasar drone
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