Air and Space Photos from Alternate Worlds.

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https://www.deviantart.com/macrebisz/art/Tu-211-528858639
 
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View from the control cabin of the Schweizer-Reneke, an Ossewa-type heavy lifter of the Laerstaat Lamhui-Kongsi, a subsidiary vassal state of the Transorbitaal Republiek. Visible in the distance from left to right are the Ossewa-type heavy lifters Oom Schalk Lourens and Skote Petoors of the Transorbitaal Republiek and their accompanying Bakkie escort, which have made the long haul voyage to the sand flats of the Western Fringe in hopes of acquiring prime salvage from the remoter debris fields. The mobile laager formation is keeping its distance from a Freeporter impi swarm, attempting to draw off the marauding pirate horde from the ancient spacewreck that is the object of their salvaging expedition. All three Ossewa are of the Kakebeen, or "Jawbone", modification block. This modern update to the centuries-old Blesbok-class lifter design was developed by the Orbitaaler clans of the equatorial latitudes in response to the titanic storm cyclones endemic to the region. The Kakebeen modification involves the disassembly of the rear-mounted sensor fins, comms masts, and aft conning tower of the original Blesbok-class Ossewa lifters, which proved vulnerable to hurricane-force lateral winds. The sensor and comms arrays are then relocated to the sturdy starboard superstructure, which is also enlarged to accommodate the command functions of the aft conning tower. Finally, the upper cargo deck and protective sail are extended rearward into the space formerly occupied by the aft conning tower, sensor fins, and comms masts, thus increasing the heavy lifter's maximum cargo volume.
 
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Through the chilling effect that the signing of the Zentrumpakt had on European affairs and the Stanley Government’s rearmament drive, by 1949 defence spending was at almost 17% of gross domestic product in the UK.

The 12 jet fighters based on the the Thames represented for the first time since the last World War that the Royal Navy was part of the capital’s defences. Much to the RAFs chagrin, Saro Cyclone jet seaplanes of the Fleet Air Arm’s 901 Squadron supported the interceptors of Fighter Command and the guns and guided weapons of Air Defence Command.
 
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By 1949 defence spending was at almost 17% of gross domestic product in the UK, fuelled by the Stanley Government’s rearmament drive.

The 12 jet fighters based on the the Thames represented for the first time since the last World War that the Royal Navy was part of the capital’s defences. Much to the RAFs chagrin, Saro Cyclone jet seaplanes of the Fleet Air Arm’s 901 Squadron supported the interceptors of Fighter Command and the guns and guided weapons of Air Defence Command.
Very cool looking plane. I did a bit of searching for jet-powered float-planes but I didn't come across this one. I did a couple of jet-float-planes for the https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/alternate-history-combat-aircraft.457446/ thread.
Here's a couple of them.

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The idea behind these is that they're suicide weapons intended for countering the Allied invasion of the home islands.
 
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International observers and even full Zentrumpakt members were perhaps understandably wary of the intentions of the German Reich. While the Treaty set out areas of mutual interest and military cooperation, it wasn’t clear what that meant in practice.

It was somewhat of a surprise therefore when it was announced that 1500 of the Luftwaffe’s newest interceptor; the Focke-Wulf Rabe, would be shared between the air arms of Czechoslovakia and Romania, instantly transforming them into amongst the most powerful in Europe.
 
It was somewhat of a surprise therefore when it was announced that 1500 of the Luftwaffe’s newest interceptor; the Focke-Wulf Rabe, would be shared between the air arms of Czechoslovakia and Romania, instantly transforming them into amongst the most powerful in Europe.

1500?! Wow, Focke-Wulf acountants must be going "wwweeeee!!"...
 
1500?! Wow, Focke-Wulf acountants must be going "wwweeeee!!"...

Absolutely...the small print:

900 to Československé letectvo

600 front line aircraft in two phases
Phase 1 (350) manufactured in Germany by FW
Phase 2 (250) manufactured under license in Czechoslovakia by Avia.

300 support aircraft: training, conversion, testing. Can be converted to front line aircraft. All manufactured in Germany by FW.

600 to Aeronautica Regala Romana

450 front line aircraft in two phases
Phase 1 (300) manufactured in Germany by FW
Phase 2 (150) manufactured under license in Romania by IAR.

150 support aircraft: training, conversion, testing. Can be converted to front line aircraft. All manufactured in Germany by FW.

Note: Deal is contingent on 250 front line aircraft being deployed to Grupul Ploiesti.
 
Some cool pics in this thread, even if some of the space stuff makes me look at the feet-dragging over SLS and the like and shake my head in disgust...

Questions, though: I noticed most of the pre-2015 posts didn't have "Likes"; is that a relatively new thing? Also, somebody was reprimanding other posters about quoting entire posts or posts with images, saying it could get them banned...was that really a thing at one point?
 
Jane's All the Galaxy's Fighting Starships (2410 edition) #7

Name: U.S.S. White Plains (NCC-32266)
Type: Marine Assault Carrier
Class: Vindicator-class (3rd of 24, one further batch of 24 under construction, series production 'until requirements are met' authorised by Federation Council)
Nationality: Federation Starfleet (United Federation of Planets)
Service: Starfleet Service Date: 2401 - in Service )
Armaments: 26x Phaser Banks; 14x Point Phaser Emitters; 4x Fore and Aft Torpedo launchers
Speed: (Type 2 Scale) Warp 7.5 (Max Cruise), Warp 9 (at extreme risk)

The Vindicator project was initiated by the ASDB concurrent to the conversion of the Galaxy-2-class. While those ships have done and continue to do excellent service with the FMF, initially they were meant as nothing more than a stop-gap measure until a purpose-built carrier could be designed. However, tensions between the Federation and the Klingon-Gorn Alliance had been rising steadily for several years, so any plans to replace the Galaxy-2s outright were reviewed by Starfleet Command after consultations with the President had revealed that both Starfleet Intelligence and the Federation Intelligence Service had independently come to the conclusion that a major war with the Alliance was likely to break out at some point in the next decade. Having fought in the Dominion War, freshly elected President Ragron was absolutely furious upon discovering that the FMF were either still stuck using the conversions of things such as Starfleet replenishment ships and obsolescent spaceframes or flew in essentially unarmed but admittedly well-shielded assault transports such as the Traveller-class. Determined never to let the Federation be caught as unprepared as they had been in the face of the Dominion, Starfleet Command was instructed to change the situation. Because of this, the Vindicator-class, while already accepted as the new standard, was approved for an immediate provisional production run of 12 units several months before the design was finalised, meant to replace the Galaxy-2s. The regular forces were to receive a changed, slightly updated version of the Vindicator, with heavier armaments and shields but slightly slower cruise velocity, meant to conform with the rest of the Battlefleet in terms of speed, primarily the new Defender-class Dreadnoughts then coming into service.

While a lot less protected and armed than the Defenders, both Vindicator variants were more heavily armed than the Galaxy-2s. However, MAG-Command quickly expressed their dissatisfaction with the Vindicator design, citing it's slower speed as one flaw, as well as pointing out that one Marine Assault Group would be hard-pressed to fill the bays of even one of those ships, as they would have no need for the heavy vehicle bays and deployment transporters. Having little need or inclination to expand the numbers of their individual component units, the Galaxy-2s were the perfect size and more suited to the fast-moving light tactics employed by the MAGs. All this would later be proven as true, especially by USS Shran and USS McAuliffe, but at the time it was considered to be a somewhat flawed way of thinking.

Fleet Marine Command was all too aware that this meant they would potentially be getting twelve additional hulls far earlier than expected and pestered Starfleet Command to approve of this change. Needless to say, approval was given, and the barely started first four Vindicators (USS Vindicator, USS T'urion's Ridge, USS White Plains and USS Bolarus) were re-tasked to the regular variant, though various long-lead items such as their Warp Cores had already been started, giving them a slightly higher power output when compared to the rest of the class.

USS White Plains entered service in 2401 and after acceptance trials, joined the FMF 2nd Division at Tellar Prime later that year.


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Notes: I changed the edition to 2410 mostly because it gives me a longer time-frame to play with. It's generally not automatically canon for the verse these posts are based on, (for example, I've since revised the specs for the Galaxy-2s, and even renamed the class to the Sakura-class), but I need more years to do the final pre-war Generation of ships with. Post-war combat records and such will probably be focused on individual ships and take a more classic history-book format.
 
Jane's All the Galaxy's Fighting Starships (2410 edition) #7

Name: U.S.S. White Plains (NCC-32266)
Type: Marine Assault Carrier
Class: Vindicator-class (3rd of 24, one further batch of 24 under construction, series production 'until requirements are met' authorised by Federation Council)
Nationality: Federation Starfleet (United Federation of Planets)
Service: Starfleet Service Date: 2401 - in Service )
Armaments: 26x Phaser Banks; 14x Point Phaser Emitters; 4x Fore and Aft Torpedo launchers
Speed: (Type 2 Scale) Warp 7.5 (Max Cruise), Warp 9 (at extreme risk)

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I thought Marine Assault Carriers had clusters of armored landing pods attached to a central axis?
 
What gave you that idea, if I may ask? :) This being Star Trek, using shuttles and/or transporters is more in keeping with the setting. Since planet-wide transporter inhibitors are unpracticable, they use transporters for the most part and shuttles if that's not possible for XYZ reasons.
 
What gave you that idea, if I may ask? :) This being Star Trek, using shuttles and/or transporters is more in keeping with the setting. Since planet-wide transporter inhibitors are unpracticable, they use transporters for the most part and shuttles if that's not possible for XYZ reasons.
I endorse Dr. McCoy's distaste for transporters and their unnatural “scrambling of molecules”.
Especially if the Other Side uses jamming tactics against transporter frequencies.
 
I do not share that derision. Besides, planet-wide transporter jammers are impractical even with Trek tech.
you don't have to completely jam them, just cause enough interference so it will be impossible to complete transport. and also planetwide isn't necessary, if you end up 200km from anywhere useful (and on foot) beaming over is little use

I endorse Dr. McCoy's distaste for transporters and their unnatural “scrambling of molecules”.
Especially if the Other Side uses jamming tactics against transporter frequencies.
essentially what it does is taking a body apart and reassemble it like it was previously.
that sounds an awful lot like killing & rebuilding to me . And if we do have a soul, i am pretty certain that after been reassembled any body - soul connection will be gone.
 
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