illustrtion: Air raft reworked

[wbnc]

Okay, worked this up, its a snubnosed fully enclosed version with a bit more space efficient footprint. It's basically the mini/delivery van version. All access is through the rear hatch in this version with no side doors.Secondary hatches are installed in the roof which could be used to mount a pintle mounted MG or plasma gun if needed.

Made me think of the Stargate Atlantis "Puddle Jumper"... just needs retractable engines!

Same concept The puddle jumper is a lot bigger, and definitely a lot tougher

They weren't much to look at but they were pretty dern useful. roughly 8-10 Dtons, good acceleration, nice big loading doors,a dozen or so ship TL 15+ missiles, shield technology oh..and it can cloak

 

[locarno24]

Plus occasionally time travel and has a direct neural control system. Pretty damn skippy.

Well, to be fair, the "puddle jumper" is one of the few really sensibly designed ships for the universe it's in. It makes the maximum use of its constraining dimensions (the 'surface area' of a stargate), can tell aerodynamics to get knotted (or can use its shields to provide a 'fake' lifting surface), and as you say, is pretty sensibly laid out. Might have been nice if the cockpit-to-bay door was airtight, but that's the only problem I can really see in the design.

 

[Jak Nazryth]

These are very good illustrations. I especially like the last 2. I'm gearing up to restart my campaign in March/end of February, and about half the players are new to Traveller. I'll be using your examples to show them... 'This is what an air/raft looks like"
Good job.

 

[wbnc]

Plus occasionally time travel and has a direct neural control system. Pretty damn skippy.

Well, to be fair, the "puddle jumper" is one of the few really sensibly designed ships for the universe it's in. It makes the maximum use of its constraining dimensions (the 'surface area' of a stargate), can tell aerodynamics to get knotted (or can use its shields to provide a 'fake' lifting surface), and as you say, is pretty sensibly laid out. Might have been nice if the cockpit-to-bay door was airtight, but that's the only problem I can really see in the design.

I do believe there were some provisions for sealign off the cockpit in the Puddle Jumpers, can't remember the episode...its a very vague memory.

In general, if I had to design an auxiliary ship or a short range get me there and back craft teh Puddle jumper would be what I was looking for. Access to TL 15+ tech makes it easy t play a little loose with aerodynamics and such by generating a streamlined"Virtual Hull"

I use a similar system for my own setting for hyperspace travel. the dusty and gravel laden region ships transit through for "FTL" requires a ship to mount a "Static Field" to deflect debris. Even then ship get sandblasted on a regular basis.

These are very good illustrations. I especially like the last 2. I'm gearing up to restart my campaign in March/end of February, and about half the players are new to Traveller. I'll be using your examples to show them... 'This is what an air/raft looks like"
Good job.

Tats about the best compliment you could give
I am glad whe people can use what I post. I do it for my own enjoyment and practice most of the time...and the feedback from here helps me tweak designs so I can put the improved work in the stuff I publish. If people want to use it for their own games I am more than happy to supply some useful stuff.

 

[Jak Nazryth]

I played in a Stargate game (based on a competing universal game mechanic system)... we were SG-13 team. In that game the GM has "Puddle jumper trains" since the start gate could stay open for about 20 minutes or so... the puddle jumps would simply line up/link up like a train, and all go through at once. I think 20 or so puddle jumpers would go through at once. Been a while back.

 

[locarno24]

I do believe there were some provisions for sealign off the cockpit in the Puddle Jumpers, can't remember the episode...its a very vague memory.

There's a door, but when the puddle jumper gets stuck in the gate and the front of the cockpit has gone through, they specifically ask about closing off the door, and are told it'd be as much use as "a screen door on a submarine" - the door is there, but it's not an airtight hatch like the rear door.

 

[wbnc]

I do believe there were some provisions for sealign off the cockpit in the Puddle Jumpers, can't remember the episode...its a very vague memory.

There's a door, but when the puddle jumper gets stuck in the gate and the front of the cockpit has gone through, they specifically ask about closing off the door, and are told it'd be as much use as "a screen door on a submarine" - the door is there, but it's not an airtight hatch like the rear door.

Hmm I can see that being a problem. The drawback of using plot to dictate functionality.

 

[bluekieran]

I do believe there were some provisions for sealign off the cockpit in the Puddle Jumpers, can't remember the episode...its a very vague memory.

There's a door, but when the puddle jumper gets stuck in the gate and the front of the cockpit has gone through, they specifically ask about closing off the door, and are told it'd be as much use as "a screen door on a submarine" - the door is there, but it's not an airtight hatch like the rear door.

Hmm I can see that being a problem. The drawback of using plot to dictate functionality.

TBH I'm surprised they didn't earlier run into a plot necessity that ran the other way. I suppose vacuum suits may have mitigated that!

 

[wbnc]

There's a door, but when the puddle jumper gets stuck in the gate and the front of the cockpit has gone through, they specifically ask about closing off the door, and are told it'd be as much use as "a screen door on a submarine" - the door is there, but it's not an airtight hatch like the rear door.

Hmm I can see that being a problem. The drawback of using plot to dictate functionality.

TBH I'm surprised they didn't earlier run into a plot necessity that ran the other way. I suppose vacuum suits may have mitigated that!

yeah sort of odd for a group to be flying around in hard vacuum with no pressure suits...

 

[Condottiere]

I like to think that in an emergency, you can grab an aerosol can out of the ship's locker, and spray on a foam that coalesces in to a pressure suit.

 

[AndrewW]

I like to think that in an emergency, you can grab an aerosol can out of the ship's locker, and spray on a foam that coalesces in to a pressure suit.

You have to save those for emergency propulsion when you are out in your suit.

 

[Condottiere]

I see a market for spray on underwear, breathable yet leak proof.