SA-32A Mitchell-Hyundyne Starfury

Starfury has other uses. Please see Starfury (disambiguation) for other meanings.

SA-32A Thunderbolt
Status	Active
Affiliation	Earthforce
Length	15.3m
Beam	19.78m (Wings Extended)
Draught	5.23m
Mass	52mt
Crew	2 (Pilot/Navigation/Gunner)
Engines	Beigle-Bryant 9000A Particle Thrust Engine
Jump Capable	No
Gravity	No
Weapons	4 linked unidirectional Walters 40mm pulse cannons, 10 External hardpoints (for a variety of weapons)

The SA-32A Mitchell-Hyundyne Starfury "Thunderbolt", or Starfury Mk3 is an Earthforce aerospace superiority fighter craft manufactured by Mitchell-Hyundyne.

History

The Thunderbolt was first deployed in 2260, the same year the Earth Alliance Civil War broke out. The Earth-Alliance ThunderBolt is one of, if not the most powerful fighter of all the younger races, with the exception of the Nial class fighter used by the Minbari.

Characteristics

Unlike previous production model Starfurys, the Thunderbolt is capable of atmospheric maneuvering through the use of deployable airfoils mounted on the main engine pods. The frame of the craft is extended and has a smoother shape for aerodynamic purposes. This fighter has a crew of two who sit in the traditional fighter plane position and operate the controls using a combination of hand, foot, eye and voice commands; the repositioning, though, means the pilots are more vulnerable to G-Forces than in older Starfury models. The ejection system throws the cockpit module upwards rather than forward; there are a pair of secondary thrust charges mounted at the rear of the upper surface that fire at the same time as ejectors in order to push the body in the opposite direction and prevent the module from colliding with the rear third of the craft.

Thunderbolts mount 4 advanced pulse cannons in an underslung position beneath the cockpit. The Thunderbolt also has hardpoints for up to 10 extra weapons (usually missiles), enabling it to also serve as a light bomber for planetary strikes. Despite the increase in size and mass, the Thunderbolt's improved engines are able to maintain the Starfury's impressive maneuverability and give it an even higher forward speed, although at the cost of slightly slower braking.

Gallery

Firing pulse discharge cannon

Firing missiles

Cockpit

Behind the Scenes

Neither NASA nor JPL were involved in designing the Starfuries.

Appearances

TV Movies "A Call to Arms" TV Series "Severed Dreams" "Interludes and Examinations" "Ship of Tears" "War Without End, Part I" "Into the Fire" "The Illusion of Truth" "No Surrender, No Retreat" "The Exercise of Vital Powers" "The Face of the Enemy" "Between the Darkness and the Light" "A View from the Gallery" "In the Kingdom of the Blind" "A Tragedy of Telepaths" Crusade "War Zone" "The Well of Forever" "Patterns of the Soul" "Ruling from the Tomb" "Racing the Night" "Each Night I Dream of Home"

References

Other Sources

• The Official Guide to Babylon 5 (CD ROM)