Favorite sci-fi starfighter?

[ChrisIII]

Several science fiction franchises, especially after STAR WARS, have used the concept of starfighters.

STAR WARS's most popular starfighters are probably still the X-wings and TIE fighters, although there have been other fighters introduced in the various sequels and prequels, as well as the Expanded Universe books/comics/games.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA of course has the multiple incarnations of the Vipers and raiders.

Some of the mecha anime have fighters. MACROSS/ROBOTECH is probably the most popular example, with it's transforming fighter planes.


STAR TREK is somewhat fighter-lite (Unless you count the shuttles), although there were a few fighter ships in DEEP SPACE NINE.


I suppose you can count TRANSFORMERS as well, although the TFs mostly transform into 'real' fighters (Although in the case of the old cartoon, ones with funky color schemes).

So any favorites?

[Thorlief]

I always liked Jem'Hadar starfighters. They look like scarabs and got such cool colors
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/8/89/JemHadarAttackShip.jpg

[Jmacq1]

I love a lot of different Starfighter designs, but the one I've always wished they'd create a nifty toy version of (and yet to my knowledge never have):

http://www.futurevisions.net/pchen/digital/02_Gunstar2.jpeg


Death Blossom FTW!

[The Zapper]

Not the deadliest, but my personal favorite is the tie interceptor.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e184/Quinzell/600px-Tieinter2.jpg

Theres just something about the design that I love.

[Cyke]

I always liked Jem'Hadar starfighters. They look like scarabs and got such cool colors

I just love how they're the size of Federation starships and yet they're classified as fighters. It gives a great idea as to just how powerful they are and how the Dominion think.

[Deep_Sleeper]

I like the Battlestar: Galactica's vipers. They're just awesome.

[Thorlief]

I just love how they're the size of Federation starships and yet they're classified as fighters. It gives a great idea as to just how powerful they are and how the Dominion think.

yep. Do you remember how big the Jem'Hadar battleships are? They're in a very few scenes but damn, they make the starfighters look like ants. Good stuff.

[Quilt]

I always liked flying the A-Wing in X-Wing games. I always liked how it looked and how fast it was.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/96/216205727_11b2d7fc85.jpg?v=0

[Dr. Banner]

I just love how they're the size of Federation starships and yet they're classified as fighters. It gives a great idea as to just how powerful they are and how the Dominion think.

They're not the size of the Federation Starships by any means. They're dwarfed by most Starfleet vessels, and are even smaller than the "tough little ship", the Defiant (171 m long).

The scripts actually had it written that they were about the size of the small Klingon Birds of Prey, about 109 m long (though not stated on screen, this was visually quite obvious).

Next to a Galaxy class? Forget it. That's why they resorted to kamikaze runs so often. That and their weapons, at least at first, are able to penetrate the shields of a Starfleet vessel with ease.

They're feared because, being that small, they ARE so dangerous. Not at all for their size.

[Dr. Banner]

I always liked flying the A-Wing in X-Wing games. I always liked how it looked and how fast it was.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/96/216205727_11b2d7fc85.jpg?v=0

Agreed totally. In the games, those ships were always the most fun (for a single-person fighter).

It was the speed of that ship that sold it.

[bluedmighty]

I love a lot of different Starfighter designs, but the one I've always wished they'd create a nifty toy version of (and yet to my knowledge never have):

http://www.futurevisions.net/pchen/digital/02_Gunstar2.jpeg


Death Blossom FTW!



:eek: :D :evilsmile

I CAN'T BELEIVE no one else QFT'd this.

You beat me to it actually, as this was the FIRST ship i thought about when I saw the thread.

I named a character after that ship.

Oh yeah, and 2nd "Death Blossom" FTW

[a. non]

Babylon 5 Starfuries, because they actually follow Newtonian physics

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3893/starfurypf4.jpg

[Scorpion13]

:eek: :D :evilsmile

I CAN'T BELEIVE no one else QFT'd this.

You beat me to it actually, as this was the FIRST ship i thought about when I saw the thread.

I named a character after that ship.

Oh yeah, and 2nd "Death Blossom" FTW


Fuck.

Yes.

Fear the Death Blossom!

[StoneGold]

The funny thing about Death Blossom, it was an area of effect attack before those were really even in shooters.

[Cyke]

They're not the size of the Federation Starships by any means. They're dwarfed by most Starfleet vessels, and are even smaller than the "tough little ship", the Defiant (171 m long).

The scripts actually had it written that they were about the size of the small Klingon Birds of Prey, about 109 m long (though not stated on screen, this was visually quite obvious).

Next to a Galaxy class? Forget it. That's why they resorted to kamikaze runs so often. That and their weapons, at least at first, are able to penetrate the shields of a Starfleet vessel with ease.

They're feared because, being that small, they ARE so dangerous. Not at all for their size.

Never said they were as big as a Galaxy class (one of the rarest ships out there, by the way). But it's still pretty rare for a fighter to be one-third the size of Voyager, which is still a big ship even if that one also pales next to a Galaxy.

They're not that much smaller than the Defiant, and they are still half the size of a Miranda class ship, which *is* classified as a starship and is also the most common Starfleet vessel found (they're also comparable with the Oberths, and Novas, which themselves are all pretty common models, too). Even the 109 m-Birds of Prey are considered starships and not really fighters in their own right. Additionally, the dialogue and scripts also consider the Jem'Hadar fighters as starships as well. Hence a 'fighter as big as a starship.'

Besides, regardless of the size issue, they're still several times larger than the standard Federation fighters and shuttles (and, by extension, almost all fighters seen in other franchises like Star Wars or B5 or BSG), so a dogfight between Jem'Hadar fighter and standard fighter is impossible. It would have to be a starship vs. fighter for most non-Dominion ships to stand a chance. And yeah, I'd say their size is an intimidation factor as well, too, especially when they chase a lone, fighter-sized Runabout. Heck, a lone fighter that's half the size of the NX-01 is downright bad news in any era.

If this ship existed in the Star Wars OT, it would be a fighter as maneuverable as an X-Wing, but with the size of a Corellian Corvette, which is still pretty massive for a fighter.

[Dr. Banner]

^^^
What's a standard Federation fighter?

[BeastieRunner]

B-Wing baby!
http://swg.allakhazam.com/images/ships/BWing.jpg

[mindcrime]

has anyone ever imagined what it would be like if the star wars & star trek universes crossed over? i can just see the enterprise E fighting a star destroyer. the borg trying to assimulate the empire. i think it would be intersting. tie fighters ( my fav, by the way), buzzing deep space nine.

[Thorlief]

^^^
What's a standard Federation fighter?

the Fed fighters are the Maquis ships, minus some design tweak

like this one http://www.stardestroyer.net/Empire/Tactics/Maquis.jpg

[ChrisIII]

Some people have made CG movies of Star Wars vs. Star Trek on Youtube, I think.


However, a real crossover I don't think would ever work. Star Trek is about a bold vision of the future, where mankind has evolved (but still has human flaws). Star Wars, on the other hand, is a space fantasy adventure about fighting for freedom and good vs. evil.


So I think it's mainly limited to fan-fiction/fan-art/fanfilms.

[Cyke]

^^^
What's a standard Federation fighter?

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Federation_attack_fighter

These ships are pretty tiny: a small squadron of fighters were scattered by a couple of torpedo explosions (violently thrown off course but none were destroyed), and wave after wave of fighters were sent in against the Cardassians in Sacrifice of the Angels. Notably, in the final battle, about a dozen or fighters were seen occupying a large Dominion battleship. They're really not much bigger than a Runabout.

[Dr. Banner]

So then what's the definition of a "starfighter"?

If it's a spacecraft designed for fighting manned by 1 or 2 people, the Jem'Hadar ships wouldn't count since they're large enough to be manned by 15 people while carrying troops for a landing attack party (memory alpha saying crew totalling up to 43, not sure where this info comes from though)?

[Cyke]

So then what's the definition of a "starfighter"?

If it's a spacecraft designed for fighting manned by 1 or 2 people, the Jem'Hadar ships wouldn't count since they're large enough to be manned by 15 people while carrying troops for a landing attack party (memory alpha saying crew totalling up to 43, not sure where this info comes from though)?

According to Memory Alpha, at least, they classify a fighter as a smaller, quicker ship that can do tactical operations that bigger ships (like the Enterprise) can't do.

But yeah, if Star Trek considers both the itty bitty ships and the Jem'Hadar ships as fighters, then I would interpret them as fighters. It's about the concepts, really.

[Sabrina_Fried]

I'm rather partial to the X-wing.

But then that's probably because I'm rather partial to *certain* X-wing pilots :D

Sabrina

[Cyke]

I'm rather partial to the X-wing.

But then that's probably because I'm rather partial to *certain* X-wing pilots :D

Sabrina

Oh, Porkins! You're so dreamy!

[Thorlief]

So then what's the definition of a "starfighter"?

If it's a spacecraft designed for fighting manned by 1 or 2 people, the Jem'Hadar ships wouldn't count since they're large enough to be manned by 15 people while carrying troops for a landing attack party (memory alpha saying crew totalling up to 43, not sure where this info comes from though)?

I think the Jem'Hadar's are mostly classified as "attack fighters", which is a spot-on definition imho

[Ontir]

I loved the original Cylon Raiders, as well as Darth Vader's TIE Interceptor. The space planes from Starblazers were pretty cool, too.

[Jettison]

http://www.x-entertainment.com/archive/quickies/09/monstar.jpg

[Thorlief]

Silver Hawkssss

[The Batman]

^^^
What's a standard Federation fighter?

What were they flying in the Wesley-centric TNG episode "The First Duty"? Would those be standard Federation fighters?

[Jared]

I thought they actually called them Jem'hadar "attack ships" or something like that.

The Gunstar is uglier than I remember.

I have to say that aesthetically, the TIE Interceptor is my favorite. Star Furies and the new vipers from BSG are pretty cool too, partly because they look functional.

[Dr. Banner]

What were they flying in the Wesley-centric TNG episode "The First Duty"? Would those be standard Federation fighters?

It's a flight trainer. No weapons. So I'd say no, but then again, I'm still not too clear on what we're using for the definition of "starfighter".

From some of the definitions here, the Defiant would count. But I'm not sure if I personally would agree to that.

[Jade_GL]

I have grown quite fond of the Vipers in the new Battlestar Galactica. I also like the Cylon Raiders. Very appealing and interesting visually.

[Wolf-Man]

Star Trek had Peregrine Class fighters, they were in the later stages of DS9.

http://www.geocities.com/stg63541/peregrine.jpg

[Thorlief]

It's a flight trainer. No weapons. So I'd say no, but then again, I'm still not too clear on what we're using for the definition of "starfighter".

From some of the definitions here, the Defiant would count. But I'm not sure if I personally would agree to that.

no, the Defiant wouldn't count. It's a warship, the very first in the history of the Starfleet.

Starfighters are small attack ships, used in large numbers to breach and/or support the main fleet. There aren't much pics of 'em, but the Maquis are using 'em as interceptors. I posted a pic in my other post

[The Batman]

It's a flight trainer. No weapons. So I'd say no, but then again, I'm still not too clear on what we're using for the definition of "starfighter".

From some of the definitions here, the Defiant would count. But I'm not sure if I personally would agree to that.

Well if they're training on a weaponless version as cadets it's not entirely unreasonable to think that maybe there's an armed version that's used during battles? It seems odd that Star Trek wouldn't have a fighter class.

[Wolf-Man]

Star Trek had Peregrine Class fighters, they were in the later stages of DS9.

http://www.geocities.com/stg63541/peregrine.jpg



what he said...

[The Batman]

Yeah, sorry. I missed that.

[StoneGold]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a59/stonegold/lobobike.jpg

[Toreador]

I like the Gunstar. It may be ugly but it's huge and packed to the gills with weapons. I don't consider the Jem Hadar ships as starfighters since I feel that they should only be one or 2-man crafts. Two other starfighters to add to the list are the Death Gliders from Stargate SG-1 and the alien fighters from Independence Day and Prowlers from Farscape.

[Wolf-Man]

I like the interceptors from UFO.

http://www.cloudster.com/Sets&Vehicles/UFO_MoonbaseInterceptors/Destruction_201a.jpg

[Schuimend Mormel]

My definition of a 'starfighter' is a space vessel that is analogous to jet fighters in the air, manouverable and manned only by one or two soldiers. And larger spaceships with an entire crew are more like aircraft carriers.

Why hasn't anyone mentioned the Delta Flyer? It was a sleek little ship.

[The Batman]

Cause Voyager was kinda crap?

[Schuimend Mormel]

Cause Voyager was kinda crap?

I was BLIND to the bad storylines! I was so young! I even listened to Linkin Park back then!

Still, no amount of Captain Proton scenes can ruin the awesomeness of the Delta Flyer.

[Thorlief]

the Delta Flyer was nice looking, and let's not forget it was the very first starship in the history of Star Trek able to fly without any crew

[ChrisIII]

Didn't V'ger (From Star Trek the motion picture) lack a crew?

[Thorlief]

I don't know, I was being facetious and sarcastic

[Cyke]

Didn't V'ger (From Star Trek the motion picture) lack a crew?

*gasp!* That brings up another thought in my head that really has nothing to do with this thread but regards size anyway:

Projectile-energy blasts the size of Klingon battlecruisers! Fantastic! Photon torpedoes and standard fighter craft are tiny compared to V'Ger's shots.

[StoneGold]

http://www.ghg.net/wduncan/voltron/black.gif

[Jmacq1]

Babylon 5 Starfuries, because they actually follow Newtonian physics

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3893/starfurypf4.jpg

The Starfuries would totally have been my second choice. Though I prefer the Thunderbolt variant.


http://www.kitsune.addr.com/SF-Conversions/Rifts-B5-Ships/Earth_SA-26_Thunderbolt.jpg

[Toonimator]

X-wing for me. Classic, maneuverable, lots of firepower, plus you get a droid buddy in the bargain. I love the A-wing in video games, and the TIE Interceptor of course (Vader's TIE Advanced is pretty cool, too)... I even like the Jedi Starfighters from Episode III a lot, except for the massive design cheats they had to use to pretend droids actually fit in them.

[nervmeister]

The Swordfish Mk II and the Red Tail, both from Cowboy Bebop.

Click for pics. (http://www.animeinfo.org/featured/bebop/bebopships.html)

[BeastieRunner]

http://www.ghg.net/wduncan/voltron/black.gif

Stellar as always Stone Gold.

[Black Atom]

Sticking with the tried and true. X-Wings for me.

[Schuimend Mormel]

The Swordfish Mk II and the Red Tail, both from Cowboy Bebop.

Click for pics. (http://www.animeinfo.org/featured/bebop/bebopships.html)

The Swordfish deserves PRAISE. It's fought some of the best animated space dogfights I ever saw.

[Motormouse]

Gotta go with either an X-Wing or a Colonial Viper

(Quite liked the Hammerheads from Space: Above And Beyond " as well:rolleyes:)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/43/Hammerheads.jpg/280px-Hammerheads.jpg

[Jared]

Those were cool. They actually had guns that could fire behind them, something you don't see much of in sci-fi, even though it makes perfect sense, what with advanced targeting systems and little or no need to worry about aerodynamics.


I think they were only in the opening scene, but I liked the rotating bubble design of the fighters from Lost in Space.

[Cyke]

After watching Bender's Big Score, my favorite fighter is now:

the Kitten-class Attack Ship.

[BYC]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/38/Wc3strakha.jpg

The Kilrathi Strakha stealth fighter. So memorable.

[Pól Rua]

Count me amongst the Star Fury fans.

[Jared]

Didn't Wing Commander I or II have Kilrathi fighters that looked remarkably similar to the Enterprise? I always got a kick out of shooting those.

I remember reading years ago that NASA actually was interested in the design of the Star Furies. J. Michael Stracantspellhisname sold or gave them the rights, with the insistence that if they ever use it, they have to keep the name "Star Fury."