Type 1 Space Combat Attack Aircraft
Cosmo Tiger II
New mainstay fighter for Yamato‘s air defense and various missions
Among the onboard aircraft of the first Yamato-class ship (first refit type), the main fighter is the Type 1 Cosmo Tiger II. Compared to the Type 99 Cosmo Falcon, which was the main onboard aircraft in 2199, the Cosmo Tiger II has greatly improved attack power.
The Cosmo Tiger II was conceived as a carrier-based tactical fighter as part of the “Wave-Motion Gun Fleet Concept.” This was also called the “CT Plan,” an acronym for “Cosmo Tactical.” Both Plan 1 (CT-1) and Plan II (CT-2) were proposed. (CT-1 = Cosmo Tiger 1 and CT-2 = Cosmo Tiger II.) Of the two options, CT-2 was selected in a comparison test with CT-1 from the viewpoint of operation and mass production, and came to be formalized. The name “Cosmo Tiger” was derived from the code name “CT,” and the engineers and test pilots called it “Cosmo Tiger.”
Yamato was not equipped with Cosmo Tigers when it launched from Earth in 2202, but when the former Yamato air force members left the original squadron, they took their aircraft with them to become Yamato‘s onboard fighter wing.
Fuselage Structure
The Cosmo Tiger II is designed with consideration for the development of variant types, including a two-seat special attack type, a lightning strike 2-or-3 seater type, an electronic warfare variant, and so on. By combining these variants with different external armament, the direction is clearly different from the Cosmo Tiger 1, a single aircraft with variable operational purposes.
In contrast to the Cosmo Falcon, which has a stealth configuration, the Cosmo Tiger II uses a stealth field. This is a measure to ensure that large weapons can be externally mounted. This was also a feature that took into consideration the development of variant types.
Gimmick
Compared to its predecessors (the Cosmo Falcon and the Type Zero 52 Cosmo Zero), the Cosmo Tiger II is not much longer, but incorporates many features such as increased armament, twin engines, and a high-mobility unit mounted to the aircraft as standard equipment.
It has an expanded width (2m larger than its predecessors) and has no weapon bay to allow for more room in the design. The provision of technology from Garmillas is considered to be a factor that enabled high-density implementation.
Exterior armament utilizing the stealth field
The Cosmo Tiger II was Yamato‘s mainstay during the Battle of Gatlantis. Its design concept differs from that of the previous generation Type 99 Cosmo Falcon, based on the assumption that variant types would be developed. Large armaments are externally mounted, and its stealth technology has been changed from the Cosmo Falcon’s stealth shape to a stealth field.
The Cosmo Tiger II deploys a stealth field around itself, maintaining stealth capability even if weapons are externally mounted (its radar reflective area does not increase). For this reason, the Cosmo Tiger II does not employ an internal weapon bay like the Cosmo Falcon, and it can be mounted with larger equipment. As an example, its “space-fighting equipment” consists of three high-mobility units under the fuselage and three standard tactical multi-munition warheads under the wings. This is complemented by eight 30mm pulse laser machine guns in the nose, and ten 12.7mm machine guns on the wings.
The overall firepower and maneuverability of the Tiger exceeded that of the Cosmo Falcon, and the armament can be further expanded. Some have been equipped with 4-6 standard tactical multi-warhead missiles.
Standard tactical multi-warhead missile
The standard tactical multi-warhead missile is a guided weapon for the Cosmo Tiger II. Each missile carries 4 submunitions. It is powerful not only for anti-aircraft attacks but also as an anti-ship weapon.
In the Battle of Saturn, a squadron of Cosmo Tiger IIs equipped with four standard tactical multiwarhead missiles sank several Naska-class strike-type space carriers.
Function as both a space and atmospheric ship-borne aircraft
Similar to the Type 99 Cosmo Falcon and Type 52 Cosmo Zero, the Cosmo Tiger II was also developed as a carrier-based aircraft for both space and atmospheric use. The propulsion and attitude control systems were designed to be compatible with both domains, and it adopted aerodynamic control technologies such as wings that are effective only in an atmosphere.
At first glance, the design concept seems half-baked, but the Garmillas DWG262 Czvarke space combat fighter and the Gatlantis Deathvatator are based on a very similar concept. Dual-use aircraft, both in and out of the atmosphere, can be considered a cosmic trend. This means that its operational range is not only in space but also in an atmosphere.
One of its aerodynamic devices is a three-piece flap (lifting device) on the trailing edge of the main wings. In addition to being used as an air brake, the center flap also functions as a heat sink. Its two upper and lower flap (radiator) covers can reflect heat backward. This is especially useful in space, where heat dissipation methods are limited.
Folding wings
The Cosmo Tiger II, designed as a shipboard aircraft, adopted foldable wings. This was already established by the middle of the 20th century, since folding the wings reduced the amount of space occupied by the craft. The Cosmo Tiger II’s wings and tail are foldable, but they are not folded when installed on a large ship such as a battleship or a space carrier.
Landing gear
In the late 23rd century, vertical takeoff and landing became a standard feature of airplanes and spacecraft, but landing gear with wheels is still indispensable. Wheels are necessary in situations where vertical takeoff and landing is difficult, takeoff and landing with heavy equipment, or movement within the ship.
Naturally, the Cosmo Tiger II also uses them. They were used to secure them in Yamato‘s Hangar 2 and for landing on the 11th planet. It is not known whether the craft is capable of self-propulsion using only wheels, like the Type-100 Space Reconnaissance Aircraft.
A conservative but fully functional cockpit
The Cosmo Tiger II is more conservative than its predecessor, the Type 99 Cosmo Falcon, not to mention its competitor, the Type 99 Cosmo Tiger 1. The main reason for this is the shape of the fuselage and the external armaments, since the fighter does not need to take stealth into consideration. It does not possess the shape of a stealth aircraft, but instead deploys a stealth field (a force field that absorbs radar waves). In other words, there is no need to improve stealth by increasing aerodynamic characteristics.
In addition, it was designed to be deployed in variations such as a thunderbolt or reconnaissance type. Thus, an overall shape with stealth-oriented design left little room for modification and was discouraged.
The cockpit, which is similar to that used for old-type aircraft, also gives a conservative impression. However, its advantage is that pilots who are accustomed to old-type aircraft can easily switch models. A cockpit that is too innovative can be mishandled, and the possibility of making operational mistakes cannot be ignored.
Canopy and Seat
The cockpit of the Cosmo Tiger II is similar to that of the Cosmo Falcon and Cosmo Zero, which are becoming obsolete. The reason for this is thought to be consideration for pilots accustomed to older aircraft, and an appeal to the conservative tendency of the military’s upper echelons. Yamato‘s Air Force members, who have gone through many hardships, did not seem to have any particular complaints.
Console and Control Stick
The console and control stick are also similar to those used on older aircraft. In particular, the control stick has a traditional centered configuration, which is very different from the side-stick type of the Cosmo Tiger 1.
In addition to consideration for pilots who are accustomed to old-type aircraft, a central control stick can still be used in the event of an injury to one of the pilot’s arms. The console seems to have been reorganized to make it easier to concentrate on piloting.
Prototype shipboard tactical fighter attack aircraft
Cosmo Tiger 1
The first draft of the “Cosmo Tiger,” a large, radical, and maneuverable aircraft
The Cosmo Tiger 1 was the first proposal (CT I) in the plan for mainstay ship-borne tactical fightercraft. The name “Cosmo Tiger” was derived by engineers and test pilots from “CT” (Cosmo Tactical), and became the common name of the CT Project.
Unlike its competitor, the Cosmo Tiger II, which was designed from the outset to be developed as a variable model, the Cosmo Tiger 1 was developed as a versatile machine capable of using a wide variety of armaments. As a result, it became larger and suffered from very delicate and radical maneuvering characteristics. In the end, the Cosmo Tiger II was adopted.
Cosmo Tiger 1, which was rejected, was put into test operation at the lunar base. However, its fate changed when it was assigned to Akira Yamamoto, a former member of the Yamato Air Force. After discovering the aircraft’s characteristics, it became Yamamoto’s favorite and was used to train new crew members. In the Battle of Gatlantis in 2202, it fought a fierce battle as one of Yamato‘s onboard aircraft.
Fuselage Structure
The Cosmo Tiger 1 is characterized by its 26-meter length, four wings equipped with numerous missile pylons, a long vertical tail fin connected to the lower wing, and attitude control nozzles on each wing tip. Its most distinctive feature is the shape of a normal airline or airborne aircraft turned upside-down (the vertical tail is positioned below the fuselage).
When parked, the upside-down configuration is reversed and the vertical stabilizer faces upward. The forward-swept upper wings, the lower retractible wings, and the canards on the nose indicate the aircraft’s advanced flight performance in atmosphere.
Cockpit
The cockpit differs from other models in that it has a glass capsule-shaped canopy covering almost the entire surface. This allows the pilot to directly see a wide area except for the rear. This can be a great advantage during dogfights, reconnaissance, and patrols.
However, this brings certain disadvantages, such as reduced bullet resistance and payload capacity in the nose section (no large caliber radar or armament, for example). It was still under test operation during the outbreak of the Battle of Gatlantis, and its verification trials were ongoing.
Cosmo Tiger 1’s heavy armament outstrips rival aircraft
The Cosmo Tiger 1 was brought to Yamato by pilot Akira Yamamoto. Thanks to Yamamoto’s skill, it achieved numerous successes with its high mobility and maneuverability, and heavy armament that surpassed conventional aircraft.
One of the characteristics of the Cosmo Tiger 1 is its extremely large payload, exceeding both the the Type 99 Cosmo Falcon, which was becoming obsolete, and Cosmo Tiger II, which was developed at the same time. It is heavily armed with two beam cannons, 24 small missile pods (24 rounds each), and two large missile pods (6 rounds each) as standard equipment.
This is made possible by its length, which is nearly 10 meters longer than the Cosmo Tiger II. It sports two axial-flow cosmo engines and a total of 12 hard points on the main and lower wings. (It can also carry armaments in other places). Unlike the Cosmo Tiger II, which was designed to be variable, it was conceived as an operational model with a variety of external armament combinations. This led to its unprecedented heavy armament.
Armament
Unlike the Cosmo Tiger II, which is equipped with a total of 18 internal machine guns, Cosmo Tiger 1 has all of its armament mounted externally. The beam cannons, which appears to be fixed armament, are suspended from the wings via pylons.
There are two types of missile pods, one large and one small, used to carry multiple missiles in a single package. The total number of missiles in the standard configuration can total as many as 588. Various other options are said to have been devised, but the specifics are not known.
Cosmo Tiger1’s unique structure, centered on the nose
The Cosmo Tiger 1 was developed as part of the next major ship-based tactical combat plan associated with the “Wave-Motion Gun Fleet Concept.” Its fuselage and the downward-extending vertical tail were enlarged to accommodate a wide variety of armaments. (The Cosmo Tiger 1 is 26.3m long compared to the Cosmo Tiger II’s 16.6m length.)
However, as a result of the large lower vertical tail wing, its silhouette resembles a normal airship or aircraft turned upside down. Left as is, the landing gear would have to be abnormally long and large. The idea of inverting the fuselage between flight and parking was adopted to solve this problem. When parked, the vertical tail fin points upward (upside down from the subjective viewpoint of the pilot).
An upside-down configuration would make it difficult for the pilot to get on and off, but by adopting a gimmick to rotate the nose, this operational problem was solved. The nose has other distinctive features, and the potential to become a guideline for future aerospace craft.
Nose Structure
The nose of Cosmo Tiger 1 is composed almost entirely of canopy. This is a distinctive feature of its appearance, allowing the pilot to see almost the entire perimeter of the aircraft. This improves the advantage in close combat and reconnaissance. Although durability will inevitably decrease, the nose and fuselage can be separated into blocks. The problem is further reduced by the front guard extending from the fuselage.
Seat and landing attitude
The pilot’s seat of Cosmo Tiger 1 is connected to the aft end of the nose block by a support rack that also serves as a life support system. Because almost the entire surrounding area consists of canopy, the pilot’s seat is connected to the flight control system and console, making the configuration compact and simple. The arrangement in the cockpit does not change regardless of the flight or landing attitude.
Type Zero 52 space fighter
Cosmo Zero
A space fighter that has been in continuous operation since the Garmillas War
The Type Zero 52 Cosmo Zero space fighter is one of the models carried on Yamato. The Type 99 Cosmo Falcon was the main ship-borne fighter during the Garmillas War, to be converted to the Cosmo Tiger 1 & II when Yamato was re-commissioned in 2202. The Cosmo Zero, however, continued to operate with Yamato as in the previous war.
It began as an all-domain space fighter developed by the United Nations Space Command/Far Eastern Area Space Combat Group/Space Technology Center during the Garmillas War. It was developed as a naval aircraft and adopted a folding structure not only for the wings and tail but also for the nose. In addition, a formation command function is included, and various antennae for stealth control of Cosmo Falcon formations were mounted on the nose and wingtips. “Type Zero” was a provisional name at the time of the Garmillas War. It was scheduled to be formalized in 2200.
The two models (alpha 1 and alpha 2) carried by Yamato during the Garmillas War were painted differently, but the only other difference between them was their aircraft number. It is believed that they were already installed on Yamato when it was re-commissioned in 2202.
Fuselage structure
Other than the antennae for steering control and the folding mechanisms of nose, wings (also used as heat sinks), and tail, the Cosmo Zero has three engines. Although it appears to be a single-engine plane, it has not only a center engine but also side engines on both sides. This is the reason for the large intake at the wing root.
Nose
The nose of an aircraft is densely packed with a wide variety of equipment, including radar, sensors, armaments, protective shields, cockpit, and boarding gear. The Cosmo Zero is no exception, with a nose antenna folding mechanism to save storage space, an auxiliary maneuvering thruster, and a fuselage cooling and circulation system, making it extremely dense.
Cosmo Zero equipped with legacy armament
The Type Zero 52 Cosmo Zero was Yamato‘s onboard aircraft during the Garmillas war, and continued to operate during the Battle of Gatlantis. Unlike the Cosmo Tiger 1 and Cosmo Tiger II, which joined Yamato from Mars at the asteroid belt, the Cosmo Zero had already been installed at the time of launch from Earth.
Since only three years had passed since the start of its operation, its armament also continued to be the same as it was in 2199. It seems that missiles newly developed for Cosmo Tiger 1 & II were not intended to be used, but this could be supported in future updates.
There are few examples of Yamato‘s Cosmo Zero in operation during the Gatlantis War (Telezart landing and the Golem raid). It appears that the only time it was equipped with missiles was in the Golem raid. In this case, it was equipped with six air-to-surface missiles, which were also used in the Garmillas War. It is thought that the missiles were intended for use against large targets on the surface and inside the Golem, but it is unknown how they were used. Saburo Kato’s Blackbird was also equipped with the same weapons.
Missile
The three types of missiles expected to be used in the Cosmo Zero: an air-to-ground missile, an air-to-air missile, and an air-to-ship missile. All of them were already in operation during the Garmillas War, and some were also compatible with the Type 99 Cosmo Falcon. Of these, only the air-to-ground missile was confirmed to be operational during the Gatlantis War.
Engine
The Cosmo Zero is a three-engine aircraft with an axial-flow Cosmo engine (Comet 5 Type 2) as the main engine, and side engines on either side (equipped with dual nozzles). The fact that the configuration and engines were not changed after the Garmillas war or on the Blackbird variant shows that the aircraft has sufficient capability.
A solid and practical cockpit
Unlike the Type 99 Cosmo Falcon, which was the mainstay of the Garmillas War, and the Cosmo Tiger II, which was the mainstay of the Gatlantis War, the Cosmo Zero functions as a formation commander, giving it a strong sense of being a so-called “captain’s plane.”
At best, its cockpit is solid and practical. At worst, it is conservative and “old-fashioned.” However, this is in comparison to the Cosmo Tiger 1, a prototype aircraft with side stick control whose entire nose is covered with transparent material.
The Type 99 Cosmo Falcon, which was born at about the same time as the Cosmo Zero, had a similar cockpit. In other words, pilots who are familiar with conventional aircraft can easily switch to the Cosmo Zero. This has the advantage of reducing piloting errors. The structure of the cockpit and the arrangement of various devices is virtually the same in the new Cosmo Tiger II.
Windshield (canopy)
The “canopy” covering the cockpit of the Cosmo Zero is not molded in one piece. It consists of a front window fixed to the nose and a retractable canopy that also serves as a hatch. This is a common structure used in Earth fighters such as the Cosmo Falcon and Cosmo Tiger II. The canopy is also airtight because of its character as a space fighter.
Inside the cockpit
The devices in the cockpit are brush-ups of those established in the late 20th century: center stick controller, throttle on the left side, various pedals under the feet, instruments and sub-monitors in the front, HUD (Heads Up Display), etc. This was widely introduced in the space and air fighters of the Earth Federation Forces, with the exception of Cosmo Tiger 1.
Type Zero 52 Modified Autonomous Unmanned Combat Aircraft
Blackbird
Autonomous unmanned fighter for conventional use and its predecessor lead aircraft
Developed near the end of the Gatlantis War, the Blackbird is an autonomous unmanned combat aircraft based on the Type 52 Cosmo Zero. To enable unmanned operation, an autonomous maneuvering system for lunar surface defense drones was provided by Garmillas.
The background for development of the Blackbird was the defeat at the Battle of Saturn where the Earth-Garmillas combined fleet suffered serious damage and sought to buy time to regroup its forces by two means. One was the Garmillas Wall, which blocked the warp of the Gatlantis fleet. The other was the Blackbird operation proposed by the A.I. of the flagship Ginga.
This strategy was for unmanned aircraft to infiltrate the enemy fleet and disperse mass-produced wave cores. Ginga‘s Cosmo Reverse System was used to stimulate the wave cores to run amok and render the enemy fleet inoperable. Unmanned vehicles were chosen for this mission in order to secure human resources in preparation for a decisive battle.
However, in order to penetrate deep into enemy territory, a manned lead plane was needed. As a result, a manned version of the same type of aircraft was also prepared. Saburo Kato, former Yamato Air Force commander, was its pilot.
Manned lead plane specifications
The Blackbird was developed as an autonomous unmanned combat aircraft based on the Cosmo Zero, but the manned type has a different presence. In the “Blackbird” strategy, it was assumed that the units would infiltrate into the enemy’s position. However, it was judged that the A.I. for unmanned craft at the time would not be able to reach a position suitable for dispersing the wave cores. The manned variant, with an excellent pilot on board, was to lead the unmanned unit. Kato’s piloting prowess was fed back and propagated across the entire Blackbird unit.
Autonomous unmanned combat aircraft
The original form of Blackbird was an autonomous unmanned combat aircraft. The catalog spec is the same as the Cosmo Zero. However, the limiter was removed and the basic structure was strengthened in order to take advantage of the advanced G-force resistance unique to unmanned aircraft.
It is unclear why the Cosmo Zero, which had only a small number of deployed aircraft, was chosen as the development base instead of the latest Cosmo Tiger 1 & II. It is thought that the balance of basic performance and reliability, as well as communication functions suitable for datalink, were comprehensively evaluated.