E27 MAXIWraith

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E27 MAXIWraith
Air superiority fighter
File:E27 MAXIWraith.png
National Origin		Sarconia
Production History
Designed
[date] - [date]
Produced
2113 (Prototypes) - 2125
Designer		Aerfel Industries
Unit Cost		908,000 Sarconian Aurid(√)
Number Built		41
Service History
In Service
May 9th, 2114 - November 9th, 2128
Used By		Sarconia
Aircraft Characteristics
Dry Mass		[mass]
Length		[length] m
Width		[width] m
Height		[height w/gear retracted] m
Propulsion		2x Corain Motors J304 Afterburning Turbofan engines
Operational Range		[range in km] km
Crew		1
Sensor Systems		[sensor types]
Armament		[ship based arms]
Variants		[aircraft variant names]

The Aerfel Industries E27 MAXIWraith was an all-weather, twin-engine, single-seat 5th generation tactical fighter aircraft in service with the Sarconian Air Force. The aircraft was a heavier, more advanced derivative of the E27 Wraith and produced concurrently with it. In addition to the Wraith's roles, it also had a secondary strike and electronic warfare capability. Designed and initially produced in secret, it made its first flight in 2113.

Development

The plane was designed by Aerfel Industries. Though starting from a clean sheet took many cues from its direct predecessor, the E9 Spectre. The program was advised by fighter ace and the company’s chief test pilot, Arcellian Kerman from the conceptual stage through to its production and deployment.

Design

Despite the firm’s history of unconventional choices, many of the more unusual features present in its prior planes would be missing from the production MAXIWraith, most notably the lack of a virtual cockpit and splitterless central air intake found on the E9. These concessions were the result of a push to minimise manufacturing costs and difficulty in the still industrialising North Sarconia.

Aerodynamically, the base model had a tandem layout and leading edge wing extensions, with the MAXIwraith taking on a three surface layout with the addition of a pair of uncanted canards. Initially envisioned as a true forward swept wing aircraft, this was changed early in the program to a W-wing configuration, principally to reduce Aeroelastic flutter but also in the interests of a lower radar cross section.

The aircraft was equipped with an internal 20mm autocannon mounted on the right hand side of the cockpit, and featured twin internal bays, each with a capacity for three air to air missiles. Optionally discardable external hardpoints for bombs, larger air-to-ground missiles or drop tanks could be fitted.The MAXIwraith contained an additional internal bay of similar capacity mounted ventrally underneath the cockpit. As well as up to three hardpoints for typical missiles, this could also be filled with a 105mm howitzer cannon for tankbusting and anti-ship operations. This weapon was uniquely used in an air-to-air capacity by the pilot known as the Ghost of Esperi throughout the Fall of Aquaria.

The MAXIwraith, though representing a large increase in capability, had several limitations and compromises compared to its lighter sibling. The positioning of the frontal weapons bay resulted in the nose landing gear being relocated rearward to the base of the intakes, reportedly making landings much more fickle due to the shorter wheelbase. Many of the included upgrades came with a weight penalty, hampering the aircraft’s manueverability.Though for the most part this loss was clawed back by new canards it was still notably less agile than the base airframe. Similarly, the plane produced 14 percent more drag in the MAXI configuration while still using the same powerplant, forcing pilots to make more agressive use of afterburners and harming combat range. Partially in response to its comparative vulnerability, an expanded electronic warfare suite was fitted by default to the heavier variant, which reportedly made the aircraft much harder to accurately track.

Comparable Aircraft by Role and Era

• F-77 Shrike
• F-74 Tigershark