MZ-22 Albatross

MZ-22 Albatross
Tiltrotor Military Transport Aircraft
National Origin		Zokesia
Production History
Designed
2148 - 2154
Produced
2154 - Current
Designer		Ward Industries
Unit Cost		89,000(√)
Number Built		94
Service History
In Service
2154 - Ongoing
Used By		Zokesia The Confederacy UIF Stahl Sieg SFRK
Aircraft Characteristics
Dry Mass		60,300kg
Length		26.1 m
Width		21.2 m
Height		8.7 m
Propulsion		2 x Logi CWE-5 Alternating Current Engines
Maximum Velocity		160 m/s
Operational Range		150 km

The Ward Industries MZ-22 Albatross is a Zokesian multi-use, tiltrotor military transport and cargo aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft. The V-22 is operated by multiple Zokesian allies, and is not only a new aircraft design, but a new type of aircraft that entered service in the 2150s, a tiltrotor compared to fixed wing and helicopter designs. The MZ-22 first flew in 2148 and after a long development was fielded in 2154. The design combines the vertical takeoff ability of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing airplane.

Development

Early Studies

The MZ-22 Albatross is the final design of the V/STOL aircraft designed to replace Mallard transport aircraft among the Zokesian logistics squadrons. The acute need for a vertical takeoff cargo helicopter and the advancement of turboprop engines pushed forward the design of a radical new aircraft - one that would take off like a helicopter but fly horizontally like an aircraft.

The first flight of the prototype XZ-22 Albatross, June 1st, 2148

Previous designed helicopters could only attain 40-60 m/s in horizontal velocity in even the best conditions, and were far too slow to provide rapid response and airlift capacity to the troops on the ground. In 2148, a bold concept was drawn up to not only combine the ability of a helicopter in lifting capacity in zero runway length conditions and the speed of a conventional transport aircraft within a single package, but to also make the aircraft capable of operating on the larger Thunderking-Class carriers the Zokesian Royal Navy had acquired six years prior.

The design that was drawn up combined two outboard engine nacelles with helicopter turbines and wheesely jets in the aft section, driving three bladed 5m props that would be able to lift the aircraft and allow the whole engine assembly to rotate independently of the wing. A three man crew cabin was placed in front of primary fuel storage nacelles on either side of a Mk3 cargo bay, with ramp and capacity for 40 tons or 3 light armored vehicles. To control the pitch of the nacelles, a fly-by-wire computer system was devised to take load off the pilots while maneuvering and transitioning from horizontal to vertical and vice versa. Additionally, a dual-stage throttle setup was built to allow for seperate throttle states and blade angles in horizontal and vertical operation.

Problems began almost immediately in testing, as the prototype crashed shortly after takeoff, June 1st 2148. Studies following the incident led to anti-roll elevons to prevent oscillation of the primary power nacelles. Additionally, an automatic control lock was designed to freeze the nacelles in place when in the horizontal and vertical positions, but the pins would not reliably insert every flight. It would be years of development before instability issues were ironed out of the MZ-22, even after it had reached the operational squadrons, claiming the lives of dozens of Zokesian aviators and aircrew.

Despite the issues, the Zokeisan Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps all purchased MZ-22s in the 2150s, forming the backbone of the Zokesian vertical transport link of the supply chain. The folding capability of the MZ-22 allowed it to operate on not only the supercarriers, but also the Landing Platform Docks and Light Amphibious Warships, performing COD and Ship-To-Shore transport capability.

Zokesian MZ-22-4 Over Kolus, 2154

-4: Electric Albatross

In 2152, after four years of development, the Zokesian Ordinance Corps. issued a request for an electric driven version of the Albatross to operate on exoplanets as well as Kerbin for space operations. The resultant design, it was found, was more efficient and more controllable than the conventionally powered versions, and as such all further designs were built with CWE-5 Alternating Current Engines to drive their propellors.

The advanced design of the Electric Albatross allows it to operate at extended ranges on planets with limited atmosphere, even Eve, where traditional jet engines do not work, the Albatross is able to sustain the ever growing offworld populations of the UIF and Zokesian colonies.

-5 to -9: Further Development

The MZ-22-5 was the first design built after initial service was achieved in 2154, when years of operation began to highlight notable problems with the Albatross' flight characteristics. If a pilot pulled too hard on the stick in horizontal mode, the aircraft could depart controlled flight and enter an unrecoverable spin, killing everyone on board. The -5 and -6 were attempts to solve this issue, being modifications in 2164 and 2172 respectively, developed as retrofitting kits to the older MZ-22-4s, and were of limited success. It wasn't until 2185 when two new models, MZ-22-7 for the Navy and MZ-22-8 for the Marine Corps, where the instability was finally eliminated entirely. Finally, in 2190, the MZ-22-9 further enhanced the abilities of the Albatross with new flight computers, allowing the aircraft to reach a record speed of 160 m/s in level flight.

MZ-22-8 of the Zokesian Marine Corps onboard ZNS Crater Bay

Operational history

Stahlsieg Fallschirmjäger aboard an MZ-22-4 assault Crough City during the Battle of Crough City

Intervention in Maryurt

In 2151 the Stahl Sieg took a contract from the Emirate of Maryurtia to liberate southern Radivosa from Dorvic control. In Crough City, Stahl Sieg troops were dropped in with MZ-22-4 Albatrosses and supported with gunfire from modified Gunship Albatrosses. Fighting was bloody and the Stahlsieg endured terrible losses. Facing a full Division of tanks, the defenders dug in and fought a running battle to evacuate south toward friendly troops, but with only airborne armour the fight resulted in dozens of lost vehicles and lives. Kugel jeeps were torn to pieces by Hermian tanks and only half of the airborne force made it out of the city. The valiant last stands of troops, dug in firing TOW missiles from the buildings on street corners prevented the Sarconian Ground Force from encircling the city and allowed the survivors' escape to fight another day.

UIF Albatross unloading supplies at a forward base on Eve, 2160s

MZ-22-8 delivers ZHB HVHL "Honey Badger" LAVs to a forward base, 2192.

Export

MZ-22s were delivered to the UIF in large numbers, serving as exoplanetary transports, civilian cargo planes, and Kerbin-based supply transport.

MZ-22s of the SFRK Navy at sea

In 2154, MZ-22s were delivered to SFRK, though the number of them that actually arrived varies from source to source, with most estimates being around 20.