GU-1 Gull

GU-1 Gull
Fighter
A restored GU-1 in Confederate colors, 2167.
Role		Fighter
National Origin		Zokesia
Production History
Designer		Zokesia Skunkworks
First Flight		February 28th, 2057
Unit Cost		19,420(√)
Number Built		10
Service History
In Service
2057 - 2065
Used By		Zokesia Sahr

The Zokesia Skunkworks GU-1 Gull is a single-seat, single engine fighter built from the Gull Seaplane.

Development

“	A small and light seaplane, the Gull makes an excellent basic trainer for kerbals who aren't exactly sure when or where they will be landing (or "landing"). It can take off and land at shockingly low speeds (slower than some hotrodded rovers seen being driven around KSC by certain unnamed test pilots) thanks to its inner-wing flaps.	”
'

The Gull started life as a seaplane developed for civilian pilots to transit Wakir's vast oceans. It was used to train new kerbals when landing on water. Modifications feasible for the average training pilot include mounting multiple engines underneath the wings, or on the tail, to complete long-range flights, and adding fuel where possible. An unmodified Gull can take off at around 30 meters per second.

The Gull seaplane, of which 10 were procured and converted in the first two weeks of the Zoke-Sovie War.

Following the breakout of the Zoke-Sovie War between the newly formed Zokesia and Sanctum in 2057, the Skunkworks began drawing up plans to rapidly convert aircraft to mount a defense of the fledgling nation against the Hammerhead fighters of the Sanctum Sovereignty. These design changes included lengthened wingtips for increased stability and a more powerful, afterburning turbofan underneath the cockpit, and a radar in the nose. The ability to land on water was no longer required, and the pontoons were removed to decrease weight and drag, and the wing was lowered onto the engine nacelle to make the aircraft more nimble.

A total of ten Gulls were successfully converted to GU-1 fighters before the conflict cut off supplies to build new aircraft. The GU-1 was armed with two Aim-9 Sidewinders and two 20mm cannons in the cheeks of the nose.

Operational History

Zoke-Sovie War

GU-1 Gulls saw action first over the skies of Ward, where Sanctum fighters unsuccessfully tried to gain air superiority. Zokesian jets took tactical superiority and destroyed 7 Sanctum fighters on the first day. In total, three of the ten GU-1s were lost to enemy aircraft, despite the Sanctum Air Force numbering 42 fighters, were able to inflict heavy losses on the enemy and prevent air dominance over the battlefield.

GU-1s shoot down Hammerhead fighters over Zok, 2057

Soon after Mechani orbital bombardment struck the power plants in Sanctum, destroying the Nuclear facilities and wiping out all but one power plant in the nation. The Sanctum military began mobilizing a counter strike on Zok. Fighting broke out south and east of the town, with Zokesian forces initially reeling from the attack found their footing and destroyed the attacking force. From there the Zokesians pushed south to the edge of the province before coming up against more Sanctum troops from the south. Without the Gulls defending the skies, the Zokesian Army, with its hastily constructed tanks and armored cars, would have suffered high casualties to aircraft and most certainly would have lost the Battle of Zok.

In total, the GU-1s ammassed a 7:1 kill ratio over the Sovie fighters.

GU-1T Trainer variant

Training Variant

Following the Zoke-Sovie War, proper aircraft types such as the Z-80 Fox were being produced, and there was no longer a need for the jury-rigged fighters in frontline service. A trainer variant of the GU-1 was built as a conversion of the remaining aircraft in Zokesian inventories in the mid-2060s to assist the newly reformed Zokesian Royal Air Force in training pilots.

The 2157 Independence Day flyover featured a GU-1 in formation with modern Zokesian aircraft.

Exports

Four GU-1s were sold to Sahr in the 2100s. These became their own varient under the Realtatrodære Programme (literal translation "Star Warrior program") known as the GU-1X, which functioned as training vessels for SSTO pilots.

GU-1X

Aircraft on Display

GU-14 on display in the Zokesian National Museum of Aviation

A number of GU-1s survive to this day, including GU-17 and GU-18, both kept in flying condition by the Zokesian Royal Air Force for flight demonstrations. They last flew for the 100th anneversary of Independence Day, alongside the Z-80 Fox, Z-90 Crusader, and F-74 Tigershark.

Aircraft #4 (GU-14) is on permanent display in the Zokesian National Museum of Aviation, in Sencapola, Schrschnell.