Bubble class Fuel Cutter
| Bubble Class | |
|---|---|
| Type: SF Fuel Cutter | |
| Size | 60 Tons |
| Hull Configuration | [[{{{hull}}}]] |
| Tech Level | TL–14 |
| Engineering | |
| Computer | |
| Jump | J-0 |
| Maneuver | 2 G |
| Armaments | |
| Hardpoints | 1 |
| Accommodations | |
| Staterooms | 0 |
| Personnel | |
| Crew | 3 |
| High/Mid Passengers | 0 |
| Payload | |
| Cargo | 40 Tons |
| Fuel tank | 0 Tons |
| Construction | |
| Origin | Third Imperium |
| Price | |
| Cost | MCr18.4687 Qty: MCr 14.77492 |
| Source | |
| Canon | Unpublished, fan design |
The Bubble Class Fuel Cutter was first built in 1042. The Bubble serves as both fuel and cargo cutter, utilizing collapsible tanks in a 40-ton cargo bay. The Bubble and its related designs are all tail-sitters, with their internal decking perpendicular to the direction of thrust. Unlike the later Bathysphere Class Prospector's Cutter, the Bubble cannot spread its upper hemisphere to increase its cargo capacity.
Inar (Deneb 1213) produced 60-ton spherical sub-craft in great numbers due to questionable Naval and planetary politics in the 1040s. The result was an experimental hull plate fabrication plant which traded versatility for economy. The Imperial Navy contracts tied to this "pilot project" never materialized, but the shipyards of Inar found a use for the odd equipment anyway. Within about 10 to 12 parsecs of Inar, the 60-ton (about 12 meters diameter) sphere is a common sight, serving as the basic hull for a dozen or more fairly standard designs, including the Wart Class Heavy Fighter family. The Bubble fuel shuttle was the first Inari design on this hull. Serving the needs of their neighbors, the Inari have produced larger ships which complement the spheres and serve in a variety of roles. Most spheres built by Inar have been at TL–14, though a few have been specially built at lower tech levels for simpler maintenance by the purchasing world.
- Author: James Kundert
- External Link: GypsyComet's Shipyard