VF-4 Lightning III
Encyclopedia
| Stonewell Bellcom VF-4 Lightning III | ||
|---|---|---|
 The VF-4 Lightning III as seen in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012. |
||
| Description | ||
| Class | Tactical Variable Fighter | |
| Crew | 1 | |
| Entered service | 2012 2012 in fiction This is a list of references to the year 2012. Several publications and media references reflect a popular prediction that the end of the world may occur in the year of 2012.-Literature:* "Angel Fire East" by Terry Brooks is set in Christmas of 2012... |
|
| First operational deployment | SDF-2 Megaroad 01, 2012 | |
| Manufacturer | Stonewell/Bellcom and Shinnakasu Industries | |
| Preceded by | VF-1 Valkyrie VF-1 This article is about the fighter squadron; for the mecha seen in Macross/Robotech, see VF-1 Valkyrie.Fighter Squadron 1 was a fighter squadron of the United States Navy. Known as the "Wolfpack" the squadron saw combat during World War II, the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm... |
|
| Succeeded by | VF-11 Thunderbolt VF-11 Thunderbolt The VF-11 Thunderbolt is a fictional variable fighter in the Macross storyline. It was created by mechanical designer Shoji Kawamori.-Fictional Background:... |
|
| Dimensions, Fighter Mode | ||
| Length | 14.92 m | |
| Wingspan | 14.28 m | |
| Height | 3.7 m | |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 13,950 kg | |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engines | 2 Shinnakasu Nakajima Aircraft Company The Nakajima Aircraft Company was a prominent Japanese aircraft manufacturer throughout World War II.-History:... / P&W Pratt & Whitney Pratt & Whitney is a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation . Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation and military aviation. Its headquarters are in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA... / Rolls-Royce plc Rolls-Royce plc Rolls-Royce Group plc is a global power systems company headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines , and also has major businesses in the marine propulsion and energy sectors. Through its defence-related activities... FF-2011 thermonuclear turbine engines The VF-4G has 16500 kg [x g] class Shinnakasu/P&W/Roice FF-2011(+) thermonuclear turbine engines. Two-dimensional exhaust nozzles. P&W HMM-1A high-manoeuvrability vernier thrusters. |
|
| Armament | ||
| Guns | External 55 mm GU-11 gunpod with 200 rounds firing 1200 rounds per minute, mounted under central fuselage. Dual beam cannons. | |
The VF-4 Lightning III is a fictional variable fighter
Variable fighter
A Variable Fighter is a series of fictional transforming aerospace fighter mecha primarily designed by Studio Nue's Shoji Kawamori for the animated series The Super Dimension Fortress Macross and later related projects...
aerospace mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
from the Macross
Macross
is a series of science fiction mecha anime, directed by Shōji Kawamori of Studio Nue in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth/Humanity after the year 1999. It consists of three TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West...
universe. It was created by mechanical designer Shoji Kawamori
Shoji Kawamori
is a Japanese anime creator, screenwriter and mechanical designer, having created or co-created such notable series as The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, The Vision of Escaflowne, Earth Maiden Arjuna, Genesis of Aquarion, Macross 7, and Macross Frontier. He is currently executive director at the...
.
Fictional History
In the fictional Macross universe the VF-4 fighter was developed by Stonewell Bellcom in late 2009, and was promoted as the "next generation" variable fighterVariable fighter
A Variable Fighter is a series of fictional transforming aerospace fighter mecha primarily designed by Studio Nue's Shoji Kawamori for the animated series The Super Dimension Fortress Macross and later related projects...
for the UN Spacy by the company. The VF-4 was faster, more maneuverable, could generate more thrust than the standard VF-1 Valkyrie, and was armed with dual beam cannons in addition to the traditional GU-11 gun pods. Early models of the VF-4, designated VF-X-4 Prototypes, were produced on Earth for testing purposes in 2010, just as Space War One started to increase in magnitude. The VF-X-4 prototypes were heavily based on the VF-1 Valkyrie design; 35% of the VF-X-4's components were directly taken from the VF-1 Valkyrie, including the entire nose and forward fuselage section.
More VF-X-4s were constructed and tested by a number of UN Spacy pilots, including Skull Squadron leader Hikaru Ichijyo
Hikaru Ichijyo
Hikaru Ichijyo is one of the main fictional characters of the Macross Japanese anime series. His voice actor was Arihiro Hase in the Original Japanese version and Vic Mignogna in the English dub by ADV Films in January 2006...
. In 2012 the final design for the VF-4 Lightning III was completed and mass production of the new fighter began.
The first VF-4 squadrons were issued to the Skull and Iron Chiefs Squadrons, which accompanied the SDF-2 Megaroad-01 on her colonization mission in late 2012. After the Megaroad left production of the VF-4s continued, and in 2020 the Lightning III officially replaced the VF-1 Valkyrie as the main tactical fighter of the UN Spacy. The VF-4 design was itself replaced in 2030 by the VF-11 Thunderbolt
VF-11 Thunderbolt
The VF-11 Thunderbolt is a fictional variable fighter in the Macross storyline. It was created by mechanical designer Shoji Kawamori.-Fictional Background:...
. A grand total of 8,245 VF-4s were produced for the UN Spacy between 2012 and 2030.
Variants
- VF-X-4 : Pre-series trial-produced variable fighter built using 35% VF-1 Valkyrie parts, including the nose and forward fuselage section.
- VF-4B : Tandem dual-seat type.
- VF-4C : Atmosphere convertible type.
- VF-4D : "Sea Carrier-based fighter" convertible type.
- VF-4S : Earth atmosphere only version for exclusive marine use. The "S" alphabet designation refers to a marine (sea) function abbreviation. This version of the fighter features the removal of unnecessary equipment and an engine optimized with measures to avoid damage from salt breeze.
- VF-4SL : Equipped with FF-2011 Thermo-nuclear Fusion-Plasma Air-Reaction mass Intermix turbofan-engines (outer space Maximum-thrust 165KN x 2,with output 20% improvement by the tune-up), developmed and produced by " SHIN-NAKASU " (old NAKAJIMA Aircraft & EnginesNakajima Aircraft CompanyThe Nakajima Aircraft Company was a prominent Japanese aircraft manufacturer throughout World War II.-History:...
's anagramAnagramAn anagram is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a new word or phrase, using all the original letters exactly once; e.g., orchestra = carthorse, A decimal point = I'm a dot in place, Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort. Someone who...
) / P&W / Rolls-Royce plc. Also features the P&W High-maneuverability vernier thrusters HMM-1A, thrust-reversers, a 3-Dimension Vectored-nozzle and it is equipped with one set of "Energy converter armor SWAG system" as Defense-armament improvement. Also features the removal of the arms region and the portion of the "hand and forearm unit" transformation mechanism of the "S-type" Lightning III. This craft has been called the "VF-4 Light Dressed Type" and is specialized in Anti-warship Attack /Interception. Transformation is possible only in a "forearms and manipulator (hand) less" Gerwalk mode. This model was preferred by emigrant fleet guards of United Nations Air Force (U.N. Spacy Atmosphere branch) until the introduction of the VF-11 ThunderboltVF-11 ThunderboltThe VF-11 Thunderbolt is a fictional variable fighter in the Macross storyline. It was created by mechanical designer Shoji Kawamori.-Fictional Background:...
and the VF-17 Vampire. - VF-4G : Production version in service in 2047 with engines replaced and upgraded for increased thrust. Equipped with an additional Mauler RÖV-20 anti-aircraft laser cannon mounted on the head when in battroid mode, or located on the upper fuselage when in GERWALK and fighter modes. In battroid mode, the laser has a 360º horizontal rotation and a 90º vertical arc of fire, giving the mecha a head profile similar to that of the VF-22 Sturmvogel variable fighters. In jet and GERWALK modes, the RÖV-20 is limited to firing only on targets either directly behind or overhead of the VF-4.
Design Background
- First appeared in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012is a 1987 collection of music videos from the The Super Dimension Fortress Macross animated television series and the Macross: Do You Remember Love? theatrical film remake...
; a model of the VF-X-4 appeared in the last episode of The Super Dimension Fortress MacrossThe Super Dimension Fortress Macrossis an anime television series. According to story creator Shoji Kawamori, it depicts "a love triangle against the backdrop of great battles" during the first Human-alien war....
. - Gerwalk and Battroid modes of the fighter did not appear until the video game Macross Digital Mission VF-X was released.
- The VF-4 Lightning III was named after a proposed name for what would be eventually be deemed the Lockheed MartinLockheed MartinLockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
F-22 RaptorF-22 RaptorThe Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation supermaneuverable fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. It was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but has additional capabilities that include ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals...
, the next United States Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
main fighter. The suggested Lightning 2 name in turn was coined from the Lockheed P-38 LightningP-38 LightningThe Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
, a World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fighter. Lightning II was later adopted as the name of the F-35 Joint Strike FighterF-35 Lightning IIThe Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...
, after the P-38/F-5 Lightning and the BACBritish Aircraft CorporationThe British Aircraft Corporation was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs , the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Hunting Aircraft in 1960. Bristol, English Electric and Vickers became "parents" of BAC with...
English Electric LightningEnglish Electric LightningThe English Electric Lightning is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft of the Cold War era, noted for its great speed and unpainted natural metal exterior finish. It is the only all-British Mach 2 fighter aircraft. The aircraft was renowned for its capabilities as an interceptor; Royal Air Force ...
, a Cold WarCold WarThe Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
-era BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
supersonic interceptorInterceptor aircraftAn interceptor aircraft is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to prevent missions of enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Interceptors generally rely on high speed and powerful armament in order to complete their mission as quickly as possible and set up...
. - In Robotech (an American adaptation based on the original Macross television series and two other works), the VF-X-4 (subsequently named YF-4) was declined for production due to "staggering cost and complexity," and was superseded by the VFA-6 Alpha.