"Khurasan previews VTOL designed by PF" Topic

Here's a look at the Frelon (Hornet) VTOL used by the special forces of NOFRA (Nouvelle-France):

The craft has landing gear on the bottom of the thrusters.

PF designed this and previewed it some time ago but we've since made some alterations to it. I'll be getting it printed and cast in the next few months. The NOFRA special forces are being cast now as well.

That looks suspiciously similar to a certain bane of the browncoats…

How big a dropship are we talking about here?

Damn, that's a sweet looking ride!
I'm in danger of turning into a real PF fanboy at this rate ;-)

Great !!! Any preview of the NOFRA SF to show us maybe ?..

Over 150mm (6") long.

By the way, the error on the leading edge of the engines has since been fixed.

Nice!

The chin gun needs work. too skimpy after the barrels for the size of the barrels. otherwise awesome!

It's an energy weapon -- doesn't really need a breach or similar mechanism.

Nice!

Two more images:

I saw that when it was first posted and though I did like it at first glance, I had to step back and wonder about those huge nacelles. Perhaps if the fuselage was beefier and a bit longer it would look much better sort of like a CH53 which is capable of hauling troops and heavy lifting.

Very hot.. I want it as a Space Mi8 for my Doe..

I just fear it might have to small fuselage.

If you rotate in your head, you get Bender's evil brother, Oingo Boingo Bot.

6mm please :)

AWuuu it is definitely bulkier than the DOE!

Vive la France….

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

It looks like something you might see floating around the skyline in "The Fifth Element", which is a good thing.

Any chance of seeing a render with the originally pictured beveled (port-side) nacelles? While this is admittedly not my scale and thus I am not in the market, it might be worth a look…

Second question: disregarding the Rule of Cool, if the chin mounting is for a dual energy weapon why have such large barrels at all? What about something more DEWish to reinforce the look (or simply have a couple of chin-gun choices if that is financially feasible)?

No matter, it still looks great as-is, though I must say I am a fan of all things SF and French. And CW has the right of it, of course!

Could you post side by side render ? or something for a scale ?
Unfortunately foreign coins are hardly good scale measure for me :)

A 25 cent pieces is about 25mm across, AWuuuu, so to get an idea of size expand the image on your screen until the coin is about that size….

Space French? You see all kinds of space Russians/soviets, space Brits, space Americans and space Germans/nazies, but the French are almost never seen as a serious sci fi force. I really am interested to see how they end up looking like.

They have the 1812 pattern shako, and the later cut of uniform too. No, of course not.

Will there be a foreign legion too?

No, it's sort of on its head in NOFRA -- it's the elite special forces that are French, then they use Neo-Helvets for the bulk of outward deployed forces, then Nouvelle-Anjou (home world of NOFRA) is defended by New French citizens, who are prohibited by law from offworld service.

It's more like 16th century French armies. The mobile elites are French, whereas the tough foot soldiers are Swiss.

Space French? You see all kinds of space Russians/soviets, space Brits, space Americans and space Germans/nazies, but the French are almost never seen as a serious sci fi force. I really am interested to see how they end up looking like.

Actually, GZG has the Federal Stats Europa, which is the French-dominated power bloc made up of the remnants of the former EU. Traveller 2300 AD had France as a major player in the colonization of space.

France was a major regional and later world power for a great many centuries. France remains today a significant economic and politically-influencial player on the world stage. She may not be the Empire of Napoleon, but don't underestimate the French by any stretch of the imagination, and should we humans actually figure out that interstellar travel thingee, I suspect that the French will make damn sure they're out there with the rest of us, and as soon as possible.

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

Oh dont get me wrong, I am happy to see A French faction that dismiss this whole white flag of France

A French faction that dismiss this whole white flag of France Bleeped text

Which is a canard overturned by the actual historical record, among the more notable exhibits being the Battle of Stonne May 15-16, 1940…

As for this promising aerial beastie, lots of potential for fetching French style camp specs and markings:

Never underestimate the courage of the French! Remember; *they* discovered that *snails* are edible…

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

France was a major regional and later world power for a great many centuries. France remains today a significant economic and politically-influencial player on the world stage. She may not be the Empire of Napoleon, but don't underestimate the French by any stretch of the imagination, and should we humans actually figure out that interstellar travel thingee, I suspect that the French will make damn sure they're out there with the rest of us, and as soon as possible

And at least French space cuisine will be edible….

Who has doubted the courage of the French in this thread?

Perplexed….

Who has doubted the courage of the French in this thread?

Perplexed….

The topic of the too persistent myth of French "cowardice" during the Second World War was referenced here:

Oh dont get me wrong, I am happy to see A French faction that dismiss this whole white flag of France

I merely chipped in a short narrative of facts that supported Victor's sentiment.

Now, do tell, what other things French and spacefaring have you in store for us besides this fetching VTOL and the NOFRA special forces you mentioned?

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

The Neo-Helvets, as I mentioned.

The Neo-Helvets, as I mentioned.

I did catch that. I was hoping I might elicit a bit more from you, but I do understand the need for and desirability of keeping us all in suspense…

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

Don't have anything other than the plan as I described. The French part of the extra-planetary army is TIER 1, also called the Direct Action Units. The armoured forces are the Neo-Helvets in their KEIL vehicles. First to be made have been the first codes of TIER 1, and this VTOL.

Roger that. Good start by anyone's definition… now you've got me all excited over the prospect of doing some garish neo-WW2 French tank camo specs on sci fi AFVs…

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

Looking forward to seeing the Tier 1 minis!

A PF sculpt run though an Oines render filter. Good combo!

Best,
JBR

Yes, AFAIK this is the first PF digital design to be printed so I asked Oines to look it over before sending it to be printed. He only found a few minor things to fix.