Nirvana Class 40 ton Dropship (images and deck plans)

[Beerfume]

I've posted a new ship to my blog as part of my A-Z blog challenge: D if for Dropship. I learned my lesson on my yacht design experiment and went to a much simpler design for a much simpler ship. More in tune with the Traveller aesthetic.

 

[wbyrd]

Nice concept, a dropship with a modular bay for quick refit and transport

 

[Travellerspud]

very nice!

 

[Reban]

I like it. Can a dropship be cute?

IMTU I use the standard 30dton modules in a similar role to your Standard Payload Shell to make them more versatile with a wide choice of mother-craft. However your Standard Payload Shells are very neat and tidy in comparison with no waste space.

 

[Takei]

Very nice! I've always been fascinated with containers and the Dropship allows a lot of flexibility.

 

[kilemall]

I'll go so far as to say I'd rather play this then the classic modular cutter.

 

[flykiller]

I'll go so far as to say I'd rather play this then the classic modular cutter.

it's great planet-side - I can see corporations and governments using it to ship between their facilities, and the imperial army using it to download equipment, and a high port using it to retrieve and deliver cargo spaced by rapidly-transiting merchants - but it wouldn't fit all that well onto a ship, and having no cabins it's for short-term transits only.

 

[kilemall]

it's great planet-side - I can see corporations and governments using it to ship between their facilities, and the imperial army using it to download equipment, and a high port using it to retrieve and deliver cargo spaced by rapidly-transiting merchants - but it wouldn't fit all that well onto a ship, and having no cabins it's for short-term transits only.

Correct me if I'm wrong but it fits handily into most type A and type R rendered bays, does it not?

Of course classic Type Cs would not fit them and require a redo if that was a standard for some org.

For staterooms that's simply another module design.

It probably would shine better as a based small craft ito gain the full utility of the modules, but for applications aboard carriers, exploration cruisers etc. I think this would be superior since the module form factor is a box and stackable rather then the fussy round cutter modules.

 

[flykiller]

it fits handily into most type A and type R rendered bays, does it not?

sure, if you don't mind devoting that much space to accomodate an irregularly-shaped boat. but on most ships in-hull space is at a premium and efficiency is sought. not to mention the associated airlock hatches necessary to permit in-hull access. the reason the lbb2 gig and ship's boat were cylindrical was to allow use of iris valves (no larger than the boats' cross-sections) in deploying and recovering them. deploying the gig on display here would require a very large rectangular in-board hatch at minimum taking up much more space all by itself.

one way around that would be to attach this gig directly to the carrying ship's hull - one of the lbb2 boats has such an arrangement if I recall. this could allow access through a dorsal or ventral iris valve hatch.

 

[Beerfume]

Correct me if I'm wrong but it fits handily into most type A and type R rendered bays, does it not?

Assuming you are talking about the dropship, then no, not handily. I've seen one version of the Type A Free Trader where the dropship could fit dimensionally (in plan) within the cargo bay. The dropship is about 12' top to bottom, so it would take serious modifications to the Type A's cargo bay to get the dropship to fit, but it can be done. I'm not sure what you really gain from that though.

The Azhanti could hold the dropship and several payload shells, but to do this without cheating would require relatively minor modifications of two contiguous cargo decks - which all the CT variations of the Azhanti have.

A variety of ships could be modified to accept the standard payload shell.

I'm hoping to produce plans for the commercial variant of the dropship, replacing the pop-out turrets with a small stateroom, fresher, and galley, making the ship more useful for longer or inter-system missions. I've also got some more ideas for additional payload layouts and may get those posted later this month. Stay tuned...

 

[atpollard]

The Gazelle and the Fat Trader both mount Small Craft externally.
The Drop Ship looks like a superb candidate with the possibility of a starship fuel tank on the ship shaped to fit in the cargo space and the drop ship clamping tightly to the starship hull when not in use.

 

[Selandia]

sure, if you don't mind devoting that much space to accomodate an irregularly-shaped boat.
...
one way around that would be to attach this gig directly to the carrying ship's hull - one of the lbb2 boats has such an arrangement if I recall. this could allow access through a dorsal or ventral iris valve hatch.

T5 use Niche as a perfect way to handle that problem. The lifeboat of the fat trader depicted in LBB7 (trader and gunboat) is depicted in such an arrangement. BTW as far as lifeboat are concern, Id rather have them attached to the outside rather than having to rely on some power to open the bay's door.

Have Fun

Selandia

 

[Selandia]

BTW, when it come to encumberance, that is at least (I believe, but stand ready to be corrected) as good as the LLB7 Pinace with variable geometry wings. A cylindrical Pinace is in Leviathan adventure

have fun

Selandia