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The Firefly-class is a series of multipurpose mid-bulk transport boats designed by Allied Spacecraft Corporation. The hulls and engines are constructed at ASC's shipyard at New Burbank, Osiris, with final outfitting being outsourced to a dozen smaller companies, including the newly formed Firefly Ship Works on Hera. All Fireflys feature a large rear engine module, wing-mounted engines capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), a
Series 1 The original Firefly-Class series was approved for production in June 2434, with the first boats being completed in February 2435. Unlike later designs, the Series 1 did not have a modular cargo area, a secondary cargo area, or passenger berths. The design can dock a pair of optional two-man shuttles known as "Beetles" on the dorsal neck (above the crew quarters). These small craft have no dedicated cargo area, with the passenger sitting behind the one-man cockpit. 8,000 Series 1 boats were sold over the next twelve years before production was halted to make way for the Series 2 design. These small craft have no dedicated cargo area, with the passenger sitting behind the one-man cockpit. Series 2 The Firefly Series 2 was approved for production in March 2447, with the first boats available for sale in 2448. The Series 2 was larger and more streamlined than the Series 1, adding a secondary cargo area (aft of the main cargo section) which could be outfitted with passenger berths. The Series 2 also replaced the bulky engines used on the Series 1 with the all new Capissen 38 Mark II. The Capissen engines were a significant improvement in performance, doubling the ships top speed, while at the same time halving fuel consumption. Unfortunately, the new design was also more complicated and temperamental, leading to a notably higher failure rate over time. Despite the reliability issues, if properly maintained, the ship is amazingly maneuverable, and can still be found on the stunt circuit. Only 5,000 Series 2 boats were sold before production was halted to make way for the Series 3 design. Series 3 The Firefly Series 3 was produced in multiple versions. The standard version was the 03-K64-Firefly produced for the civilian market. A Militry Version, with multiple gun emplacements and wing mounted missiles, was approved for production in August 2463. The Series 3 featured a number of improvements over the earlier models, notably the extenders below the wings of the ship to stabilize the rotating VTOL engines, and hold them further from the main body of the craft (which keeps the ship from shaking as much as previous series, and allowed for shuttle bays to be built into the sides of design above the wings). Also, the Series 3 is longer, with an extended 'neck', and generally roomier interior. It again uses the more reliable Trace Compression Block engine, rather than the Gurtsler engine used in some other designs. No longer in production, 28,000 Series 3 boats were sold over the designs production lifetime. Series 4 The Firefly Series 4 was approved for production in January 2513, with availability projected for July 16, 2513. The Series 4 is 25% faster than the Series 3, and has twice the range. The main hull is significantly wider than a Series 3, with two side-by-side main cargo bays in the main section. Aft of this section the secondary cargo area is also larger, accommodating proper passenger staterooms, or a larger number of berths. The boat also has room for twice the crew of a Series 3. The larger amount of crew space has allowed for the addition of a dedicated land vehicle bay, a cargo elevator, and a small hydroponics garden. The main cargo section is modular, and can be adapted to pick up and drop off standard cargo modules without anyone entering the cargo bay itself. With the increased size and capability comes a higher price tag, primarily for operating expenses. The increased cargo/passenger area is necessary to take jobs to maintain upkeep on a Series 4. This type is primarily used on the lucrative routes between the Core and the Border. For captains traveling the Rim and more interested in economy of operation, the Series 3 remains the better option. Alternative Uses Many Firefly-Class freighters exist around the galaxies, and tracking all of them at all times is problematic. As a result, they've become favored by non-UGC aligned groups, including pirates, smugglers, and other various malcontent groups. The Atorians in particular are known to have had a factory that was producing them based on publicly available blueprints, and were additionally known to have spoofed legitimate freighter transponders. So much so that Hull 222D1 ZAF-2-A37771b is automatically flagged as hostile, as this transponder number has appeared so many times under false flags that the ship was tracked down and impounded. (The legitimate 222D1 ZAF-2-A37771b's owners were compensated for their inconvenience, and no criminal activity was ever detected.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stats, Weapons, And Features: Use general shuttle stats. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
