In order to provide its few remaining troops with air support, the T.L.A. has also deployed a redesign of the Tactical Hypersonic Interdiction and Combat Craft (T.H.I.C.C.). Since I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with my light fighter, I decided to rebuild my heavy fighter instead.
The new design replaces the T.H.I.C.C. Mk. I's conventional engines with larger versions of the turboramjets used on the S.A.S.S. A large delta wing allows for more fuel storage while adjustable canards improve low-speed maneuverability. The end result is a craft that is superior to the in all aspects of performance to the old design... though I do miss those sexy trapezoidal exhausts.
Even the synthetic vision sensors in the nose and tail have been streamlined for additional speed.
The tail section includes two rocket boosters for extra bursts of speed, and a countermeasures dispenser and jammer for added survivability.
The new T.H.I.C.C. replaces two of the old design's external hardpoints with rotary warhead launchers that can store a wide variety of ordnance.
Boast:
This is the hardest landing gear I have ever had to design. Not only was the available space small, it was surrounded by other parts (the engines and gun, mostly) that limited the range of motion for the landing gear and bay doors. I'm honestly considering giving up on landing gear after this given how many headaches it caused me in this build.
Also, the landing gear is too short for it to carry missiles while landed... um... yeah, we'll just invoke the Law of Fudge on that one.
