The VF-11D Thunderbolt "Jamming Bird (VF-11D改 VF-11D Kai) is a variable fighter featured in the Macross 7 television series.
Development[]
Despite initial misgivings, the U.N. Spacy were forced to admit that Sound Force did have a legitimate effect upon the enemy, however uneven and unpredictable the result. As such, the they decided to expand the initial mandate of Operation M and create more units using sound technology. The units were called "Jamming Birds" and comprised VF-11D Custom variable fighters built by Macross 7 Project M Special Technologies Group. One lot of twenty craft was produced and flown by trained U.N. Spacy pilots along with a co-pilot performer who could utilize the sound technology system. Auditions were held for Jamming Bird hopefuls and a final selection of six singers and musicians provided the U.N. Forces with their first new recruits.
Technology & Combat Characteristics[]
The Jamming Birds, unlike Sound Force, were a strictly regimented military unit and the VF-11D Custom variable fighters were fully armed combat craft. The VF-11D Custom is built with a special two-seat cockpit, a secondary transparent spherical canopy for the rear seat and retractable four-piece canopy cover for Battroid mode. The Jamming Bird also features a newly designed head unit with a visor-style main sensor.
The most important modifications made to the VF-11D Custom are the sound energy converter system and the Sound Boosters. The added equipment and accommodation made the VF-11D heavier than the standard VF-11C. To compensate for the additional weight, the VF-11D Custom featured enhanced engines for additional thrust, VF-19 model vernier thrusters and enlarged canard wings for better maneuverability. The Super Part Boosters enable the VF-11D Custom to achieve orbit and can be utilized both in the atmosphere and in space.
Armaments[]
Standard[]
- Anti-aircraft pulse laser gun x 1
- Bulletproof shield x 1
- Stores two gun pod magazines
- 30mm 6-barrel gun-pod
- Fires micro-missiles and comes with an optional anti-armour bayonet.
- Special equipment hard point stations for external space Super Part units
Special Equipment & Features[]
- Special equipment hard point stations for external Macross 7 Project M Special Technologies Group
History[]
The first deployment of the VF-11D "Jamming Birds" in November 2045 was a complete failure. While the VF-11Ds and the sound energy systems were combat worthy hardware, the UN Forces failed to account for the human element of the assigned personnel. Unlike Basara Nekki and Ray Lovelock who had military flight experience and natural ability (and, to a lesser degree, Mylene Flare Jenius), Chitose Ripple and her fellow musicians of the Jamming Birds fared poorly under combat conditions, unable to sing effectively due to both the emotional and physical stresses of variable fighter combat. Colonel Barton, the officer in charge of the Jamming Bird unit, refused to admit failure and continued with a training program for the civilian personnel. The Jamming Birds eventually became an effective fighting force against the Varauta Army, but only at the final stage of the Protodeviln War.
External Links[]