Boeing-BAE Systems TAL-18A Talon II Multi-Purpose Assault Lander

Propulsion
2 Westinghouse NI-218C-2 Nuclear Ion Drive Units-Space
2 Rolls-Royce MRB-688A Methane Turbines-Atmospheric
3 General Physics Corp GA31-1P2 Gravity Attenuators
Triple redundant system, one required for lift in Mars gravity, all 3 required in Earth gravity.
2 McDonalds/Thiokol O4A Orbital docking thrust unit with 1 fixed nozzle and four rotating nozzles.

Shielding
2 BAE Systems “Vulcan” aerostatic generators for reentry shielding
2 Lockheed Electric electromagnetic shield generators, providing protection from laser and particle beam weapons up to 150 megawatts.

Weaponry
2 GE M99 50mm electromagnetic railguns mounted midwing, with 3,000 rounds of ammunition per gun. Rate of fire variable up to 400 rounds per second

2 GE M114 30mm EM railguns, collocated with M99 guns. 4,000 rounds per gun carried, with 500 round per second maximum rate of fire

1 Teledyne 728 COIL laser cannon (18 megawatt), with reactant for op to 25 firings at full power

Fuselage hardpoints for up to to 8 tactical missiles. Normal loading includes EADS “Striker III” or Raytheon TAM-9 “Saber” missiles with HE, Fusion, or Antimatter warheads.

Crew-Pilot, Flight Systems Officer, and Mission Officer minimum crew

Onboard accommodation for up to 16 combat troops

External couplings to carry one “Mongoose” class tactical vehicle, Mk 14 Research Module, or MedMod 4 emergency medical module

Performance

Atmospheric-Mars: 1,600 knots max
Atmospheric-Earth: Maneuvering thrusters + gravity manipulators only-340 knots max

Exo-atmospheric: .14c

Expendables for 45 days with nominal crew of 5.
*********************   This was my first real attempt at kitbashing.  The forward fuselage is from the Monogram 1/48 A-10.  The cockpit area was cut down and the cockpit area from a Monogram 1/72 SR-71 was grafted on with the help of some styrene sheet and putty. The rear fuselage , fuselage sides, and wing is from the 1/48 Revell-Monogram F-15E.  The scoop on the upper fuselage is where the rear canopy frame goes on the F-15.  The exposed mechanical stuff going into the scoop is half an engine from an ancient Lindberg 1/48ish Hunter.  The outer wing panels were removed and reattached backwards. the railguns mounted at the break in the wing are mechanical pencils. The underwing "Nuclear Ion" engines are A-10 nacelles with the afterburner ring from the SR-71 in the front and the intake spike in the back. The "methane turbine" exhausts are the excellent F-15E nozzles. The boarding ramp is scratchbuilt and the landing gear was made up from the A-10 gear legs, triple Maverick launch rails from an old Revell A-10 and some gear parts from the F-15E.

Nick

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