The Victorian Hussar Strike Bomber
LEGO by: Justin R. "Saber-Scorpion" Stebbins
Weight Range: Light
Speed: Medium
Armaments: 2 blazer machine guns, 1 medium energy lance, 4 heavy rockets, 2 small missile racks, 2 bombs
Capacity: 1 Pilot

Of all the nations on Terra Nova, Victory has undoubtedly the best Aerospace force. The Hussar, their light Strike Bomber, has played at least some part in earning this reputation.

Unlike the many bombers, the Hussar is small and speedy, able to get in and out fast, and strike hard. It is most capable of this in space, because its relatively short wings and heavy payload slow its movement in the atmosphere until it fires some of its missiles or bombs.

I built this ship with the intention of coming up with a unique, completely studless design. It all started with the cockpit canopy piece, which is actually the corner window of an airport control tower. Once I had decided to use that for my canopy, I just started building the rest of the ship from there.

The Hussar was built from the back forward, so almost all of the studs are facing forward, not on top like usual. Furthermore, they are all turned at an angle, which allowed for possibly the ship's most distinctive feature: the V-shaped Victorian engines. A nice touch, if I do say so myself.

I finally got around to making some Victorian "V" emblem decals, as you can see. I would do a Winston Churchill "V is for Victory" thing with my fingers, but Space Hippies might take it for the wrong meaning... We don't want no "peace" 'round here!

The Hussar is very heavily armed. It has two heavy rockets on top, typically used in space against capital ships, and two bombs on the bottom, used for bombing ground targets. On the underside of its wings are six air-to-air missiles (the larger missile-looking things under there are actually afterburner rockets). On the front of the bomber are two blazer heavy machine guns and an energy "Lance," a special weapon developed by Victory that is especially effective against shields. It was the precursor to Xarkon's Gungnir Shield-Breaker cannon.

Here's those awesome engines again. I actually considered making the ship longer than this, but I ran out of time (I wanted to enter it in a contest).

Victorian fighters are supposed to have wings in a slightly V-like shape, but they are not strict about it like Xarkon is with their crown design. Besides, it would be stupid for all of my factions to have little rules like that...

Here is the underside, so you can see how the pilot fits in.

I tried to come up with a system that would allow the seat to fold down so the pilot could climb out. Unfortunately the only way I could think of required this large, bulky mechanism that I felt ruined the ship's sleekness. Meh, this is fine if you ask me.

I came up with this neat little excuse too: The Hussar typically lands in "racks" on the ceilings of Victorian hangars. When a pilot wants to fly one, he mounts up on a little hovering platform, called the Hussar Saddle. He then uses this platform to fly up under the Hussar and attach to the bottom. The Saddle will also serve as an ejector seat when necessary during a battle.

"I know you, you're nearly-studless Nick!" "Nearly studless? How can you be nearly studless?" "Like this!" Argh, there it is! The little gas tank port that I felt inclined to include on the side of the ship. This is used for refueling when in the hangar rack. It is also one of the only visible studs on the ship.

Of course, I mean, the Valk still totally pwnz it, but meh.

In space, no one can hear you scream. TIE Fighters in Star Wars have yet to learn this.