Who's the daddy?

[Colin1]

Also, the Viper had a number of variants.

The Mk I wasn't all that impressive, but starting with the Mk II, the firepower was upgraded along with hard-points, engines and tactical/logistics enhancements. While they weren't capable of Hyper-drive, they could achieve high sub-light speeds.

If I'm not mistaken, the last Viper version was the Mk VII?

I found a site that dealt with both fighters and sub-light speed is roughly parity for both types, the Viper is slightly faster if expressed in MGLT (whatever that is). Its missile capability is also superior to the X-Wing's in terms of quantity and range.
I forgot to look GG, aren't you a mod? Quite happy to have the poll reset if everyone wants a re-think based on the new data I found

 

[Marcel]

ummm, don't ya need gravity for stall to be a factor?

Well, actually you need some gas molecules flowing over the wings as well.

 

[GrauGeist]

I found a site that dealt with both fighters and sub-light speed is roughly parity for both types, the Viper is slightly faster if expressed in MGLT (whatever that is). Its missile capability is also superior to the X-Wing's in terms of quantity and range.
I forgot to look GG, aren't you a mod? Quite happy to have the poll reset if everyone wants a re-think based on the new data I found

There used to be a site that was the difinitive source for all things Sci-Fi. It covered all of the starships ever used in the movies, TV shows and in publication as well as the beings that built/operated them. They also published a hardbound encyclopedia as well.

Not sure what ever happened to the site, and I'm still kicking myself in the arse for not buying the book...though it was a huge volume and cost quite a few bucks...

You could PM one of the mods and see if they would reset it for you, but nope, I'm not a mod...I'm too mean

 

[RabidAlien]

I saw a similar site once, that not only listed all the spacecraft, but had a powerpoint-like presentation showing relative sizes of all, starting from the smallest up to the biggest (V-Ger from StarTrek I is pretty darn big!)

 

[Lucky13]

How many here, spent hours designing their own fighters?

 

[Colin1]

Ohhhhh the Viper's clawing some reeeeespect back
I wonder how many X-Wing votees would have gone the other way if I'd found that site earlier

 

[Flyboy2]

I just think the X-wing is better all around for many different jobs.
A) It has hyperdrive
B) 4 cannons, which can be linked to any series of combinations to deliver one strong bunch or a spray of lighter fire. Also it has 12 proton torpedoes which devestate the target
C) The astromech.. Takes away alot of the pilots burden and acts as an inflight engineer.

I also think that the X-wing performs better in atmosphere because it actually has somewhat conventional wings

 

[Colin1]

I just think the X-wing is better all around for many different jobs.
A) It has hyperdrive
B) 4 cannons, which can be linked to any series of combinations to deliver one strong bunch or a spray of lighter fire. Also it has 12 proton torpedoes which devestate the target
C) The astromech.. Takes away alot of the pilots burden and acts as an inflight engineer.

I also think that the X-wing performs better in atmosphere because it actually has somewhat conventional wings

Agree on the hyperdrive, that is a key strategic advantage but no tactical advantage whatsoever, weapons locked down during the jump
Six proton torps - every source I've referenced gives me six
Yes, the R2 unit is a spare pair of hands, useful when someone's just toasted some of your systems
Sorry, do you have anything definitive that would give the X-Wing the ascendency over the Viper in atmospheric flight? From what I found, the Viper has it, he's got the reach on the X-Wing with missile range. Nothing to suggest that one was more stable than the other in actual flight terms.

Edit: by the way you haven't voted yet

 

[Negative Creep]

Is the X-Wing the best looking of the lot?

The X-Wing is one of my all time favourite designs period.

 

[Flyboy2]

My mistake, I was thinking six torps to each tube... I know some later versions of the X-wing carried a third tube and some were even modified for concussion missiles.

Sorry, do you have anything definitive that would give the X-Wing the ascendency over the Viper in atmospheric flight? From what I found, the Viper has it, he's got the reach on the X-Wing with missile range. Nothing to suggest that one was more stable than the other in actual flight terms.

Right, what I am looking at is purely aerodynamic anaylsis. The X-wing actually has wings...

I think that the X-wing would win out in a dog fight. The Viper is fast and maneuverable, but the X-wing certainly has more punch and can get out of the fight at any time. In a major fleet engagement, I feel like the X-wing would do better just because it is a more rugged fighter and can do more damage

 

[Flyboy2]

Just for kicks check out this website

http://www.merzo.net/

Its a bunch of size comparisons for all sorts of science fiction space ships. Starts out with species and moves its way up... check it out

 

[Colin1]

Right, what I am looking at is purely aerodynamic analysis. The X-wing actually has wings...

I think that the X-wing would win out in a dog fight. The Viper is fast and maneuverable, but the X-wing certainly has more punch and can get out of the fight at any time. In a major fleet engagement, I feel like the X-wing would do better just because it is a more rugged fighter and can do more damage

The Viper has wings too
they incorporate the cannons and do have a neater and more practical architecture to them for atmospheric combat, they would nail the X-Wing hands-down for roll rate. I wouldn't describe the X-Wing as being more rugged, those S-foils don't look like they'd take much damage and once they're shot up and deformed your cannon-targetting is screwed; the other key advantage here, apart from hyperdrive, is the X-Wing's shields.
The Viper CAN take down an X-Wing's shields so in a fleet engagement I don't see decisive tactical advantages to either type; the principal advantage that the X-Wing holds is strategic, the ability to jump a numerically overwhelming force into a numerically inferior Viper space, do the damage and then jump out before Viper reinforcements can get there.
It forces the Viper fleet commander to keep his fleet dispersal tight which may mean surrendering territorial assets just to survive which in turn is already a victory for the X-Wing fleet commander.
Hyperdrive also means the fight is on the Vipers' doorstep and not his.

 

[Flyboy2]

Losing an S-Foil is not that bad in space combat... All it really does is degrade the combat effectiveness due to the loss of an engine or laser. However, the generators on the X-wing can transfer to unused power to the left over engines to compensate for the loss. In order to get to the S-foils you have to get through the shields, which can be recharged using engine or laser power. Also, the shields can be manipulated to double to blocking power to the area of the fighter under attack

 

[GrauGeist]

How many here, spent hours designing their own fighters?

Guilty!
I had some real nice stuff I created...might even have a few drawings stashed away somewhere...

As far as the Viper Mk VII, here's the specs:
Race: Colonial
Type: Military
Propulsion: 3 x turbo-thrust engines mounted aft, RCS points
Crew: 1 pilot in Terrell ES 24C ejection seat.
Role: Space superiority fighter
Armament:
3 x forward-firing kinetic energy weapons (KEW), 2 mounted towards the outboard sections of the wings, 1 mounted in the vertical stabilizer, Weapon hard-points for mounting missiles, munitions pods, etc. under the wings.
Dimensions:
Length 32.3 feet (~9.8 meters)
Height 9.7 feet (~3.0 meters)
Wingspan 18.4 feet (~5.6 meters)

Also, the Mark VII, like the Mk II, is capable of 180 degree verticle rotation in .35 seconds. Also has redundant hydraulics for enhanced survivability, however, loss of both systems in atmospheric conditions is fatal.

 

[GrauGeist]

More info...this time the Mk II

I really wish I had that guide that had all the data...

Race: Colonial
Type: Military
Propulsion: 1 x Voram VM2-D15 upper turbo-thrust engine, 2x Voram VM3-D22 turbo-thrust engines, 2x reverse thrust motors, RCS points
Crew: 1 pilot
Role: Space superiority fighter
Armament:
2 x MEC-A6 30mm Thraxon forward-firing kinetic energy weapons (KEW) mounted in the wing roots with 800 round magazine, Dorsal storage bay for 8 x HD-70 Lightning Javelin missiles (optional 50 megaton nuclear warhead). Weapon hardpoints for mounting missiles / munitions pods, etc. under the wings
Dimensions:
Length 27.6 feet (~8.4m)
Height 8.9 feet (~2.7m)
Wingspan 15.5 feet (~4.7m)

The Mk II was also noted to have analog gauges, including an altimeter (for atmospheric flight) that prevented Cylon electronic countermeasures to disable the onboard navigation.

 

[GrauGeist]

And finally, the Original Viper.

We can see that like any war machine, there are changes and threat upgrades to match the enemy's technology, and the Viper made quite a few between the original and the MkVII.

One distinct advantage that the Viper may have over the X-Wing in a fight, is that the Viper can make immediate stops. This could prove useful against an unwary X-wing pilot by feinting a "nose-up" manouver, and then apply the full stop, forcing your enemy to over-shoot, then making the kill. Or use the "braking" and the Turbo Boost in a combination to gain a tactical advantage.

Specs:
Race: Colonial
Type: Military
Propulsion: three sublight aft-mounted engines
Crew: 1 pilot
Role: Space superiority fighter
Armament: 2 forward-firing laser-torpedo guns
Dimensions:
Length (approx) 29 feet (8.7m)
Width (approx) 13 feet (3.8m)

 

[Messy1]

I would have voted for the B-Wing myself, but in this case I have to go with Wedge's ride, the X-wing.

 

[Colin1]

I would have voted for the B-Wing myself, but in this case I have to go with Wedge's ride, the X-wing.

Never liked the B-Wing
plenty of shielding and artillery but when you got sufficiently clobbered, you didn't just lose a system, everything went down

 

[Flyboy2]

Never liked the B-Wing
plenty of shielding and artillery but when you got sufficiently clobbered, you didn't just lose a system, everything went down

That is true.. the B-wing sure kicks butt though! That thing is loaded to the teeth.

 

[Vassili Zaitzev]

I like the A-wing, it's like a zero. Weak shields though.