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Description
((STORY EXTRACT))
Ignoring Static for the moment, I focused in on the aircraft on approach to the main runway, watching it’s descent as the landing gear lowered from the fuselage… wing-bit. It’s hard to tell what to call it when the whole thing is largely a circle, at least the Valkyrie has somewhat of an obvious main body. The strange pancake shape seemed to be flying almost frighteningly slow as it nosed up for landing, another mini-tank going out onto the runway to guide it followed by an emergency response one, the crowds either side watching it approach. Unbelievably slowly, the F/A-5U dropped onto the snowy tarmac, coming to a smooth stop in the middle of the runway. Static trotted up beside me as I let off a small chuckle, finally realizing just who was the pony piloting that particular pancake - We’re really not that great as far as helping with getting people back home, are we?
The bizarre aircraft taxiied off of the tarmac and over to the main hangars, led by the motorbug, the two large repaired propellers spinning to a stop as it came to rest outside of the hangar we’d parked in earlier. I’d already started heading towards the craft, Static following behind, a door opening and ladder dropping down from the bottom, near the cockpit. A pony emerged, wearing a slightly singed flight jacket, pink mane poking out from under his thick winter cap and a grey muzzle being the only thing visible from under his flight gear. He grinned as we both approached, probably a little thankful most of the crowd in the hangar was still fawning over the Valkyrie. “Contrail! I… eheh, uh, sorry about leaving you in Hopeville for so long, we kinda ran into a lot of things that had to be taken care of first… sorta slipped our minds.”
The pilot stallion gave his hoof a small wave, a grin holding on his muzzle. “Ah, don’t fret about it, ah know y’all are the big heroes ‘round here. Bein’ honest, was for the better, was able to find somepony over in Maple Creek who could make new propellers fer the Pancake, and it only took a little bit of tweakin’ to get the right-side gearbox back into shape with Marigold’s help. Wasn’t about t’ leave this thing just layin’ on the coast to rust away, yanno?” He gave the landing gear leg of the aircraft a few gentle pats, looking up at the flat fuselage above. Well, I guess that does make sense… wait… are those bomb bay doors up there?
Ignoring Static for the moment, I focused in on the aircraft on approach to the main runway, watching it’s descent as the landing gear lowered from the fuselage… wing-bit. It’s hard to tell what to call it when the whole thing is largely a circle, at least the Valkyrie has somewhat of an obvious main body. The strange pancake shape seemed to be flying almost frighteningly slow as it nosed up for landing, another mini-tank going out onto the runway to guide it followed by an emergency response one, the crowds either side watching it approach. Unbelievably slowly, the F/A-5U dropped onto the snowy tarmac, coming to a smooth stop in the middle of the runway. Static trotted up beside me as I let off a small chuckle, finally realizing just who was the pony piloting that particular pancake - We’re really not that great as far as helping with getting people back home, are we?
The bizarre aircraft taxiied off of the tarmac and over to the main hangars, led by the motorbug, the two large repaired propellers spinning to a stop as it came to rest outside of the hangar we’d parked in earlier. I’d already started heading towards the craft, Static following behind, a door opening and ladder dropping down from the bottom, near the cockpit. A pony emerged, wearing a slightly singed flight jacket, pink mane poking out from under his thick winter cap and a grey muzzle being the only thing visible from under his flight gear. He grinned as we both approached, probably a little thankful most of the crowd in the hangar was still fawning over the Valkyrie. “Contrail! I… eheh, uh, sorry about leaving you in Hopeville for so long, we kinda ran into a lot of things that had to be taken care of first… sorta slipped our minds.”
The pilot stallion gave his hoof a small wave, a grin holding on his muzzle. “Ah, don’t fret about it, ah know y’all are the big heroes ‘round here. Bein’ honest, was for the better, was able to find somepony over in Maple Creek who could make new propellers fer the Pancake, and it only took a little bit of tweakin’ to get the right-side gearbox back into shape with Marigold’s help. Wasn’t about t’ leave this thing just layin’ on the coast to rust away, yanno?” He gave the landing gear leg of the aircraft a few gentle pats, looking up at the flat fuselage above. Well, I guess that does make sense… wait… are those bomb bay doors up there?
well, i know side stories are non cannon, but those side histories falls into the same universe right? so it wouldnt be fallout equestria if it was like 5000 years ahead than the actual age its located whit, or if some random human alien came to take earth polluted air by force, or any weird thing really
and i got surprised since most fallout equestria stuff is subreal ass hell, have you seen that pegasus enclave gigant plane that breaks every single aviation law? atleats the pridven (or whatever its called) maked some sence since its a zepelin, and we had huuuuger zepelins in real life?
also, i remember my father showing me this “pancake” plane when i was a kid, he spend liken 1 or 2 hours explaining me the concept and history and all that
I’m honored you thought of me. Prolonged/not-prematurely-cancelled development is definitely a great cure for finicky transmissions. (Otherwise the Osprey would still be stuck as the world’s most expensive rototiller.) And that’s before accounting for magic or better than WWII machining tolerances, so I can definitely believe that Equestrian Vought was able to achieve the success real Vought wasn’t able to.
I had a feeling you of all people would appreciate this page. As for the quote, it’s pony magic at work, and beyond that the Pancake did reach some limited production use here since it’s designation is F/A-5U, rather than XF/A-5U. Gearbox issues would’ve been sorted out back when these things were still being flown by the powered wing of the REAF.
Then again, considering this one was kinda nuked out of the sky a little on it’s first flight, that’s a fair reaction all the same.
Also:
HAHAHAHAHA!
No side-story is canon, and plenty make use of ponified Vertibirds with their tiltrotor/tilt-wing action. Isn’t too far of a stretch to imagine that someone somewhere developed them from looking at earlier fixed-wing aircraft, it’s unlikely they just popped into existence without earlier designs and crafts. Hell, helicopters are canon in the show itself.
We never see much of the raw speed of industrialization that happens pre-war, it isn’t impossible that different things were made that weren’t explicitly mentioned. Isn’t like it’s an A-10 or AC-130 thrown in for the hell of it, anyways.