The imperial Clipper has all the hallmarks of a medium class ship. Its just too wide. SInce we have 'retractable' engine pilons now on the Type 8 coming out soon, can we get something similar for the clipper ? I was thinking of the engine pilons sweeping backwards. As you can see there is plenty of room front and back, just not enough sideways.
Clipper Needs to be Clipped, just a bit
- Thread starter Scarlette Starr
- Start date
The imperial Clipper has all the hallmarks of a medium class ship. Its just too wide. SInce we have 'retractable' engine pilons now on the Type 8 coming out soon, can we get something similar for the clipper ? I was thinking of the engine pilons sweeping backwards. As you can see there is plenty of room front and back, just not enough sideways.
If it doesn't look like this then don't bother. 
Technically speaking, that's the Imperial Trader. The Clipper is based off the Imperial Courier.
Still, would love an ED ship based on the Trader and the Imperial Explorer.
It's been a while but I thought in the game files the Clipper is known as the Trader. That was back when you could still read the filenames, so I could be mistaken.
bonus pic
Maybe. But in appearance it looks more like the Courier than the Trader.
Is there a need for large wings on spaceship at all? Cutter has better proportions in this area. For a medium sized landing pad it would be a kind of viable choice vs python (less cargo space but faster), but large landing pad for this ship is a mistake imho and I remember reading somewhere it was capable on lading on medium sized landing pad in the past. It even feels like design failure for imperial ship (expensive, better than other ships in the same category in all areas).
If I were to design it I would also make it luxury medium class ship (just like cutter for large class is atm.)
If I were to design it I would also make it luxury medium class ship (just like cutter for large class is atm.)
Yeah, the clipper is ugly. Always looked like a snubby 747 to me.
Found this pic in a thread from 2017
, might have some fun with it.
Found this pic in a thread from 2017
, might have some fun with it.
Maybe not wings specifically, but putting thrusters on the ends of extended pylons gives them more leverage for turning the ship, and those can look like wings.
Yeah, the clipper is ugly. Always looked like a snubby 747 to me.
Found this pic in a thread from 2017
View attachment 397470
Chief Gutamaya engineer, upon seeing you butchering his elegant design.
The Starfury in Babylon 5 demonstrated this.
From a Naval Architect PoV:
double decker bus Type 7. It handles like a haulage vessel, whereas the aptly named Clipper handles like a small warship with cargo space.
- As mentioned previously, you get more maneuverability by placing the main thrusters further away from Center of Mass
- Wings would be the likely place for fuel tanks so that you have more volume in the main hull for cargo space
Well, while we are at it, we can talk about making the Type 7 fit on a medium pad....
They already did
It's called the Type 8
As stated frequently
Only Saud Kruger and Gutamay have no medium sized ships available
I for one, will be exceedingly PO'ed if the 2 remainging ships promised don't address this obvious deficiency.
And where's the long ago promised Panther Clipper?
And there is a problem. If they do the Panther Clipper, then there won't be a medium for at least one of those two.
No disagreement
I think I'd rather get the 2 mediums in this round
But it is truly sad that FD has ignored the PC that Braben himself said would be coming...
7 years ago
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwASuJKjQX8
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Yeah, i'd rather have the missing mediums myself.
This suggestion could be for a Imperial Clipper Mk II (variant). Or if it's a new ship the Imperial Clipster.
Dont get me wrong, i love the clipper for the few roles it can fit very well, but as a large landing ship it only has 4 hardpoints, That is rediculous. its cargo space is only moderate so trading and mining roles are reduced and there are better ships for that. In a combat role its only saving grace is the speed and agility. But when i go hunting pirates i love finding a Clipper pirate, they are too easy to kill: big flat target that can't fight back and won't run away. So the only roles i found it good for is HGE and material farming. It has the fastest Supercruise rotation i have found yet, especially for a large class ship, making it great for HGE farming. Its high speed boost in realspace is crazy good (640) making it exceptional at getting away from pirates and such. And it can haul a decent 192 cargo if you use the first 2 slots for cargo. But it CAN"T land on a medium size landing pad. If the Dev create a clipper mk2, i'd recommend dealing with the wing pilons giving them some animation to allow the ship to land on a medium pad, and add in 2 more hardpoints, even small ones will do.
I still think the type-6 and type-7 that are specifically limited by height from fitting in small and medium hangars respectively should be permitted to do so at odyssey settlements since they don't have hangars anyway.
I once arrived at a medium station and had to wait on a ship docked there, when it came into view i laughed, it was as small as a hauler. I dont remember what it was, just that it was small and i was annoyed having to wait on a ship that should have been on a small pad