Four Ion Engines Fie Fighter

3D Model

15 yrs old model, made with FormZ / EIAS.

Backstory:

Built during the Old Republic, the FIE was a brilliant fighter but, due to his complexity and cost, condemned to stay as a single prototype foreshadowing both the Xwing and Tie X-1 fighter.

The FIE is a multipurpose space fighter, powered by an hybrid powerplant: ionic for long range flights then running on fusion mode in combat configuration. For stealthiness, wings are kept folded during cruise mode but unfolded if more power is needed, the surface of the solar collectors is then twiced up. When wings are unfolded, the fusion engines cooling intakes are released enabling to switch over the propulsion mode. In unfolded configuration, the position of the four engines, mounted on the wings, allow differential thrust technique to increase manoeuvrability during dog fights.