With the E-wing still in progress, for my next trick I'm going to be looking into the K-wing bomber.

I've always DESPISED the design that the artists for the Wizards of the Coast RPG developed for the K-wing, as it's abundantly clear that they never actually READ the **** books it came from, or even Kube-McDowell's other notes on the craft. It's unfortunate that Cracken's Threat Dossier was rushed out the door for the WEG RPG, because the preliminary artwork (which was, unfortunately, cut and never completed) was much closer to McDowell's descriptions. I actually had a JPG of the concept art I got from the original CTD artists a while back, but this was MANY years ago, and I think it's since been lost (if it's anywhere on my hard drive still it may not be under a name I'll even remember).

For a quick rundown, here's the notes from McDowell's website:

Quote

• The K-wing was designed for the close/precision-bombardment role in planetary assaults (the standoff/area-bombardment role is adequately filled by a number of other platforms).
• As such, it has been designed for a primary combat environment deep in gravity wells and usually deep in atmosphere. That means big engines and lift-producing wings as well as repulsors.
• The primary assault modes of the K-wing are dive-bombing, skip-bombing (with delayed fusing), and lob bombing against fixed targets. With a special ordnance package, it could also be sent against ground-based mobile armor such as the Imperial AT-AT, but this has not yet been tested in combat.
• As befits a close-in assault platform, the K-wing is heavily armored and shielded. The airframe is specifically engineered to withstand extremely high wing loadings and provide maximum protection to the crew and avionics systems.
• Viewed head-on, the K-wing resembles a capital K lying on its face--a single center fuselage, two medium straight wings above, two short angled wings below (ending in landing skids). Just outboard of the fuselage on the straight wings are two of the three primary thrust engines; the third is further aft in the fuselage, on the centerline, and has vectored-thrust nozzles. The third engine's vectored thrust allows for non-ballistic translations during attack runs, increasing survivability.
• The four wings have a total of 18 hard points (10 up, 8 down) to which a variety of ordnance packages can be attached. The wings are swept and staggered, with the upper wings set further back than the lower to provide drop clearance. The total weapons payload of a K-wing exceeds that of any other starfighter by a substantial margin, and is the equal of the larger TIE bomber. In some load-out configurations, not all 18 hard points can be used.
• The K-wing has a two-man crew (pilot and weapons specialist).
• The K-wing has no integrated air defense capability of its own unless equipped with antiship missiles as part of its load-out. However, even when so equipped, the K-wing makes a poor dogfighter, and standard combat protocols call for K-wing missions to receive fighter coverage at no less than a 2-to-1 ratio--1-to-1 where possible.
• Flight Envelope: details are closely held secrets. In general, the K-wing is not noted for either its rate of acceleration or its top speed in a planetary atmosphere. However, it is known that the K-wing can go supersonic at pressures up to five atmospheres, and can outrun an X-wing in a sufficiently long straight-line race in vacuum.
• The K-wing is an exception among New Republic starfighters in that it is not equipped with hyperdrive, and must be ferried to the target in a fleet carrier. Eliminating the hyperdrive was a compromise dictated by the demands of the assault role--an extremely strong and compact airframe, dual shield generators, the third engine, and various other redundant systems.
• As with all larger, multi-crew New Republic starfighters, the K-wing employs smart systems rather than an astromech droid.
• Initial trials of the K-wing were carried out aboard the training carrier Monitor. The first operational wing was assigned to Task Force Quickfire of the Third Fleet.

So, we're looking at a craft with a canard and main wing, both of which are true airfoils. Two engines are mounted on the main wings, with the third engine further aft and centered in the hull (NOT mounted above it). Armament is strictly limited to ordinance, with no fixed or flexible cannons. Additional details evident from the text of the book itself indicates that the crew is seated in tandem within a shared cockpit, not the dual separate cockpits of the "official" artwork. Additionally, the ship is SMALLER (or at least shorter) than the TIE bomber, which means it's a very compact vessel.

So there's a LOT of work to be done to redesign the K-wing to fit the creator's original intent. I'll be scrapping the "canon" abomination entirely and starting from scratch. As it's a Koensayr design, I'll be giving it a clear lineage to the Y-wing fighter-bomber. I'm just starting some rough-out work so there's nothing to show yet, but keep watching this space.

While yes, the original intent of the K-Wing might have been a smaller ship, in a way I like what it became by enlarging the vessel, as it now reminds me of a giant WWII Bomber with turrets all over it, and the ability to simply unload a ton of carnage with explosives, and maybe it could act like an AC-130

The problem is that makes the K-wing into just another Y-wing or B-wing. The original intent — that of a compact dive-bomber with no fixed weaponry — sets it apart and actually makes it UNIQUE.

Here's a very, VERY early look at what I've got going (right now there's no beveling or face-weighting).

The pods are the upper intake scoops for the repulsor array. There will be another, much larger scoop underneath, as well. Obviously the main influence is the Y-wing, however I'll also be borrowing a few elements from the T-47.

Definitely interested to see where this goes!

Did anything ever come of this?

I’m definitely interested to see the final result.

On 1/3/2018 at 11:42 PM, Ambaryerno said:

With the E-wing still in progress, for my next trick I'm going to be looking into the K-wing bomber.

I've always DESPISED the design that the artists for the Wizards of the Coast RPG developed for the K-wing, as it's abundantly clear that they never actually READ the **** books it came from, or even Kube-McDowell's other notes on the craft. It's unfortunate that Cracken's Threat Dossier was rushed out the door for the WEG RPG, because the preliminary artwork (which was, unfortunately, cut and never completed) was much closer to McDowell's descriptions. I actually had a JPG of the concept art I got from the original CTD artists a while back, but this was MANY years ago, and I think it's since been lost (if it's anywhere on my hard drive still it may not be under a name I'll even remember).

For a quick rundown, here's the notes from McDowell's website:

So, we're looking at a craft with a canard and main wing, both of which are true airfoils. Two engines are mounted on the main wings, with the third engine further aft and centered in the hull (NOT mounted above it). Armament is strictly limited to ordinance, with no fixed or flexible cannons. Additional details evident from the text of the book itself indicates that the crew is seated in tandem within a shared cockpit, not the dual separate cockpits of the "official" artwork. Additionally, the ship is SMALLER (or at least shorter) than the TIE bomber, which means it's a very compact vessel.

So there's a LOT of work to be done to redesign the K-wing to fit the creator's original intent. I'll be scrapping the "canon" abomination entirely and starting from scratch. As it's a Koensayr design, I'll be giving it a clear lineage to the Y-wing fighter-bomber. I'm just starting some rough-out work so there's nothing to show yet, but keep watching this space.

Sounds like it should have a low value (say 1) rated main guns, no turret or cannon slot, 2 to 3 missile slots, 2 bomb slots and 2 torp slots.

1 hour ago, Harlock999 said:

Did anything ever come of this?

I’m definitely interested to see the final result.

I haven’t given up on it yet, but it’s on the back burner for other projects right now.

What about this K-Wing?

http://www.angelfire.com/scifi/randalthor/rws2/hawks_squadron/Rebel_Tech_Data.html

I remember that design. It's BETTER than the WotC one, though still has issues (no canard wings, and it has guns).

On 1/7/2018 at 8:41 AM, Ambaryerno said:

Here's a very, VERY early look at what I've got going (right now there's no beveling or face-weighting).

The pods are the upper intake scoops for the repulsor array. There will be another, much larger scoop underneath, as well. Obviously the main influence is the Y-wing, however I'll also be borrowing a few elements from the T-47.

...I get where you're going with this but please be daring and don't just make this a Y-Wing fuselage. You want unique? Take a note from the A-Wing for the canopy.

Have you ever looked over on the Star Wars Artists Guild (Swagonline) site, for some of the ships there?

On 1/3/2018 at 11:42 PM, Ambaryerno said:

With the E-wing still in progress, for my next trick I'm going to be looking into the K-wing bomber.

I've always DESPISED the design that the artists for the Wizards of the Coast RPG developed for the K-wing, as it's abundantly clear that they never actually READ the **** books it came from, or even Kube-McDowell's other notes on the craft. It's unfortunate that Cracken's Threat Dossier was rushed out the door for the WEG RPG, because the preliminary artwork (which was, unfortunately, cut and never completed) was much closer to McDowell's descriptions. I actually had a JPG of the concept art I got from the original CTD artists a while back, but this was MANY years ago, and I think it's since been lost (if it's anywhere on my hard drive still it may not be under a name I'll even remember).

So there's a LOT of work to be done to redesign the K-wing to fit the creator's original intent. I'll be scrapping the "canon" abomination entirely and starting from scratch. As it's a Koensayr design, I'll be giving it a clear lineage to the Y-wing fighter-bomber. I'm just starting some rough-out work so there's nothing to show yet, but keep watching this space.

I second those that support your endevor. The K-Wing is arguably the biggest mistake FFG made in our beautiful game:

1) It is NOT how it was described in the Star Wars Universe

2) It is the ugliest piece of plastic ever made in the game (and no, this is not subjective, but fact)

3) It is downright NOT at all Star Warzy (again, not at all subjective, but fact)

4) It almost single highhandedly destroyed the game (along with the Jumpmaster disaster; they simply were not thinking clearly)

Do I have a bit of personal salt on this one? Admittedly so. But the designers rushed that garbage in without really thinking at all, IMO. So @Ambaryerno , all players are, or should be, firmly behind you in correcting their mistake. You deserve mad props for this my friend.

...and a good tea.

I like the challenge! Yes, there is a need for a redesign. I started to look around and make sketches.

Designing a good looking starship is not simple! Just look at the amount of design work Lucasfilm invested to create the U-Wing... it takes time.