Oolite Bulletins

The Hooded Swan, the fastest ship in the galaxy. The result of a technology transfer programme between humans and khor-monsa (no, I don't know what it means). Only two were ever built. Note: the fastest ship in the galaxy. Not "one of the fastest", not "fast for its size", not "pretty fast but had no cargo bay". Also, absolutely gorgeous.



EDIT: more applicable thread title.

Thargoid wrote:

Kinda also reminds me of the Dai-X or X-Bomber from Star Fleet (the old manga/saturday morning transformerrobotjobbie show).

That X-Bomber looks like the Swan stopped suddenly and an X-wing ran up its tail. Not good.

Thargoid wrote:

Kinda also reminds me of the Dai-X or X-Bomber from Star Fleet (the old manga/saturday morning transformerrobotjobbie show).

"Staaaar Fleet, Staaar Fleet..."

Something about a rare alignment of the planets? A Monkey-esque story line, protecting a seemingly weak, but prophetic individual? My memories are there, but vague and jumbled (I was only born in 1971!)

Thargoid wrote:

You're a year older than I am then...

I just remember the ship design, and the weird robot.

And for the first time ever - I feel old...

Wildeblood, I do have to say. . . That ship is pretty!

One of Simon B's early designs:-



(And it changes colour when it goes faster. I don't know whether that is by design or by accident.)

reminds me of the Imperial Explorer (without the nacelles)

seem to recall tha tship from a book i had as a kid, guide to ships in service from 2100~2250 or such like. was a collection of all scifi book covers (i presume) w/ a write up of a made-up history of the ships etc. there was a pic of it at a terminal on a beach, if i recall.

Killer Wolf wrote:

seem to recall tha tship from a book i had as a kid, guide to ships in service from 2100~2250 or such like. was a collection of all scifi book covers (i presume) w/ a write up of a made-up history of the ships etc. there was a pic of it at a terminal on a beach, if i recall.

You remember correctly. The title was simply Spacecraft 2000-2100 AD. I should still have it somewhere, but I haven't seen it for decades. It had a lot of good cover art packed into one volume. The guy that compiled it, Stewart Cowley, couldn't interest a publisher (because no-one would buy compendium of spacecraft art), so he formed his own company and published it himself. It was one of the most successful "vanity published" books ever.

You're probably thinking of these pictures, which were in it:-



ADDENDUM: I've just been googling for it and have discovered a sad knock-off/update under different authors' names, check out this extract of one review (the other reviewers say similar things):-

Failure, gentlemen, apparently was an option after all., September 24, 2006
By Christopher Shields (Columbia, MS, USA)

This review is from: Spacecraft 2100 to 2200 AD (Paperback)
I will preface this review by stating one simple fact; the original 1978 book (Spacecraft 2000 to 2100 AD) is a far, far better product than this new book (Spacecraft 2100 to 2200 AD) which, in hindsight, is an incredible accomplishment for a work that is almost 30 years old. The difference in the titles between the old book and the new book suggests that this book contains spacecraft from the 100 year time period after the original book when in reality, the new book is simply a retelling of story found in the old book, with some additional unnecessary (and not entirely welcome) embellishments on the part of the authors.

The TTA Terran Trade Authority handbooks by Stewart Cowley (of which there are four: Spacecraft 2000 to 2100 AD, Great Space Battles, Spacewreck, and Starliners) have become somewhat of a sacred set of tomes to science fiction fans everywhere, especially those old enough to remember these fantastic imaginative works let alone to have originally collected these books in the late 1970's and early 1980's when they were sold in book stores at retail. While it is a noble idea to try to bring back these seminal works for an entirely new generation to enjoy and appreciate, a lot of caution and even more careful thought must be (and should have been) exercised in that endeavor. The verdict here is that well enough should have been left alone and that there is no substitute for the original. Good ideas and poor execution are often enough to defeat even the best of intentions and this is a prime example of that philosophy.

Who did the cover art for those Brian Stableford books - they have a certain "Chris Foss" quality to them...

DaddyHoggy wrote:

Who did the cover art for those Brian Stableford books - they have a certain "Chris Foss" quality to them...

Angus McKie, he was huge in the mid 1970s.

Cheers Wildeblood. coulda sworn the pic involved something like the Sydney Opera House as a spaceport tho, am i mixing it up w/ another pic in the book?

edit, think so - http://www.flickr.com/photos/cee-emily/3477002507/ just googled it, there's a bunch of pics on the net - forgot ho much great art was in there, specially the big bugger on the cover. i wonder if i've still got it up in the loft somewhere?

Wildeblood wrote:

DaddyHoggy wrote:

Who did the cover art for those Brian Stableford books - they have a certain "Chris Foss" quality to them...

Angus McKie, he was huge in the mid 1970s.

Ah, the great Angus McKie - thanks!