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Sabre Heavy FighterIn the Wing Commander science fiction and computer game series, the F-57 Sabre1 is the Terran Confederation's standard heavy fighter from the 2650s2 to 2660s. The Sabre was superior to the similarly assigned Raptor heavy fighter in almost every aspect. It combined strong shields and armor, good speed and maneuverability, and an intense punch: two mass drivers and two particle cannons, a rear neutron turret, two Dart unguided rockets, two Pilum Friend-or-Foe transponder-seekers, and four Spiculum image-recognition missiles; it could also be configured for torpedoes. To this day it is considered by many to have been the best space-superiority fighter ever produced by Confed, although others maintain that the Excalibur is superior. Sabres put in an appearance at many of the major battles of the 2660s, from the Enigma front 3 to Vukar Tag4 and the Battle of Earth5. For the so-called jeep carriers (the TCS Tarawa and her kin), a new variant (the F-57B) was created that wedged a co-pilot / bombardier into the cockpit and turned the craft into a dedicated fighter-bomber.4 Sabres were still in use in 2673 by the Border Worlds Militia during that conflict, but they proved no match for the newer Confederation ships.6
The Sabre's name most likely comes from the F-86 Sabre, which gained fame and infamy during the Korean War as the favored steed of US fighter aces during that conflict. A sabre is a curved backsword historically favored by cavalry officers. It is almost always the sword worn during military ceremonies. References - 1 Joan's Fighting Spacecraft, 2664 Update (Wing Commander II Manual)
- 2 Academy (TV Show) Episode 11: Invisible Enemy
- 3 Vengeance of the Kilrathi (Game)
- 4 End Run (Novel)
- 5 Fleet Action (Novel)
- 6 The Price of Freedom (Novel)
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