The Free Trader-class Transport was a civilian freighter class used by the Terran Confederation during the Kilrathi War. It is prominently featured in Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi.
About[]
The Free Traders were a common sight in the Terran Confederation prior to the year 2669. They were normally civilian vessels, and as such were not very well-armed ships. Like any transport, their main purpose was to ship cargo to and from the frontlines of the Kilrathi War, as well as to civilian depots and colonies. While not military by nature, they could be adapted for a number of military purposes, including top secret reconnaissance missions. Some Free Traders have even been adapted to house a handful of starfighters.
By far the most famous example of this class was the TCS Bonnie Heather, the personal flagship of the distinguished General James Taggart. Taggart rose to fame for his previous services on the ill-fated T.C.S. Tiger's Claw. After retiring from frontline duty, he vanished into the Special Operations Division, where he became one of the Terran Confederation's top spies. He was given command of the TCS Bonnie Heather, which was better armed and better armored than a conventional Free Trader, and was adapted with highly-advanced surveillance equipment, a starfighter hangar, and prison cells. Taggart and the Bonnie Heather were responsible for the rescue of Firekkan hostages in 2656 and the defense of Ghorah Khar. The crew even captured Crown Prince Thrakhath nar Kiranka briefly before he managed to escape the vessel.
It is unknown if the Free Traders remained active after 2669, as the Confederation had begun using the Clarkson-class Transport on a frequent basis.
Specifications - Free Trader-class Transport[]
Hull[]
Length: 83 meters
Mass: 2,000 tons
Performance[]
Maximum Velocity: 150 kps
Cruise Velocity: 100 kps
Acceleration: Poor
Maximum Yaw: 2 deg/s
Maximum Pitch: 2 deg/s
Maximum Roll: 2 deg/s
Shields[]
Fore Shields: 10 cm
Aft Shields: 10 cm
Armor[]
Forward: 9 cm
Left: 7 cm
Right: 7 cm
Rear: 9 cm
Armament[]
- 1x Flak Cannon (Standard Armament)
Notable Vessels[]
- TCS Bonnie Heather (AGI-1)
- TCS Excalibur
- TCS Bhomis