Crazy Tiger's Claw theory

Baggins

Petty Officer
I realize that the Tiger's Claw has been artistically interpreted in at least four different ways.

The primary way is that of the original WC1/WC2 intro.

There is the Academy TV show version which looks mostly like the WC1/WC2 version.

Then there is the film version (more on this below).

Finally there is the Lexington-class Tiger's Claw in Super Wing Commander (we can more or less ignore that one in my discussion)...

Now in the novels for the movies there were a couple of references I think which was trying to merge the appearance of what we saw with the movie and what we would later see during the "Vega Campaign" in WC1. It talks about retrofits to change the bunk layouts to something closer to what we saw in WC1, while its not specific it might also explain drastic changes to hull design as well. Clunky 'explanation' to be sure, but ok, let's assume that's true. Then there must have been a retrofit at some point after Pilgrim Truth? Or maybe during all that time it was spending in Hell's Kitchen in Stars and Truth.

We also learn from those movie novels that the Tiger's Claw has multiple docking bays/flight decks for taking off from, similar to the version in Academy. I think it mentions Flight Decks A through C at least.

Even in Freedom Flight there seems to be a reference to more than one "Flight Deck" as there is a reference to Flight Deck A-5.

Let's assume that if it had a hull-retrofit/redesign that they kept the smaller docking bays as part of the design. Also from the Confederation handbook and the film we see that there is also main flight deck similar in function to what you see in WC1 (and analogous to a Naval Aircraft Carrier runway), although its location is between those thick "armored "bread loaves" you see in the film. But in any case they 'kept' that design feature although it was resigned and moved from its original location in hull retrofit.

Now more importantly for this discussion is WC1 and Academy appearance. I was staring at the front of the ship, and something came to my mind.

What if the "newly retrofitted" ship is capable of some kind of 'transformation' abilities? Like the main-flight deck/ 'runway' of the main docking bay is capable of 'folding' in upon it self to create more dagger-like shape, and had extendable armored plates to create a more armored 'fuselage' shape perhaps for better defense, or offensive capabilities (attack mode if you will?). This blocks the main flight deck, but also reinforces the structure of the ship to make it stronger against attacks. But forces fighters to have to exit from secondary flight decks.

Maybe something similar to 'ablative armor plating' seen in Voyager or Batmobile armor or the ejection pods in Wing Commander Academy:




Maybe not as dramatic as Macross transformation into a robot... but flight deck like surface folding and 'splitting' apart at 0:58-1:03 might also 'inspire' how such a transformation could occur to go from the appearance in WC1 to Academy.


Although in my mind I see not spitting but having triangular sections that 'fold' 'upwards' and meet together, to form the daggered 'armored plated' shell in the front, and then extend-able armor to fill in any gaps.

academy4.jpg

Of course the control tower would also need a way of 'raising' and 'extending' while being covered in extending plates; since it looks taller and more armored in Academy?
1346791-tcstigersclaw.jpg


tigersclaw.jpg
 
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What is the numbering on the Tiger's Claw in the Academy tv show?

"REZ-667-FT"

Shouldn't it be the CV-07?
 
What is the numbering on the Tiger's Claw in the Academy tv show?

"REZ-667-FT"

Shouldn't it be the CV-07?

I don't think they were trying to give it a specific registry number in that case, it's just a specific background painting with some sci-fi numbers on it.

Will think more about your 'Claw theory later. It's certainly an interesting thought exercise, but I'm not sure if it's much of a benefit to explain why that one particular thing looks different in the movie (or in SWC) when so does everything else.
 
I noticed in the WC Bible that Tiger's claw had yet a different registry number CVS-O2, interestingly enough. Plus a short discussion on how they are based on actual naval registry system used by US navy.

Back in the day I had another theory what if at a certain point there were two or more ships designated tiger's claw (maybe not their "real" official designations but used for communications they wanted the Kilrathi to intercept for a espionage purpose). The reason Tiger's Claw had taken on near legendary status with all its successful missions. It had become a priority target so in an attempt to try to lead the scent away (decoy campaign) they had at least one "Tiger's Claw" deployed in Pleiades Sector, and the original in Vega Sector and to make things more convincing they even deployed Blair and Marshall on board the one in Pleiades Sector from time to time where he was also attending the "Wing Commander Academy". Tolwyn during this time was also shuttling back and forth between his command on this second Tiger's Claw and the TCS Concordia which might explain some of the overlap between Tolwyn's positions in the movie novel series and Academy episodes that occur during the same point in time (although it might be easier to move those episodes "after" if an updated timeline is made to better fit in Pilgrim Truth). And also fit those lines where Tolwyn talks about being transferred to a backwater part of the galaxy to be "ignored" and forgotten. But the main reason for this second mock Tiger's Claw was to protect the real "original" Tiger's Claw by hiding its whereabouts while it was on its own vital Missions.

In Wing Commander The Kilrathi Saga is a Letter from Hunter claiming that Blair was away for R&R during the events of SM2, so what if he was actually undercover on the "other" Tiger's Claw at the time?
 
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Here are my two cents about the different versions.
The movie Claw is one from the first run of Bengal-Class carriers that where build. These where "utility ships" instead of the later strike carriers we see in WC1.
Its mentioned somewhere that the somewhere between the Pilgrim War and the Kilrathi War the second, heavly modified build of Bengal-Class carriers was build...with the "Tigers Claw" beeing the first ship of this new generation.

Maybe in honor of the movie Claws archivemnt in saveing earth they named the first of the new series Claw too or gave the old Claw another name. Don't know.
I am still kinda sad that they where not more consistent with the ships in the movie. There was such a nice Rapier that someone made for the movie.

Anyway I don't think that you can ever make up something thats logical and explains the differances between 4 different versions of the same ship.
 
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