Like the Slugger, the Zipper is a flying wing design, though a much faster one. Four small but powerful engines arrayed along the back of wing allow the Zipper to live up to its name, easily achieving speeds of 350 mph. These small engines are surprisingly fuel efficient; combine that with a wing that's almost all fuel tank, and you get a plane with a range of around 1,060 miles. In order to carry the engines and the fuel tanks, the wings were heavily reinforced, giving this plane excellent turning abilities.
The Zipper was not built for combat, though, with only a single .30-caliber machine gun in the nose and just 300 lbs of armor for protection. The single hardpoint usually carries defensive rockets, like flash or sonic, or a fuel tank to increase range even further. The Zipper relies on its speed and small size to avoid conflict.
One thing the Dixons didn't take into account is that a reconnaissance plane really needs a more open cockpit, which the Zipper does not really have. So as such a plane, its not too successful, and so did not sell well, at first. The plane was perfect, however, for a different market, that of the racing scene. With its speed and long range, the Zipper was perfect for cross-country races, and its nimbleness and small profile make it excellent for aerobatics as well. Many of these planes are now seen the world over, taking part in various competitions.
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Game Statistics Base Target Number 10 1,000 lbs Max Speed: 5 300 lbs Max Gs: 4 200 lbs Acceleration Rate: 3 45 lbs Armor Points
100 300 lbs
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