Babylon 5 - The Starfury (Aurora & Thunderbolt)

[@MacsLore]

Finally, the rite of passage for KZbin scifi-talking-guy-persons is complete. I have made a Starfury video. Patreon: patreon.com/user?u=98553222 (Give me money, or dont. We're cool either way) Twitter: twitter.com/MacsLore (Feed my Social Media Influencer Ego to the point where I start thinking I can walk on water.) Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/macslore.bsky.social (Also feed my Social Media Influencer ego)

[@michaelandreipalon359]

So, what's the next rite of passage? The lives and times of aces like Wedge Antilles, Keyan Farlander, and Maarek Stele?

[@sdfried4877]

@@michaelandreipalon359 The one true legend: Warren Keffer. 😂

[@maksimsmelchak7433]

Groovy. Congrats.

[@michaelandreipalon359]

@@sdfried4877 Too cool to live, though. That's why he didn't count.

[@MacsLore]

You guys laugh. But I've had an idea brewing in the background for the longest time that I call "The Robert Rusler Multiverse Theory" that involves Mr. Keffer. I just need to find the will to finish writing it and turning it into a video.

[@Leptospirosi]

Just to add to the solidity of the ship design, NASA asked Strazinsky if they could borrow the concept for near earth vehicle in the nineties. Massive budget cuts to NASA from Bill Clinton prevented the ship to be completed. Strazinsky agreed to allow free use of the design at the sole condition that the spacecraft would be named Star Fury!

[@yellowprime8491]

Holy crap, so much amazing original CGI

[@dsmithum]

What I love about the star fury is unlike most sci-fi craft its design actually works with real life physics.

[@michaelandreipalon359]

However, we can't exactly prove that until we build one and use it in reality.

[@adamczechowski614]

Yes and No. The conceit to Fiction is propulsion mass. Fuel. I can not recall a single time that anyone talked about fuel. Admittedly, in season one and i think two, they DID show them costing with engines off often, but that went away as the show progressed.

[@evanulven8249]

@@adamczechowski614 Indeec, the sci-fi parts is fusion power and energy weapons. But the design itself is solid enough that even NASA was impressed enough to ask JMS if they could have the design as a sort of zero-G truck. He agreed, but only if, should NASA ever build the design, that it still be named "Starfury."

[@knight5846]

@@adamczechowski614I do, there was a specific episode after the fight for independence of the station where commander ivannva just before they go to fight the civil war that she specifically orders all the stations fighters to be on a regular rotation to where they DO NOT have less than half of their fuel in their tanks while on CAP patrol once tanks hit 50% they were to be brought back in and the next group launched, a constant rotation of this was to be maintained

[@adamczechowski614]

@@evanulven8249 I heard that story too. Never could confirm it.

[@kingsilvergrass8751]

'what is built and what is loved, endures' True words said well, one the many reasons why I love Babylon 5 and grateful to be one of its many fans.

[@PopeMetallicus]

Also why the B-52 will NEVER be retired, and I actually foresee a return of the F-14 Tomcat in some variation

[@captainsinclair7954]

AINT NO WAY! Whoever your animator is needs a raise for putting Kongou from KanColle on a Starfury!

[@PY5RA]

Least thirsty pilot ~!!

[@MacsLore]

Will do. I'll give myself a raise right away!

[@captainsinclair7954]

@@MacsLore 😂😂😂

[@Wingnut00-zero]

Ah yes, the mass production Gunstar.

[@katarn999]

Now that you mention it... 😆

[@michaelandreipalon359]

So, the Badger?

[@sdfried4877]

I always saw the Starfury as the descendant of the Gunstar.

[@seventhcyborg]

I'd argue the T-Bolt is more akin to the Gunstar. The Starfury is a dogfighter, like an X-Wing. The Gunstar is built to engage all targets within firing distance regardless if they line up with the nose or not.

[@solarchos4352]

Clearly inspired by.

[@saladinbob]

The Aurora is the perfect fighter and by far the best designed one in sci fi which almost invariably goes for "space fighter plane" look. This thing actually makes sense and would be incredibly manoeuvrable. Well done to the design team because this was a masterpiece of design.

[@crimsoncrusader4829]

Although I would complain that side and rear visibility out of the cockpit is poor

[@heavymetallabrat]

Looks kinda like an X-Wing had a child with a TIE

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

The Starfury was directly inspired by the Gunstar from The Last Starfighter, which used the exact same engine configuration, down to the nozzle placement.

[@aurorastarfury]

That cockpit is also rather tough! It juts out quite a bit, and is probably very very thick. In some battle scenes during the Earth Alliance Civil War, we see Starfuries take direct hits head-on to their cockpits from the pulse cannons of other Starfuries, and actually survive.

[@captainspire9094]

Oh for goodness sakes. Do you know I JUST realized they are called cobra bays because they actually LOOK like cobra heads?

[@Reoh0z]

Oh for goodness sake. Do you know I JUST realized they are called cobra bays because your comment pointed out what they look like?

[@marsar1775]

god, same.... i had no idea the part attatched to blue sector was also part of the hangar system

[@yellowprime8491]

....same...😅

[@StephenCole1916]

Don't worry, you're not the only one!

[@aussie6910]

Me too! Just goes to show what a great series JMS is responsible for. 25yrs old I watched the original in the 90's. I've watched the boxed set several times & still learning new stuff about it.

[@RandomTrinidadian]

My favorite space fighter, only second to the Starfury Thunderbolt

[@andrewszigeti2174]

The Aurora has two big advantages over the Thunderbolt in a duel. 1) The cockpit of the Aurora is almost bang on the ship's center of rotation. This means the pilot experiences minimal travel during those high-G pivots and spins, and therefore has a lower apparent G-load. The Thunderbolt cockpit, being way out there on what is essentially a big lever out front, whips the pilot around much more forcefully and creates a much higher apparent G-load in the same maneuver. So (given two pilots of equal G-tolerance), the pilot of the Aurora will always be able to turn faster than the Thunderbolt pilot. 2) That same difference in cockpit location gives the Thunderbolt a significantly larger target profile, and it's much more likely the cockpit will be hit causing pilot injuries or fatalities versus the Aurora, who's cockpit is unlikely to ever be directly hit except from head on.

[@Reoh0z]

Fine, guess its time for the annual Bab5 rewatch.

[@jasoncox4640]

It is always great to see Babylon 5 getting some love. Amazing editing and visual effects.

[@steve86sabas]

Best designed sci-fi fighter craft, fight me.

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

I prefer the fighter that directly inspired it, the Gunstar from The Last Starfighter. What's better than a Starfury? A tankier Starfury with dedicated gunner and turreted weapons that have full 360 degree coverage(also Death Blossom).

[@DrPet80]

no

[@solarchos4352]

Love the paint scheme on that Starfury at the beginning.

[@stevenewman1393]

😎👍 Very cool and very nicely greatly fabulously well done and nicely informatively explained and executed in every detail way shape and format provided on the Starfury (Aurora & Thunder Bolt), A job very wonderfully well done indeed Sir!👌.

[@tigdamch.6321]

Absolutely love this. The Starfury gets a lot of love here and its well deserved.

[@newtpondskipper]

A vehicle designed for space movement rather than atmospheric maneuvering. I loved this show for things like that.

[@jlokison]

Since the Earth Alliance didn't have artificial gravity or inertial compensation like Mimbari vessels is why the Aurora pilot is basically lying down on the job. The means it's easier to keep blood flowing within manageable rates to a from the brain, preventing or reducing black outs and red outs from high G manuvers. A lot of thought went into its design and how Newtonian physics effects the vessel and pilot. One of the most impressive things about B5 compared to other Sci-fi shows of the same time. The only Sci-fi TV show I know of since to put that much thought into physics and realism is The Expanse.

[@cernstormrunner7263]

02:39 just noticing how much the escape pod looks coffin shaped as the Shadows come into view... nice touch

[@Funkopotomis]

With the light of my waifu on our side the Shadows have no hope

[@Reoh0z]

> "Only one human captain has ever survived battle with a Minbari Fleet. He is behind me. You are in front of me. If you value your lives, be somewhere else!"

[@katarn999]

A nice tribute video & lore for the great Starfury - thanks!

[@S1337theoddoneout-ip9xc]

The Starfury Aurora is like grandpa Buff, they are eternal. It might not be you dad's Earth Force, but that could be his Starfury.

[@Citizen-Nurseman]

Great video! I miss B5 so much

[@NCC-72545A]

Beautifully, just beautiful the video bright tear to my eye. Though the Omega class Destroyers rotating section was originally considered to be able to launch Starfuries, but both in the B5 universe and behind the scenes of the production of Babylon 5 decided against it. due to the fact that you'd have to not only go through the entire length of the rotating section but machinery would have half to be built into those asccess ways in order to get the fighters there.

[@alfredaflatooni]

Amazing work, star fury is one of my favorite fighters in scifi

[@sleeplessknight99]

The Star Fury, a sci-fi ship design so good that NASA wanted it.

[@Unformed8]

Babylon 5 Accept no substitute

[@joddypranata1862]

All started with Kongou pin-up, completely cultured person.

[@MacsLore]

Im very slowly trying to bring culture to Sci-fi through my occasional use of weebery.

[@djankowski]

I would have been tempted to use Megumin in a full magic-casting pose, to put the fear of EXPLOSION in the enemy 😅

[@joddypranata1862]

@@MacsLorepolmao, I would do the same with my Fubuki markings or mebbe try Pin-ups.. "my sweet potato" i would say polmao...

[@mrcatchingup]

I look forward to seeing more coverage of Babylon 5 craft & stations.

[@Argonova]

I just sat down and started watching Babylon 5 again with my family, and I was thinking "I wonder if Mac has done a lore video about the Starfury?" I open KZbin and there it is, at the top of my suggested feed.

[@helline9]

One of the best space fighters ever designed

[@worldtraveler930]

Keep Up the Excellent Work!!! 🤠👍

[@still_guns]

Only just started watching the video, and already I know you have great taste in shipgirl franchise

[@captainyossarian388]

Top notch production. Kudos!

[@emptycaster4905]

Great breakdown and wonderful animations. Glad to see Babylon 5 still has people that love it this much.

[@AnonGent-w2q]

Great rundown of both fighters. Seems like there has been a resurgence of interest in all things Babylon 5 as of late, keep it going.

[@knight5846]

Major nostalgic moment here I loved this series and even have all 5 seasons of Babylon 5 on DVD

[@StephenCole1916]

Awesome video! It gives off a bit of the old World of Warship videos that they used to do for new ships they were releasing that actually taught you something about the history of those ships and their capabilities.

[@Formulka]

What a great documentary and the animation is fantastic, well done!

[@ChangedCoOlMaN]

Dude the art in this is FANTASTIC. So well done!

[@The_Viscount]

Starfuries are among the sexiest starfighters in my eyes. The Aurora is great, but I personally love the Thunderbolt. Never liked the standing cockpit. Sure, in Zero G it's not like it would tire you, but it just looks wrong.

[@Synthonym]

That opening is not only the coolest thing you've ever done, but something every b5 fan has wanted to see for like 20 odd years

[@mwburkett1980]

This was a loving tribute to a formative show for scifi fans of “a certain generation.”

[@jonharper4478]

Fantastic video.

[@shaftoe195]

Impressive video, and a good tribute.

[@Togorian_Jedi]

Thank you so much! Babylon 5 is one of the best science fiction shows ever made.

[@SoloWing88]

I was sent this from a Starblazers discord, I like the presentation and the animation of your video. Have a sub friend

[@sjschauer4235]

Love the Starfury design, and all the iterations. I also love that you are still using Klavs' models. They are a great testimony to his skill. The community will miss him greatly.

[@MacsLore]

We truly will.

[@tba113]

The only real downside to the Starfury is that the nearly flat nose section and short fuselage makes it difficult to give it a shark-mouth paint job. Fortunately, the Starfury Thunderbolt solved that design flaw.

[@VulpisFoxfire]

Meanwhile Ivanova has a big old wolf hanging out on top. :-)

[@nexusomega1]

Enormously underrated channel. Love your videos dude

[@michaelandreipalon359]

Huh. Didn't expect to hear a LucasArts' Full Throttle track here. 0:49: What does JMS think of the X-Wing engines? 2:30: ...I don't think the Shadows are into prisoner relief. Why must the Hyperion-class look similar to certain Galactic Terran vessels in FreeSpace? 3:50: Not the first produced episode though. B5 is notorious for having out of order episodes, like "A Race Through Dark Places" actually happening before "Soul Mates". Meanwhile, the Cobra launching sequence reminds me lots of the Star Wars: TIE Fighter video game's hangar launches. "Badger" sounds more appropriate. "Muskrat" sounds like it's for a lighter attack variant. Quite an envious job, being a Black Omega. No restrictions, no tiresome morals, so many voices worth silencing for the kill tally... *what a dream.* 6:00: Note to Multiversal defense forces wanting to "import" the craft: 'Probably attach magitek to nullify this annoying weakness.' 8:15: Understandable. Forget the Colonial Vipers, this is one peak starfighter, even if it's no Demetrius Zaarin-design TIE Defender.

[@rockybeats8682]

Just fantastic!

[@henrycooper3431]

Is that Kancolle decal on the intro fighter? XD

[@jamess6203]

I normally a lurker on many channels, never subscribing to anyone, as majority do cut and paste with little originality to their reviews, but dude you did such an amazing job on this review I not only am leaving you a comment on your fantastic work, but I'm also subscribing and hitting that like button. Well done!!!

[@be-noble3393]

You never really saw the upper cannons fire on screen. However, that seemed to be the case for several B5 designs. If I remember correctly the dots on the side of the Omega were supposed to be missile tubes. But, again never shown on screen.

[@TheRyujinLP]

That and those big oval shaped tubes at the front of them were supposed to be weapons in the gigaton class (a thousand megatons... that's ummm... terrifying given that two two megaton bombs could kill a Sharlin). After the end of season one the shows Producer basically screwed over the original CGI studio just after they built the Omaga model and used a new studio for season 2 onward. They handed over the modesl to the new studio but not their (obsessively detailed) design notes so it's likely they had no idea that the red circles were supposed to be VLS or that the Star Furies were supposed to be launched from the rotating section.

[@ThePandoraGuy]

Everything with a shark-mouth wins automatically. The T-Bolt is sexy as hell and so is the "reworked" Aurora with the full glass canopy. P.S.: Long live the Gone Jackals.

[@aliboy357]

From what I remember, the ports on the ends of the Omegas centrifuge habs are intended to be missile bays similar to the ones along its flanks. They were never used because of the cost of CGI back then so most Omegas essentially fought "light" engagements with enemy ships.

[@kkdd3844]

All these videos are super well made!

[@JLAvey]

Watching star furies flip isn't quite as exciting as watching the white stars flip. A skilled pilot can power slide those ships.

[@Synthonym]

Piloting an Aurora in the B5 mod for Freespace 2 is wonderful. You can slide them around in a beautiful ballet of decoupled manoeuvres

[@cell718]

It's so beautiful😢

[@dk6419]

Love the design easily one of the most realistic designs in scifi made.

[@DeclanOReilly]

What a steaming crock, the Aurura variant served during the dilgar war and transitioned to the nova variant in time for the Mimbari unpleasantness to be succeeded by the T-bolt during the civil war.

[@andrewnlarsen]

Actually the Nova is the dilgar war variant.

[@majesticmsfc]

Tiger and Nova served during the Dilgar War, the Nova served in the Minbari war, after the war the Aurora was released.

[@DeclanOReilly]

@@majesticmsfc I have since gone back and checked the source material and both replies to my comment so far are correct and I was wrong.

[@HeadlessChickenTO]

I always say just how much I love the BSG Viper mkII and B5 Starfuries for the same reason, their crazy maneuverability and off axis attack vectors. Though I think the Viper is faster, the Starfury seems more versatile and I think more heavily armed.

[@randlebrowne2048]

It's one of the things that I also love about the fighter designs in Star Citizen and the upcoming Squadron 42 as well. Fighter combat in those games feels a great deal like B5 and BSG.

[@andyf4292]

that thing would eat any fighter from starwars, or battlestar galactica

[@MrLuu-iw6wr]

Lets goooooo

[@gryphon9507]

Star Fury Aurora with an Anime wrap? 👌

[@MacsLore]

🗿Yes.

[@sgt_s4und3r54]

The space sim we never got in the 90s that we deserved.

[@VulpisFoxfire]

One thing that you didn't mention...one thing that helped a lot with withstanding g-forces and such in the base Aurora (and the Omega, though not so much the Heavy or Thunderbolt) was that that stand-up cockpit was also close to the center of gravity of the ship--when doing those fancy maneuvers, they were just spun around, rather than being slung around.

[@Orieni]

Beta canon defined earlier generations of the Star Fury line, and a parallel atmospheric capable line, which combined in the Thunderbolts.

[@michaelpurnell5325]

It’s like the A-10 and Corsair. Of the future.

[@GlitchSystem-xf7jb]

Is there any model kits of the Thunderbolt? I got a few Starfury's but I don't think I've seen a kit for the Thunderbolt

[@vallettapetracyneran8587]

I feel i see a need for both craft. The Aura is an excellent interceptor, where i see the Thunderbolt as a strike fighter if you will. Especially in atmo.

[@shaider1982]

Michio Kaku had a show on how sci fi tech like light Sabres can be made in real life. On the starfighter episode, the spacecraft looked like this.

[@WhiteStar762]

well done, subbed and liked!

[@alanmike6883]

Excellent Mac. Outstanding piece of work. Question are you gonna cover the earth civil war to the end?

[@S1337theoddoneout-ip9xc]

That "nose art" isn't regulation at all. But seeing how cool it looks on a Starfury, i'm pretty sure even a stiffer for the rules like Ivanova would approve.

[@SequentialSnep]

Lovely graphics!!! Must have taken alot of work!

[@IanPeon]

Mitchell-Hyundyne Engineer: "... 4x Walters 40mm Plasma Pulse Cannons, mounted on the front underside of the fuselage in a *UNI-DIRECTIONAL* fashion." Earthforce Chief-of-Staff: "So what, they fire straight forward?!" Mitchell-Hyundyne Engineer: "Well really, they'll fire in whatever one direction you want, straight as an arrow... Uni-directionally." Earthforce Chief-of-Staff: "Um yeah, all of our guns already do that." Me: "Still hilarious, even after 30 years! Amazing video BTW! Top-notch B5 tribute!"

[@VulpisFoxfire]

Honestly, I think he probably have used the term 'coaxially' instead, since all four seem to be in that same forward mount, gatling style.

[@IanPeon]

@@VulpisFoxfire I was thinking the line was supposed to be "Omni-Directional" and something got screwed up during filming but no one noticed until afterwards, and then it was too late. They were probably hoping the audience wouldn't notice the flub either, but we did notice, and it's hilarious.

[@VulpisFoxfire]

@@IanPeon Except to be omni-directional, it'd have to be on a turret or something. These are all forward mounted, probably inspired by the GAU-8 on the A-10.

[@QuantumNova]

The best fighter in science fiction. It was also based on a design from the 'Terminator' series. Centurion Hunter Killer.

[@seiboldtadelbertsmiter3735]

Ok now this is awesome

[@manricobianchini5276]

Aurora! All the way! Best starfighter design ever.

[@jtfbreedlove]

Alongside the SA-43 Hammerhead from space above and beyond the just plain coolest starfighters on TV ever.

[@canadianbakin1304]

the starfury line is easily the best designed si-fi fighter of all time

[@jamesrose1460]

Starburst rock. I love their design. I was surprised you did not talk about the Poseidon Carriers and their spindle racks for rapid launch of Starfuries.....especially when she held 96 of them. (They were the vertical rack that was usually set for three fighters...though some were four....that would drop out if the hull and angle the top and bottom fighters about 20 degrees off the center ans all three would launch. Poseidons gad 12 racks...and the Excaliber class had 4)

[@CllrP]

Nice video!

[@PY5RA]

The Fury of the Stars ~!!

[@damianmactavish6717]

love it!!

[@ultramarinus2478]

Would LOVE to see some ranger-version of Starfury. Vorlon organic parts, yet still a cockipit and the famous "X wing" general design.

[@hogginarmocount9562]

Hi mac!!! I love each one of your videos... Can you make one exploring the strogg species from quake?

[@Stepchild06]

Perfection

[@johnephraimhimala9430]

Until watching this, I never thought of seeing a Starfury with an anime girl nose art.

[@LancelotChan]

they damn well mean it.... spoken in that dead voice. :D

[@walterharris4960]

I would like to see some Star Trek technology on those ships, inertia dampers as well defensive shields would have been nice.

[@randlebrowne2048]

They'd need to get the Minbari to share their drive/gravity tech with them. I don't remember any of the races in B5 having actual shield tech though (aside from maybe the technomancers).

[@warhawk4494]

WEEEEEEEEB SQUAD IN THE HOOOOOUSE!

[@MacsLore]

In my head canon I like to think that after Earthforce Command saw what the Pilots did to the Auroras, they became so disgusted by such an open display of weebery that they enforced a no-decal policy on the Thunderbolts.

[@yellowprime8491]

​@@MacsLore plenty of weebs in the US armed forces now. It tracks that it continued into the "Future". I had a good laugh seeing that detail. 👍

[@nestorgamer9746]

@@yellowprime8491 Their grandparents had pin ups on b-17s, its no different

[@EvilJ069]

Kickass vid

[@jaredcolon4535]

Would love a video on the nova, omega, hyperion etc

[@B4umkuchen]

To this day the Thunderbolt is still gosh dang sexy for a Starfighter. It looks like an A-10 had a love affair with the Aurora Starfurfy.

[@sdfried4877]

Can’t leave out the original flying tiger, the P-40 Tomahawk.

[@nicktitus4374]

Fucking magnificent!!!