Forum:Atomic Age Vehicles

I was wondering something now that I think about it. The FO world is a world were people's lifestyles stayed the same but the Atomic Age took off, just like they thought it would back in the 50's. My question is, since cars, bikes, trucks and most everything else is run by Atomic Power, why is the Enclave still using propellers on their Verti-birds? I was wondering this because I recently watched a TV show about how the USAF was considering making Atomic Planes and Helicopters back in the 50's but it never really took off, thanks to NATO, but if the Enclave is really the last group of people from the original government of the USA, why do they not have Atomic Aircraft? I mean they do have superior weapons but sub-standard transportation? Or to the fact, why not an atomic naval fleet and just attack from the sea. It was just a thought I thought I would post, any opinions are welcomed.---Drop-Zone- 00:45, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

they may very well have atomic power powering the blades and may have left the propellers on to feel retro. Sasquatch99 00:48, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Shouldn't the Enclave have jet planes, or hovercraft instead of verti-birds as transports since those are faster?24.110.144.16 00:50, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

perhaps...but the jet plane may have been destroyed or not invented, and hovercraft would have just been silly as they would have been easy to stop. shoot the air-cushion and watch them do a faceplant into the ground at 40mph. Sasquatch99 00:54, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

I have to agree with you about the hovercraft, one good shot to the air-cushion and it is toast, it would be cool to see, but unlikely. As for the jets, since WW2 happened it was just everything after that that changed, there should be jets. I mean, jets were made by the Nazis, just like rockets and missiles and before the Resource Wars and the fall of NATO, in the FO universe, the countries probably shared Tech with each other, so jets would seem feesable. Hell for that fact, since we do have the Sat-com Array space strike, where are the Atomic Powered tanks?---Drop-Zone- 00:59, 20 August 2009 (UTC)
 * They were too hard to render. Spoon 01:01, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

that is a good point. why are there no tanks in F3, or at least a couple of destroyed ones around Wheaton Armory. and also i don't know the backstory to Fallout as i have only played f3. Sasquatch99 01:04, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

I don't think tanks would be hard to render, I mean if they needed a model to look to see what one might have looked like, i say look at the movie Tron from the 80's. Those would have been good models for Atomic Powered tanks in the Fo universe. As for the back story to the FO universe, on this site it tells the story from WW2 on, so I take it as everything before the bombing of Japan, everything would be the same.---Drop-Zone- 01:07, 20 August 2009 (UTC)
 * There was a tank in Fallout Tactics, but it was a Sherman Tank. Maybe the designs just got destroyed? Spoon 01:17, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

also jet planes might have been broken down for protection like megaton, for example. Sasquatch99 01:19, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

True, tanks were in fallout tactics, but those were deisel tanks, but the time FO tactics came around, Atomic Tanks should have been invented, as for Megaton, they said they used planes from the local airport or the airport that was close to them, and the only airport close to them would be Ronald Reagan Airport or College Park Airport, but that is too far from Megaton.---Drop-Zone- 01:29, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

there could have possible have been a private airfeild nearby, but it wouldn't explain the passenger jet bits round megaton. Sasquatch99 01:34, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

That is what i was talking about, Ronald Reagan International Airport is a passenger airport, so that is where, i think, they got the plane parts.---Drop-Zone- 01:36, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Adams Air Force Base and Rivet City are airports. Granted, they wouldn't have passenger planes, but the bomb in Megaton implies that the plane is a crashed bomber. Nitty 01:38, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

OK, i forgot about Adams Air Force Base, but the distance it is from Megaton does not seem feesable for the first inhabitants of the town to travel that far to get plane parts and as for Rivet City, it is an Aircraft Carrier, not an airport.---Drop-Zone- 01:42, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

The bomber would have crashed there. How else would the bomb get there? Nitty 01:44, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

they may have had to drop it due to problems with the plane, which may sort of explain how the bomb and plane got there, as the plane may have crashed further away from megaton. although that theory doesn't explain the crater. Sasquatch99 01:49, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

A dropped bomb from say 30,000 feet will pick up a lot on momentum and create a massive crater once it hit the ground if it didn't explode.---Drop-Zone- 01:51, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

didn't think of that... while we're here, have you ever wondered what powers the jukeboxes? its just popped into my head. Sasquatch99 01:54, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Ok now that is a good question. For that fact, what powers the little Ham Radios? I think in most towns that supply water, it could be Hydro-electric power, but then again, they could have small atomic reactors built into them since motorcycles and robots have them, why not a radio.---Drop-Zone- 01:57, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Fission Batteries. They're micro-sized nuclear reactors. Nitty 02:00, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

good answer. another question. what is the point of the ham radios in f3? Sasquatch99 02:02, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Ham radios were used and to this day are used for short wave communication, maybe when people went into hiding or just like in the movie, I Am Legend, they were seeing if anyone else was out there to see if it was safe.---Drop-Zone- 02:10, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

i didn't phrase that well, what i meant was, why are we able to turn them on and off? does it have any use to the game or not Sasquatch99 02:12, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Well if you do like i did and just walked around the Waste, your Pip-boy picks up on the radio signals and you get to discover a lot of cool stuff, sometimes. i think the reason you can turn them on and off is because they still work and maybe just because you wouldn't really want anyone else to find your nice little hiding place, or you might want to get some people killed by turning them on, i know it doesn't happen like that, but it is just a thought. Maybe they put them in there and in working condition just for nostalgic purposes.---Drop-Zone- 02:15, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Also, the Chinese Technicians in Anchorage can use them to request Dragoon reinforcements. Nitty 02:16, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

alright, cool. i have walked around the wastes and found some of the signals they send out. wierdest one is the ghoul that is just growling. is there anything related to that or is it just intended to try and shit you up. Sasquatch99 02:19, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

There's six or seven of those. All of them have very short ranges, but, if you follow the signal to where there is the least static, you'll find a hidden bunker. Signal Yankee Bravo is the ghoul one. Nitty 02:22, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

The ghoul one still freaks you out regardless.-Drop-Zone-

well jet planes HAD been invented. hello megaton parts anyone, now sure culture stayed in the 50's but not all of technology.like the jet planes from rivet city or roboytts

Welcome to the English Vault. Did you come from the Gibberish Vault? Nitty 03:15, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

yes now excuse my french but FUCK YOU.... lol sorry bout the typo man

What's "roboytts"? Nitty 03:25, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Hang on, I don't have Broken Steel yet, but doesn't Adams Air Force Base have leftover jets from before the great war?LW556DCJ 04:14, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

There might be a few P-80 Shooting Stars lying around, but there are no huge planes. Nitty 04:18, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

I have BS DLC but i have not done the Adams AFB quest yet so i can't say what planes they do or dont have on that base, but if they were still using prop planes instead of nuclear or atomic, even though they had atomic car, motorcycles, batteries, and atomic bombs, not having atomic planes really makes no sense. I mean nuclear power was made by military contractors for military use aka Fat Man and Little Boy.---Drop-Zone- 04:57, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Well' couldn't the Enclave just put jets on the vertibirds(but still make them VTOL) instead of slower props?LW556DCJ 04:59, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

That point was brought up earlier in this thread about them keeping the propellers on there fora retro look and use atomic power to run them, but how come when you blow one up, there is no mini-mushroom cloud? Also, what makes the power armor work? I figure they have to have an endoskeleton for the extra carring weight, but what makes it power armor? And if it is powered, is it ran by a small atmic power supply that is carried on its back, and if so, how come no mini-mushroom cloud when you kill someone with it on?---Drop-Zone- 05:10, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Actually, hit a Verti with a blast from the Fat Man or Tesla Cannon, and it explodes in a nice mushroom.

For the answers about Power Armor, see the real game. They're powered by advanced Micro-Fusion Packs, but as to why they don't explode, I have no answer. Nitty 05:13, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

I think they don't explode because the MF Packs are contained, and when you kill someone that has it on, you're not really destroying it, simply killing the person wearing it.LW556DCJ 05:16, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Well to kill the person you have to destroy part of the armor, like a missile to the back, a plasma mine, anything that goes boom should make it explode. And shooting it and then doing the asshole thing and shoot the shit out of the corspe should make it go boom.---Drop-Zone- 05:24, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

But, after you *kill* the person, the armor most likely shuts down, so no tsar bombaLW556DCJ 05:26, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Well with that argument, wouldn't you think the same would happen with the vehicles? The car is not moving or aka dead, so why would the power source still be one. Also, if you hit anything with a mini-nuke, it goes up in a mini-mushroom, i was talking about straight up shooting it with a weapon besides the Fat-Man, MIRV, or Tesla Cannon.---Drop-Zone- 05:58, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Well, then again the power armor is powered with MF cells, which probaly only has very limited energy, not like the huge nuclear ENGINE in a car.LW556DCJ 06:04, 20 August 2009 (UTC)


 * Fair enough---Drop-Zone- 06:08, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Listen up kids, for uncle Tagaziel's speaking now.

What is it with this forum and ignorance? Did anyone of you actually bothered to check anything, rather than operate on your own half-arsed ass-umptions?

1. Propellers are more reliable and fuel efficent, they do not need extraordinary amounts of fuel. Plus, they are easier to control and maneouver, try landing with a V-22 Osprey and then a Harrier, see which performs better and burns less fuel. 2. Tanks? Did any of you actually bother read up on power armor? It replaced tanks as a more efficent and versatile weapon, able to carve a swath through enemy tanks in Anchorage. Do remember that Bethesda completely fucked up the power armour balance in Fo3. 3. Mushroom clouds? Don't make me laugh, mushroom clouds aren't exclusive to nukes, they can be created by any sufficently powerful explosion and a Vertibird is not sufficently powerful, especially considering that it's usually flying. 4. Are you people seriously trying to rationalize Fallout 3? There's no reason to wonder what powers crap in the CW, since Bethesda obviously didn't think it through, instead opting for 'teh kewl stoof lololol'. 5. A bomb dropped from 30,000 feet creates a massive crater when it hits? Sorry, no. To even suggest such a thing is stupid.

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/fallout/images/thumb/5/5c/Scribe.jpg/15px-Scribe.jpg Tagaziel (call!) 06:32, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

I tried to reason with them! Really! I did! Have mercy upon my pitiful soul! Nitty 06:40, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Sorry didn't know you were a rocket scientist and a master mathematician in the laws of physics, or in that fact even a pilot. Oh but to make a point about VTOL type of aircraft, the US Navy has a VTOL airplane that uses turbine engines, not propellers. Also, we are not trying to rationalize FO3, it was just a thought, just like every other thread on here and speaking of fuel, yes there are gas stations in the CW but every car, bike, and what not is atomic, so fuel efficent is a retarded statement. Power armor will never and can never carry or handle the type of firepower or armor of a tank, so thats redundant and again, retarded. You tell me or show me where i can find a mushroom cloud blast outside a nuke or atomic blast, and i will agree with you. One last thing, try the basic laws of science, velocity, inertia, distance, weight, speed, you will get a crater.---Drop-Zone- 06:50, 20 August 2009 (UTC)


 * To add to my top post, the US Navy's VTOL aircraft is the Harrier, which uses jets, not propellers and the Verti-bird is based off of the USMC's V-22 Osprey, which uses propellers, but being everything is atomic, fuel efficent vechicles should not even be mentioned. Oh, they both suffer from the same effects of VTOL---Drop-Zone- 07:00, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Okay, first, mushroom cloud from conventional explosives: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNOn-Gw3WCc Second, if you had played Fo2, you'd know, that cars in the Fallout universe are predominantly battery powered, not with nuclear engines (that's the power source for robots, such as Mr Handy). The batteries are charged with micro fusion cells or small energy cells, both of which base on cold fusion rather than nuclear fission. Fuel efficency therefore is a factor, since batteries carry a limited charge and need to be periodically refilled. Fission powered cars are Bethesda's stupid invention - they never were a part of the Fallout universe. Next, power armour was designed to carry weapons one would usually put on a tank. It's also far more versatile, is a smaller target, performs well in urban combat and is cheaper to maintain and supply, since there are less parts and fuel to move. Also, it recycles bodily fluids, providing water for the wearer, in addition to having integrated full NBC protection, night vision unit and in general, being less unwieldy than a sixty ton tank. Of course, you'd know that, if you were familiar with the Fallout setting, rather than relying on your own ass-umptions. Oh and falling man made objects do not make craters. It requires a far greater velocity and mass to create a crater the size of Megaton. So, yeah, familiarize yourself with basic laws of physics. A freefalling object cannot achieve a terminal velocity great enough to create a major crater upon impact. Take meteorite craters for instance, they were caused by meteorites hitting Earth at thousands of kilometers per hour. Or you can stop posting before I'm forced to humiliate you further. http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/fallout/images/thumb/5/5c/Scribe.jpg/15px-Scribe.jpg Tagaziel (call!) 11:35, 20 August 2009 (UTC)
 * Uh, Grizzly, isn't the Highwayman a nuclear car? Running on MicroFusion Cells and whatnot? Nitty 14:12, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

the propelars are powered by a neuclear reactor and as for jets the do not have the VTOL capability of tilt rotor craft.

OK, a couple of things, and YES I am a scientist with a background in many sciences including physics. 1. A mushroom cloud can be created by any number of conventional explosives, it's just most often associated with a nuclear payload. 2. They HAD jet aircraft, there is a nearly intact jet fighter in PL. 3. The reason that aircraft utilizing propellers are used by the Enclave instead of jets likely has a lot to do with the fact that a jet engine is needs intensive upkeep and parts replaced in order to continue operating efficiently, props do not. Props also do not require jet fuel, which is likely in extremely limited supply in the wastes. If you are arguing that the jets could be nuclear powered, this is also very unlikely as it is a HUGE strategic blunder to line up 30 potentially volatile and active nuclear pay-loads on a single run-way or aircraft carrier (remember, the power armor isn't even technically nuclear powered). There are some other reasons as well, but that would make this post massive. 4. An object falling with that size and shape, with an acceleration of 9.8 m/s^2 would reach terminal velocity in less than a minute, and depending on its mass (large), density, object area and drag created, the crater created could be relatively large. However the crater would certainly NOT be the size of the megaton crater. The bomb crater while large, due to the fact that it is a bomb and therefore designed for a fast and accurate decent to Earth, was likely made larger by the Megaton residents who dug out a lot of that crater. And finally 5. Yes, power armor replaced the need for tanks due to their inherent advantages over the old tech.--DashMan54 14:53, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Remember, this is Fallout. It's not science, it's Science!. It doesn't have to make sense. Nitty 14:56, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Whoa, this page got bigger overnight.EDIT: How did this get to talking about how Vertis have props instead of nuclear power to what power armor runs on, why they don't blow up, how the crater in Megatonn was made, and tanks?LW556DCJ 16:56, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

this is the vault, remember. Sasquatch99 18:39, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Power Armor + Fat Man = Who needs tanks? Also, you need JET FUEL to power a JET ENGINE, and seeing as how the entire Fallout Universe is based on a war that took place because of resource shortages, I'm willing to bet there isn't any left. Vertibirds use propellers for the same reason our modern day, real-life nuclear powered submarines use propellers. --MadDawg2552 19:54, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

I was just talking to Manya and since she is the oldest person in Megaton she said the crater was already there before the bombs fell.Scrubsfan06 21:05, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Why the hell would there be a giant crater inside DC Suburbia? Nitty 21:11, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

I don't know but when I asked her about it thats what she said and I was just saying it I wasn't agreeing with I was just saying what she said.Scrubsfan06 21:22, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

abou the crater. it was formed by a large commercial plane crashing into the ground, possibly due to the electro-magnetic pulses caused by the nukes being detonated. i found this info on the Megaton page, look under "background" section. Sasquatch99 21:32, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

All good and sound statements, but i will add something to Dashman54's response about nuclear aircraft. Back in 1950 when atomic power was first utilized in atomic bombs, the US governemtn was messing with the idea of making atomic aircraft, like i stated above, and the ideal was scrapped because of NATO and the US congress, also like stated above, having nuclear powered aircraft is no different then having nuclear powered subs or ships, not trying to be rude, just adding my 2 cents in. But you are stating that a 10,200 pound bomb that looks just like the US Military's Fat Man Atomic bomb of that age droppef from 30,000 feet would make a decent size hole? Just a question.---Drop-Zone- 21:52, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Yes, I am saying that a bomb weighing over 5 tons, dropped from over 30,000 ft. would make a significant hole upon impact with the Earth. It would dig itself into the ground several feet, and depending on the soil composition and moister content at the impact site, the actual "crater" could actually be several times larger than the bomb if the soil is a dust-like consistency. And for the comment that atomic aircraft is no different than a nuclear powered ship or sub, if a nuclear powered sub or ship sinks and has a melt down, no biggy. If an atomic aircraft melts down, especially over land or during a crash, VERY biggy. Also planes and jets are inherently more fragile and more prone to critical failures, that's just the way they are, very sophisticated and fragile pieces of machinery especially when compared to a ship or sub. And I fully understand that this isn't REAL science we're talking about, I'm simply translating as much as I can into real science.--DashMan54 14:57, 21 August 2009 (UTC)

I still do not understand why people are wondering about power armor being powered by neuclear power as well as Vertibirds. A neuclear reactor works by neuclear recations creating heat which in turn boils water and uses the upward moving steam to turn a shaft, this spins a magnet to create an electrical charge or the spin to the shaft to turn a propeler for a submarine, boat etc. it would seem unwieldly to have a steam boiler in a suit the size of a human or to spin aircraft blades at those speeds in such a small vehicle.

"atomic microwave an atomic hoover and atomic oven all the things a housewife needs in an uncertain future"--Hellfire soldier 21:43, 21 August 2009 (UTC)