The Thoroughbred was a Pegasus-class assault carrier produced by the Earth Federation.
History
The Thoroughbred was assigned as the flagship of the 16th Autonomous Corps during the One Year War, under the command of Captain Kilstein Lombard. It was first deployed in November UC 0079 as one of four decoy ships in Jaburo.
Upon successful completion of the mission, the Thorougbred was ordered to intercept a Principality of Zeon supply route behind the Moon. This route led to the Zeon space fortress Solomon. The mission served as preparation for Operation Star One.
Thoroughbred Pegasus-class assault carrier
The Pegasus-class carriers were designated with a few model numbers. For example, the Thoroughbred was desginated as LMSD-73 / MSC-03 / SCVA-72. LMSD stands for Landing Mobile Suit Deck. MSC stands for Mobile Suit Carrier. SCV stands for Space Carrier Vessel. The carriers were initially designated as SCV but they were later on redesignated as LMSD. After the war, the surviving ships were reassigned as MSC.
Thoroughbred Pegasus-class assault carrier rear view
The carrier was mainly assigned to attacking supply routes and intercepting reinforcements for the most part of the War. It was tasked with escorting Zeon prime minister Darcia Bakharov to Granada for the final peace negotiations. En route, the ship was attacked by Zeon forces that were against ending the war, however the Thoroughbred managed to complete its mission successfully and brought the prime minister safely to Granda.
After the War, the Thoroughbred was refitted. In UC 0081, it was assigned to Phantom Sweep under by Captain Stuart. Phantom Sweep was a special unit under the command of Hugues Courand, tasked with hunting down Zeon remnants.
Design
Pegasus-class carriers were built with two sections on either side of the ship that housed the launch catapults and internal hangars. The catapults were used for launching and landing the mobile weapons. The proximity of the catapults to the hangars allowed fast emergency sorties and to facilitate repair and resupply during battle.
The carriers had a rotating secion in its main body to generate artificial gravity when in space.
Each Pegasus-class carrier had a Minovsky craft system that allowed it to make atmospheric re-entry and to fly on Earth.
Bridge of a Pegasus-class assault carrier
Armaments
The battleships had a main turret, two mega particle turrets and eight anti-aircraft turrets. This weapon load meant that it had firepower to match Zeon’s [Musai-class][] light cruisers.
Main guns
Pegasus-class carriers had a main turret with two 580 mm guns. This main turret delivered the most firepower among the carriers’ armaments.
Secondary guns
The assault carriers had two secondary turrets that had two mega particle guns each.
Anti-aircraft guns
Eight twin 40 mm machine gun turrets provided anti-aircraft and anti-mobile suit defense.
Missile launchers
The Pegasus-class carriers had eight three-tube missile launchers that could use a variety of missiles.
Hangar
The hangar of the Thoroughbred was able to fit up ten mobile weapons. They had six mobile suit bays and space for four mobile weapons. The mobile weapons were usually support units or mobile armours.
The Thoroughbred was assigned RX-78-4 Gundam Unit 4 and RX-78-5 Gundam Unit 5 during the War. When it was transferred to the Phantom Sweep unit in UC 0081, it was attached with three mobile suits: RX-78-7 7th Gundam, RX-81AS G-Line Assault Armour, and RGM-79GS GM Command Space Type.
Behind the scenes
Kunio Okawara was the original mechanical designer.