Mobile Suit Cockpit hatches

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Shinji_Shinigami
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Mobile Suit Cockpit hatches

Well I've been wondering how many differnt types of Hatches or better said, entry possibilities to a cockpit have been invented for the Series. I mean the most straightforward and often used is the bridge like opeing of the Cockpit hatch like of the RX-78-2. But if you look at IBO, most Suits open up and lift the seat at the top. Similar to the Freedom Gundam. I also know that there are some cockpits, that are lockated more in the head of a suit, then a traditional cockpit, similar to the hugo or Sazabi.

Things that i have been missing?
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MythSearcher
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Re: Mobile Suit Cockpit hatches

Technical issues.

A mobile weapon, which is supposed to be put in situations where the pilot will be subjected high g-forces, should be placed as close as possible to the centre of rotation. This lowers the g-force when under rotation. The centre of rotation, in turn, should be placed as close to the centre of mass as possible, to lower the moment of inertia in order to quicken the rotation speed.
So MSs with cockpits in their head are pretty badly designed in terms of realism.
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Dark Duel
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Re: Mobile Suit Cockpit hatches

Earliest example I can think of of a cockpit being mounted in the head of a mobile suit is the Zeong, though the Gaplant and Psyco Gundam are other early examples. As MythSearcher pointed out, this is a bad idea due to the high g-forces being experienced especially while moving at high speed.
The vast majority of mobile suits have cockpits in their torso, which is closer to the center of gravity and therefore more practical from that standpoint. In most cases, the cockpit is in the lower torso, about where the stomach or intestine would be, but as you pointed out some of them - the Freedom, most of the mobile suits in IBO, and some others have their cockpits in the upper torso, which is farther away from the center of gravity, so less practical, but not quite as bad as being in the head.
There are only two other examples I can think of as far as cockpit locations for mobile suits:
- The Turn-A and the GNX-series from 00 have their cockpits in/on the waist/crotch, which is actually slightly below the center of gravity, I believe. I would say there we have the same problem as with upper torso cockpits, but less so because it's still closer to the center of gravity.
- 00's GNZ-series have their cockpits mounted to external pods on the back, well above the center of gravity. See MythSearcher's comments on cockpits in the head for why this is probably a bad idea in terms of the G-Forces, though it makes quick ejection quite convenient.
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PowerdGNFlag
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Re: Mobile Suit Cockpit hatches

Somewhat-related question: where is the Doven Wolf's cockpit/cockpit hatch located? I've checked its appearances in ZZ, and can't find anything. The Mk.V and the Silver Bullet have them in the standard position, but the Doven Wolf's torso beam cannons complicate things. The official profile gives a generic torso location, but it does not help in this case.
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E08
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Re: Mobile Suit Cockpit hatches

Dark Duel wrote: Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:59 am 00's GNZ-series have their cockpits mounted to external pods on the back, well above the center of gravity. See MythSearcher's comments on cockpits in the head for why this is probably a bad idea in terms of the G-Forces, though it makes quick ejection quite convenient.
Although the cockpit is attached to the backpack pod, it is inserted into the MS chest during use. Based on this picture, i say the cockpit when in the MS is at around the same position as Freedom and the other IBO Gundam.
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Dark Duel
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Re: Mobile Suit Cockpit hatches

Huh. I'd forgotten about that. Of course, it's been ages since I last watched 00 S2. Thanks for pointing that out.
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"You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but take a boat in the air you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turn of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she ought to fall down. Tells you she's hurting before she keens. Makes her a home."
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