Bolt, F/S-2

Lockheed/Dornier F/S-2 Bolt Space Fighter

History & Data 

The Bolt like the Lock was designed by Lockheed and Dornier in the formers German based design facilities but final testing and the majority of the manufacture was carried out by the Lockheed Plant in the U.S. with small amounts being built by the Dornier plant and even a few dozen were assembled by Martin Marietta.

The Bolt was the Earth’s second successful fighter craft to be used in outer space; although its life span was even shorter than that of the Lock [the lock was in service for 38 years while the bolt only had a life span of sixteen].

The Bolt was not much to look at and was basically a saucer shaped main body with the pilot actually laying down and facing towards the “front” [the same direction of the main guns].

The Bolt’s design was very similar to that of the Lock’s and was basically the same craft save for a longer fuselage allowing for slightly larger engines, more fuel mass and a longer life support range other than that the Bolt’s only other difference over the Lock was the replacement of the single 50cm gun with three 25cm guns.

The Bolt as stated earlier was only in service for 16 years and was of limited utility since it took an entire rocket to loft a single craft into space and crude refueling and re-arming platforms were built in space [the only good thing about the design was that it was able to use the same launch vehicles and platforms as the older Lock fighter].

These craft were never meant to re-enter orbit.