A Death Glider is a two-seat fighter craft designed for combat in both space and atmosphere. They are the most prolific ship in the Goa'uld fleet.
Overview
A Death Glider in space.
The Death Glider is a crescent-shaped vessel with wings stylized to look like that of a bird. The wings curve downward, making their tips the lowest point of the vessel. When stored on a Ha'tak, the wings fold in to save space. The cockpit has room for two people; the front seat is the pilot's chair while the rear position controls the weapons. A single pilot can do both, however. Gliders are piloted by means of a large red sphere. Direct thoughts and spoken words seem to control the craft as long as the pilot touches this device. (SG1: "Into the Fire")
Glider launch bay.
Gliders are capable of both atmospheric and spaceflight. They do not use direct thrust, but rather an inertial propulsion system which negates the effect of inertia on the craft. This also allows them to hover. Like most space craft, Death Gliders also possess inertial dampeners which protect the pilot from deadly G-forces. However, similar to the F-302 fighter-interceptor, they do not appear to function at 100% while traveling at high speeds. Though not designed for it, Death Gliders can be flown underwater. Due to their design, Gliders need a flat surface to land on, or a nearby mothership to dock with. (SG1, "Descent", "Tangent", "Revelations")
The armament of a Death Glider consists of two Staff cannons mounted to either side of the cockpit on the underbelly of the craft. These are identical in function to a regular Staff weapon, but much more powerful. They can only fire in a straight line, have poor accuracy, and low rate of fire. Because of this, Death Gliders are ill-suited for anything other than strafing runs on nonmoving targets. When faced with comparatively fast moving targets like Tau'ri jets, they rely on numeric superiority and mass volleys in the general direction of the targets. (SG1: "Children of the Gods", "The Fifth Man", "Lost City, Part 1")
Gliders are also equipped with an external speaker, so as to terrorize targets with threats as well as direct action. They have scanning equipment to detect other ships, while communication is achieved through a small external device placed on the pilot's cheek. (SG1: "The Serpent's Lair")
After Teal'c began a rebellion against the System Lords, a recall device was installed in Death Gliders. This recall device disables all controls and pilots the ship to the relevant System Lord's home planet at maximum sublight speed; unless it happens to be activated in the same solar system, this will almost assuredly result in the pilot dying en route. (SG1: "Tangent")
Variants
Udajeet
An Udajeet
- Main article: Udajeet
The Udajeet was an open cockpit Death Glider which was used by Ra on Abydos to quell the uprising incited by the Tau'ri. (Stargate)
Needle Threader
A Needle Threader
- Main article: Needle Threader
A Needle Threader is a specialized Death Glider constructed by the Goa'uld that can travel through the Stargate in a similar manner to Ancient Puddle Jumpers; however, it provides no automatic navigation through Stargates, and was discontinued after it proved too difficult to master. (SG1: "Into the Fire")
Ring Transportation Death Glider
A Transport Glider
- Main article: Transport Glider
This variant was seen in Apophis' forces. It was more massive than the standard Death Glider, and its only known design feature was that it possessed its own set of Transportation rings. It is also shown to be capable of carrying several people (Klorel and several other Goa'uld). (SG1: "Children of the Gods")
Gallery
References and notes
External links
- Death Glider in Kathleen Ritter's Lexicon.
- GateWorld's article on Death glider in The Stargate Omnipedia
- Death Glider article on Stargate SG-1 Solutions' The StargateWiki
| Attack ships | Al'kesh · Anubis' mothership · Apophis' mothership · Cheops class warship · Death Glider · Ha'tak · Needle Threader |
| Transport ships | Archaic Tel'tak · Tel'tak · Transport Glider · Troopship |