Pegasus class (White Base)

Class: Pegasus
Name: LMSD-71/MSC-01/SCV-70 White Base
Ships of the line: LMSD-70 Pegasus, LMSD-71 White Base, LMSD-72 White Base II, LMSD-73 Thoroughbred, LMSD-74 Blanc Rival, LMSD-75 Troy Horse, LMSD-76 Gray Phantom, LMSD-77 Stallion, LMSD-78 Albion, Spartan
Unit type: assault carrier
Manufacturer: Earth Federation Forces
Operator: Earth Federation Forces
Rollout: June UC 0079
First deployment: 15 September UC 0079
Dimensions: overall length 250.0 meters; overall height 97.0 meters; wingspan 180.0 meters
Weight: max gross 68,000 metric tons
Propulsion: 8 x jet/rocket thruster; Minovsky craft system
Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown
Fixed armaments: 2-barrel 580mm main gun; 2 x 2-barrel mega particle gun, mounted on port and starboard sides of midship; 8 x anti-aircraft 2-barrel machine gun; 8 x 3-tube missile launcher
Mobile suits: 6
Mobile weapons: RX-78-2 Gundam; RX-77-2 Guncannon; RX-75-4 Guntank; 2 x FF-X7Bst Core Booster; 2 x G-Armor; CB-X5 Gunperry
Launch catapults: 2

The debut of the Earth Federation Forces’ Pegasus class assault carrier during the One Year War changed the face of battleship design. Pegasus class ships were constructed using an advanced block method that divided the ship into seven blocks: the bridge and living quarters, the central bow hangar, the engine room and stern landing port. The living quarters were twice the size of the ones in earlier ships and included an artificial gravity area and an open deck that ran from bow to stern. The ships utilized a Minovsky craft system that allowed them fly at low altitudes on Earth and escape from the planet’s atmosphere without booster rockets. The Pegasus class was the first type of EFF ship specifically designed to carry mobile suits, and each of its “leg” hangars housed launch catapults. Armaments included a 580mm main gun, two mega particle guns and multiple missile launchers and anti-air machine guns. Other Pegasus ships retained the same basic design as the White Base, but could differ enough in appearance to look like a different class.

Constructed at the EFF Jaburo base on Earth, the White Base was the most famous ship of the Pegasus class. Launched under the command of Capt. Paolo Cassius, the White Base launched into space and arrived at Side 7 in September UC 0079 to retrieve mobile suits secretly developed as part of Operation V. However, the colony came under attack from within by Zeon forces, and subsequent battles left most of the White Base‘s senior crew incapacitated or killed. Junior officer Bright Noa was forced to take command from Cassius and quickly grew into the role of commanding the ship as it was chased across space by Zeon ace pilot Char Aznable. Based on the ship’s appearance, Zeon forces gave it the nickname “Trojan Horse.” The White Base returned to Earth and traveled across Zeon-occupied territory before eventually returning for Jaburo for refitting after Operation Odessa. The ship was assigned to the 13th Autonomous Corps and tasked with serving as a decoy for the Zeon as the EFF pushed the battlefield from Earth back to space. The White Base participated in Operation Cembalo, the attack on the space fortress Solomon, and Operation Star One, the attack on A Baoa Qu. It was at the latter space fortress that the ship met its fate: heavily damaged by enemy fire, the White Base crashed on the fortress’ surface. However, thanks to Newtype guidance from RX-78-2 Gundam pilot Amuro Ray, the crew was able to safely evacuate the ship in Space Launches before it exploded. After the One Year War, the design of the White Base inspired that of two AEUG flagships: the Argama and Nahel Argama, the former of which was eventually commanded by Bright.

Captain(s): Paolo Cassius, Bright Noa, Mirai Yashima
First appearance: Mobile Suit Gundam
Original mechanical designer(s): Kunio Okawara (Mobile Suit Gundam and MSV versions), Kimitoshi Yamane (Gundam: The Origin anime version)

Bridge (Version 2)

Engine (Version 2)

Landing gear (Version 2)

Rear view (Version 1)

Rear view (Version 2)