Dolos Analysis

This is an unofficial (let's face it, almost every Gundam publication is) analysis from a 2003 A Bao A Qu magazine special on how a Dolos might actually be able to hold its sometimes-published capacity of 182 MS.  

On another note, a modern aircraft carrier operating four catapults simultaneously should be able to launch an aircraft every 20 seconds in ideal conditions. If we look at the Dolos with seven visible launch ports, we could reasonably extrapolate that the Dolos can launch one MS every 10 seconds, which means it will still take 30 minutes to launch all 182 MS.




An Unofficial Visual Encyclopedia!

Is this how you can fit 182 Zakus?

The pride of Zeon’s fleet, the Dolos-class Super large attack carrier is exposed!

For the record, the U.S. Navy’s largest carrier, the Enterprise, is 341 meters in length and can accommodate approximately 100 aircraft.  If this is so, can 182 Mobile Suits (though alternate explanations also exist) really be configured to fit inside the 495 meter-long Dolos?

This publication attempted to answer this question with our own analysis and ideas how this might be done.  Ah, you know, once this carrier launches the MS, how exactly is it supposed to recover them? Some of these questions definitely ‘overloaded’ us, as well!

Top View

This is a cutaway diagram of the internal space of the Dolos.  If they are arranged in this manner, the Dolos (should) be able to accommodate 182 Zakus.  However, when looking at the the comparatively bulky Dom, only around 100 will likely fit.

If accommodated in this manner, rapidly scrambling MS would be very difficult, so dozens of MS may have also been moored to the outer hull to facilitate a more rapid response.

The area aft is likely occupied with Mobile Suit armories and equipment storage, in addition to the ship’s cooling systems.  The planned crew of several thousand is likely housed in the lower aft section of the ship, and on either side of the tail area are two ultra-large engines, with five additional nozzles in the center tail of the ship providing thrust.

Front View

A cross-sectional view of the Mobile Suit deck from the front, which shows 4 square panels directly aft located next to the rails on the deck.  These squares are the elevators which bring the weapons into the launch area from the Mobile Suit Armories.  The Mobile Suits are moved from the storage areas to the launch deck, equipped with weapons, and then moved into the launch sequence.

Launch Operations

Source: 0079 A Bao A Qu OYW Magazine Gundam Sentinel