Editing D20 Heron

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Ship class infobox
|image={{Pageimage|HWAjax6.jpg}}[[File:HaloWars-DeploymentPod.png|300px]]
|name=D20 Heavy Lift Vehicle
|manufacturer=[[Conklin AeroDynamix]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|line=
|model=
|class=Heavy lift [[dropship]]
|length={{Convert|418.8|ft|m|sp=us|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|width={{Convert|295|ft|m|sp=us|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|height={{Convert|97.2|ft|m|sp=us|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|mass={{Convert|4334|MT}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|max accel=
|max speed space=
|max speed air=
|engine=
*4 tilt-lift engines{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*[[Nuclear fusion|Fusion thrusters]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|slipspace drive=
|slipspace speed=
|poweroutput=
|power=
|shield gen=None
|hull=
|sensor=
|target=
|navigation=
|avionics=
|countermeasures=
|armament=None
|complement=
*1 [[Colony starter unit]] or [[Firebase]] module{{Ref/Reuse|HW}}
|crew=
*1 [[pilot]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*1 co-pilot{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*1 cargo chief{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*1 flight engineer{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|skeleton=
|passengers=
|capacity=
|consumables=
|othersystems=
|firstuse=
|role=Transport and supply
|era=*[[Domus Diaspora]]{{Ref/Reuse|OD}}
*[[Human-Covenant War]]{{Ref/Reuse|HW}}
|affiliation=[[United Nations Space Command]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
}}
The '''D20 Heavy Lift Vehicle''',{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=151}} colloquially known as the '''Heron''', is a [[United Nations Space Command]] atmospheric and space heavy-lift superheavy [[dropship]].{{Ref/Book|Id=Mythos|HM|Page=70}}

==Overview==
===Design details===
The D20 Heron is very large and roughly square in shape, featuring a protruding area at the front of the ship which most likely serves as the bridge. The Heron features four tilt engines, two mounted on opposite sides of the ship, and four conventional, rear-mounted engines. The configuration allows for easy maneuverability in space, such as among debris fields. The Heron was originally intended to deploy the infrastructure required to begin and sustain humanity's colonization efforts{{Ref/Reuse|OD}} such as the [[colony starter unit]]. The necessities of the [[Human-Covenant War]] forced the UNSC to re-purpose the craft for a logistical support role.

===Usage===
The D20 is capable of transporting and placing a prefabricated [[firebase]] "pod" - the military use variants of the civilian colony starter units - on a suitable landing zone designated by friendly ground forces. When deploying a firebase pod, a circular structure amidships spins clockwise, possibly unscrewing to detach the payload. The vessel is capable of operating in both atmosphere and vacuum. Up to ten Herons can be docked on the exterior of a [[Phoenix-class colony ship|''Phoenix''-class support vessel]], with five being berthed on either side.{{Ref/Level|HW|Alpha Base (Halo Wars level)|Alpha Base}} The craft's unstreamlined nature has earned it the nickname '''"big brick"''' among UNSC personnel.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

==Operational history==
Following the departure of the {{CAAShip|First Reverie}} and a hundred other colony ships in [[2362]], D20 Herons would be used by many colony ships during the period later referred to as the [[Domus Diaspora]] to establish functional infrastructure and an active presence on a new world.{{Ref/Site|Id=OD|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/outpost-discoveries|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Outpost Discoveries|D=30|M=06|Y=2021}}

The converted {{Class|Phoenix|colony ship}} {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} embarked ten D20 Herons [[2531#Febuary|Febuary 2531]]. These dropships were used extensively to construct firebases on [[Harvest]], [[Arcadia]], and [[Trove]] in [[2531#February|February 2531]].{{Ref/Reuse|Mythos}}{{Ref/Game|Id=HW|HW|Heron in-game model}} During the [[Battle of Trove]], a collision between ''Spirit of Fire'' and the [[Sinaris-pattern heavy destroyer|Covenant destroyer]] ''[[Proclamation's Tithe]]'' resulted in the destruction of all five of the human vessel's portside Herons. By the time ''Spirit of Fire'' arrived at [[Installation 00]] in [[2559#March|March 2559]], the lost Herons had been replaced.{{Ref/Generic|[[Halo Legendary Crate]]|[[:File:LC 004 systems.jpg|Data Drop #4]]}} However, the ship's crew primarily used [[D81 Condor]]s in place of the Herons for building firebases during the [[Second Ark Conflict]]; the Herons were instead used exclusively for mass deployment of cargo and troops in secured rear areas.{{Ref/Game|Id=PL|HW2|[[Phoenix Logs#UNSC Buildings|Phoenix Logs]] - Firebase}}

{{Clear}}

==Trivia==
The D20 Heron is named after the [[Wikipedia:Heron|Heron]], a freshwater and coastal bird commonly found in all continents except [[Antarctica]]. This follows a trend for the UNSC's logistical dropships to be named after similar seabirds such as the [[D96 Albatross|Albatross]], [[Condor]], [[D82 Darter|Darter]], [[Pelican]], and [[Stork]].

==Gallery==
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes}}
<gallery>
File:SCN02 AlphaBaseOnlinel.jpg|A D20 Heron delivering a section of a [[UNSC]] firebase.
File:HW - 5YW.jpg|Heron seen launching from UNSC ''Spirit of Fire''.
File:HWAjax6.jpg|A Heron lifting off from a firebase's landing pad.
File:HW23.png|The ''Spirit of Fire''{{'}}s five portside Herons, moments before they are destroyed by the incoming ''[[Proclamation's Tithe]]''.
File:HW2-SoF.jpg|Looking closely, five of the ''Spirit''{{'}}s Herons can be seen docked under the vessel's starboard "wing."
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo Wars]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo Mythos]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Human aircraft}}