Ben Dixon

Irrepressible and gregarious, Ben Dixon is a big bear of a man. As a member of Rick Hunter's Vermillion Squadron, Ben is a vital part of a fearsome combat squad of Veritech Fighters.

Like everyone else of his generation, Ben grew up in the midst of the Global War. His parents struggled to maintain a sense of normalcy. He was also a childhood friend of a young war orphan named Max Sterling. Though their personalities were very different, the two complemented each other and Max became an unofficial member of the family.

Ben and Max traveled to Macross Island to visit Ben's parents, who managed a dry cleaning business, and to attend the launch of the SDF-1. They became embroiled in a fight for survival as the Zentraedi launched their first attack in trying to reclaim their lost battlefortress. Ben was able to escape with his parents and reach the emergency civil defense shelters before the SDF-1 executed a hyperspace fold that swept both the battlefortress and Macross Island into space beyond the orbit of Pluto.

Ben and his family did their best to adjust to life aboard the SDF-1. The Dixons reopened their laundry service, while Ben and Max participated in the efforts to reconstruct the city inside the confines of the battlefortress.

With that monumental task completed, Max and Ben soon found themselves with little to do. Inspired to join the Robotech Defense Forces, both enlisted to become veritech pilots. Upon graduation from flight training, Ben and Max were assigned to the Vermillion Squadron, under the command of Rick Hunter.

Even though Max and Rick always outshined his skills, Ben never developed a sense of inferiority. In fact, his loyalty and fearlessness in the face of danger serve him well during the many challenges of the Vermillion Squadron.

First Appearance:
Episode 8 - "Sweet Sixteen"