: A UNSC aircraft like the Falcon but with the
: vertical-strut-that-connects-passenger-section-floorplate-to-tail-assembly
: removed and a U shaped gun track built into the ceiling with a LAAG
: suspended from it. A passenger can hold the weapon like an unmounted
: turret - can walk around the periphery of the passenger section in 3rd
: person mode and can shoot targets in a large arc - say about 300 degrees -
: so he can shoot forwards(ish), to the side, straight back, up or down.

: I'd even let a gunner who was standing on the right side of the aircraft turn
: round so he was leaning backwards, out of the craft and be able to shoot
: targets on the left of the craft - through the passenger section.

: I'd call the craft a Kestrel; has that name been taken?

It was a deleted UNSC aircraft back from Halo 2 days. It would seem we got the Hornet instead in Halo 3, but Bungie did think of using the name:

deleted Kestrel design

It was also the name of a freighter referenced in The Cole Protocol novel:

http://www.halopedia.org/Kestrel