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Flying machine

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For the World of Warcraft mount, see  [Flying Machine].
A gnomish gyrocopter in Hearthstone.

Flying machines are by definition mechanical devices capable of flight, such as the gyrocopters and bombers built by the gnomes and dwarves for the Alliance, which employ wing surfaces and movement to produce lift, either using a fixed wing, or a spinning rotor. The goblins are also able to build similar machines, including the zeppelins, hot air balloons, and gunships.

The backbone of the Alliance air force is comprised predominantly of gnomish flying machines due to their maneuverability and speed.[1]

Background

First War

WoW-novel-logo-16x62.png This section concerns content related to the Warcraft novels, novellas, or short stories.

The first flying machines built by the gnomes were the whirligig and the sky-engine. As the First War started, Supreme Commander Anduin Lothar did regret his army didn't have flying units to scout out the Black Morass swamp.[2]

Second War

WC2-BnetE-logo.png This section concerns content related to Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness or its expansion Beyond the Dark Portal.

Main article: Gnomish Flying Machine (Warcraft II)
Fly.gif

The gnomes of Khaz Modan had long offset their lack of physical strength with ingenuity and daring. As members of the Alliance, they continued to display their talents by inventing and piloting the unbelievable flying machine. Although having no armaments, these awkward contraptions could be used to survey vast areas of terrain, and detecting the otherwise hidden movements of underwater units, making them invaluable for discovering the movements of the Horde.[3]

Third War

WC3RoC-logo.png This section concerns content related to Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos or its expansion The Frozen Throne.

Main articles: Gyrocopter (Warcraft III), Flying Machine (Warcraft III)

The ingenious dwarven engineers, taking a nod from their inventive gnomish cousins, created and constructed their own gyrocopters.[4] During the events of The Frozen Throne, dwarves replaced their gyrocopters with upgraded flying machines.

In Warcraft III: Reforged, the gnomes once again take up their role from Warcraft II by being the pilots of the flying machines, rather than dwarves.

  • The dwarf behind the machine.
    The dwarf behind the machine.
  • WCIII Gyrocopter unit.
    WCIII Gyrocopter unit.
  • WCIII Flying Machine unit.
    WCIII Flying Machine unit.
  • Warcraft III: Reforged Flying Machine unit.
    Warcraft III: Reforged Flying Machine unit.
  • Warcraft III: Reforged concept art.
    Warcraft III: Reforged concept art.
  • Warcraft III: Reforged concept art (bottom).
    Warcraft III: Reforged concept art (bottom).

In World of Warcraft

Alliance Crest Alliance

Main articles: Bomber, Gyrocopter
A typical gnomish gyrocopter.

After the Third War, the dwarves continued to develop their flying machines, giving some of them a grappling hook and a variety of weapons, and many can be seen launching from the Hall of Arms in Ironforge. Gnomes are also particularly smitten with flying machines and are partly responsible for the creation of the Alliance gunships, while the engineers developed bomber aircrafts with fixed wings.

In the following years, the Alliance air force saw the creation of aerial military units such as the Ironforge 127th Paratroopers and the Gnomish Elite Aerial Rangers.

Horde Crest Horde

Main articles: Zeppelin, Hot air balloon
A lighter-than-air goblin zeppelin.

The goblins also created their own flying contraptions, although they opted to use lighter-than-air designs, with their machines employing bags filled with gas to make them buoyant in the air.

The goblin zeppelin consists of a gondola of varying size suspended beneath one or more bags of lightweight gas that serve to keep the craft aloft. In keeping with the goblin fixation upon profit, these large craft tend to be packed with cargo or paying passengers. Neutral goblins allow the transport of soldiers, but heavy weaponry, such as cannons, are forbidden to maintain neutrality.[5]

The goblins also worked on creating the Horde gunships, employing a similar technology as the zeppelins.

Others

Main article: Mechanical mounts
Aerial unit from Mechagon Island.

The dimensional ships are vessels created by the naaru that can travel between worlds and dimensions, traversing the Twisting Nether just as normal ships traverse the air and sea, and warp time itself.[6] Naaru are their own ships' powerhouses. Traveling across the cosmos requires incredible amounts of energy, however, draining the naaru immensely.[7]

The legion ships are spaceships created by the Burning Legion that can teleport and travel between the Nether and the Great Dark Beyond. Each ship requires multiple power cores, which are standard hyper-injection fel matter anti-matter devices, charged with the energy of fel geysers.[8] They are used to transport and deploy troops, as well as acting like gateways for the Legion to summon their armies.

During the Fourth War, a new type of flying machines called the aerial unit created by the mechagnomes, was discovered on Mechagon Island.

Types

Main article: Known flying machines

Flight paths

Main article: Known airstrips
Fizzcrank Airstrip in the Borean Tundra.

In addition, several flight masters provide some kind of aircraft instead of the usual gryphon or wyvern:

In the RPG

Icon-RPG.png This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

A dwarven improvement on helicopters built by their gnomish cousins, and their own dwarven gyrocopters, the flying machine is a heavily armed, flying gun platform. Thick armor protects the daredevil pilots who pilot the flying machines, but the armor also slows the vehicle considerably.[9]

Perhaps the most unusual — or insane — warrior in the entire Alliance is the dwarven flying machine pilot. This captain of the skies performs everything from reconnaissance to bombing missions, fearing nothing (except perhaps a passing dragon). Elegantly clad in studded leather, the flying machine pilot strides confidently as he enters his craft. Young and alert, ignoring those who deride technology with a slight sneer, his positive manner might inspire those who don't realize just how crazy he is. The flying machine pilot performs reconnaissance missions and uses the weapons of his vehicle to attack aerial targets or perform strafing runs (the latter being a particularly tricky business). His vehicle also serves quite handily as a distraction, especially to those members of the Horde who are not used to the sight of such craft.[10] An experimented flying machine pilot can also be called an Ace.

There are also gnomish airships which are "fabulous flying machines".[11] Scout balloons have also been employed by the Alliance to explore Kalimdor, although when this occurred and who can be credited for their construction is unknown.[12]

Notes and trivia

Gallery

References

 
  1. ^ Mount Journal entry for  [Flying Machine]
  2. ^ The Last Guardian, pg. 78
  3. ^ Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, Alliance Air Units, Gnomish Flying Machine
  4. ^ Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos manual, Human Units, Gyrocopter
  5. ^ Last of the Line
  6. ^  [Shard of the Exodar]
  7. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 50
  8. ^ N Demon hunter [45RWQ] Battery Backup/N [45RWQ] On Borrowed Wings,  [Battleship Power Core]
  9. ^ Magic & Mayhem, pg. 186
  10. ^ Alliance Player's Guide, pg. 187
  11. ^ More Magic and Mayhem, pg. 163
  12. ^ More Magic and Mayhem, pg. 194-195
Creature group
Mechanical creatures
Robot
Golem
Vehicles
Cannons and mortars
Animated object
Land
Water
Air
Air & space craft
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