Parasite Aircraft
April 22, 2024 12:28 AM Subscribe
Flying aircraft carriers show up in steampunk, dieselpunk and atompunk fiction so often, we can consider them a genre trope. From Castle Wulfenbach in Girl Genius to the British aircraft carriers in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow to the helicarriers of S.H.I.E.L.D., here is a look at these behemoths of the sky. from Flying Aircraft Carriers [Previously]
A flying ship carrier would be amusing.
posted by Phanx at 1:41 AM on April 22 [5 favorites]
posted by Phanx at 1:41 AM on April 22 [5 favorites]
Maybe this doesn't quite qualify, but I think another omission that I would include.
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 4:55 AM on April 22 [2 favorites]
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 4:55 AM on April 22 [2 favorites]
The various Fallout games (and now TV show) continue the trope with the Prydwen.
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 5:57 AM on April 22 [4 favorites]
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 5:57 AM on April 22 [4 favorites]
The Iron Vulture is one that I remember as especially fearsome from my childhood. I have not gone back to see how the series hold up, but think I’ll probably end up sharing it with my little one at some point.
posted by astrospective at 6:16 AM on April 22 [2 favorites]
posted by astrospective at 6:16 AM on April 22 [2 favorites]
I was just coming here to post the Iron Vulture! I attempted to build it out of legos so many times.
posted by being_quiet at 6:25 AM on April 22 [2 favorites]
posted by being_quiet at 6:25 AM on April 22 [2 favorites]
It's about a retro-future which almost was, not about a sequel to 2019's Oscar-winning Best Picture.
posted by otherchaz at 7:28 AM on April 22 [1 favorite]
posted by otherchaz at 7:28 AM on April 22 [1 favorite]
Here's some video of carrier ops on the airship USS Macon. Sparrowhawk biplanes being launched and recovered via a hook mechanism. In case you want to see the quote "merely a matter of pushing the planes off into space, where they can recover themselves with the ease of a bird thrown into the air." illustrated. Just bonkers we actually did this and it worked.
Also related, from MeFi's own Zarkonnen, there's Airships: Conquer the Skies. A game where you design and fight your own massive airship bases.
posted by Nelson at 7:43 AM on April 22 [5 favorites]
Also related, from MeFi's own Zarkonnen, there's Airships: Conquer the Skies. A game where you design and fight your own massive airship bases.
posted by Nelson at 7:43 AM on April 22 [5 favorites]
Cobra loved flying aircraft carriers:
Cobra #1
I love that the advantage of an aircraft is negated by flying about 10 ft off the ground.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:50 AM on April 22 [2 favorites]
Cobra #1
I love that the advantage of an aircraft is negated by flying about 10 ft off the ground.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:50 AM on April 22 [2 favorites]
Nelson, thank you so much for posting that - I have read about the Macon (and Akron, etc), and seen photos, but had no idea there was actual video. Utterly amazing.
posted by davidmsc at 8:01 AM on April 22 [2 favorites]
posted by davidmsc at 8:01 AM on April 22 [2 favorites]
The Flying Carriers(Part 1) & The Flying Carriers (Part 2) & The Flying Carriers (Part 3) & The Flying Carriers (Part 4)
posted by chavenet at 8:13 AM on April 22 [1 favorite]
posted by chavenet at 8:13 AM on April 22 [1 favorite]
While the SHIELD Helicarrier is one of the more iconic versions, I think Castle Wulfenbach may be the best and coolest around.
posted by sotonohito at 8:25 AM on April 22 [4 favorites]
posted by sotonohito at 8:25 AM on April 22 [4 favorites]
The time-traveling air carrier Justice from the animated series/extended toy commercial Ring Raiders made a big impression on me as a youngster. Never had the carrier but the little planes were a lot of fun too.
posted by GalaxieFiveHundred at 9:24 AM on April 22 [1 favorite]
posted by GalaxieFiveHundred at 9:24 AM on April 22 [1 favorite]
They missed Tom Swift Jr.'s Flying Lab which could launch the Kangaroo Kub and the Skeeter.
They also missed the US Air Force B-29 that was modified to carry a McDonnell F-85 fighter. That was unsuccessful.
posted by leaper at 9:45 AM on April 22 [1 favorite]
They also missed the US Air Force B-29 that was modified to carry a McDonnell F-85 fighter. That was unsuccessful.
posted by leaper at 9:45 AM on April 22 [1 favorite]
Can't believe they snubbed both the Protoss Carrier AND the Bebop. Outrageous.
(I love this post, thanks)
posted by McBearclaw at 11:32 AM on April 22 [3 favorites]
(I love this post, thanks)
posted by McBearclaw at 11:32 AM on April 22 [3 favorites]
Pretty sure that when the SDF-1 Macross crashed on earth, they kitted it out with an aircraft carrier to replace its arm.
posted by nushustu at 11:40 AM on April 22 [2 favorites]
posted by nushustu at 11:40 AM on April 22 [2 favorites]
A flying ship carrier would be amusing.So, this sort of thing?
posted by kickingtheground at 11:48 AM on April 22 [1 favorite]
It doesn't matter what outlandish thing fiction writers can dream up, there's always someone just crazy enough to build it :-)
posted by dg at 9:20 PM on April 23
posted by dg at 9:20 PM on April 23
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Also, article author Nick Ottens missed out on the great game Crimson Skies, which was pretty much at the apex of the 'flying aircraft carrier' concept.
posted by LeRoienJaune at 12:54 AM on April 22 [12 favorites]