| Batplane | |
|---|---|
.png) Batman and his Batwing (Batplane) as they appeared on the variant cover ofDetective Comics #989 (September 2018). Art byMark Brooks. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Detective Comics #31 (September1939) |
| In story information | |
| Type | Vehicle |
| Element of stories featuring | Batman Robin |
TheBatplane,Batwing,Batjet orBatgyro is the fictionalaircraft for theDC ComicssuperheroBatman.[1] The vehicle was introduced in "Batman Versus The Vampire, I", published inDetective Comics #31 in 1939, a story which saw Batman travel tocontinental Europe.[2][3] In this issue it was referred to as the "Batgyro", and according toLes Daniels was "apparently inspired byIgor Sikorsky's first successful helicopter flight" of the same year. Initially based upon either anautogyro orhelicopter, with a rotor, the Batgyro featured a bat motif at the front. The writers gave the Batgyro the ability to be "parked" in the air by Batman, hovering in such a way as to maintain its position and allow Batman to return.[4][5]
The Batgyro was soon replaced by the Batplane, which debuted inBatman #1, and initially featured a machine gun.[6] The vehicle was now based on afixed wing airplane rather than a helicopter, with a propeller at the front, although a bat motif was still attached to the nose-cone. The Batplane has undergone constant revision since its first appearance, and has even been depicted as having the capability to traverse underwater.[7] With the launch of theTim Burton directedBatman film of 1989, the Batplane became known as the Batwing, a name which was carried over into the comics. Previously inBatman #300 the name Batwing was used in reference to a spacecraft. The 2012 filmThe Dark Knight Rises also adapted the Batplane to film, however, this time the vehicle was referred to asThe Bat.
A sentient version of the Batwing, nicknamed "Wing", appears inBatwheels, voiced byLilimar Hernandez.
Batman once maintained aircraft in his originalBatcave. However, launching these planes so close toWayne Manor's neighboring estates threatened to compromise Batman's secret identity. The Caped Crusader now "borrows" specially-modified jets and helicopters fromWayne Aerospace's business and military contracts.
Batplane I[8] and the Bat-Rocket favored Batman's signature look over sleekaerodynamics.
Batplane II[9] was a retooled needle-nosed Wayne Aerospace W4Wraith fighter that married style with substance.[10] In terms of design, it shares features with the GrummanF9F Cougar and McDonnellF-101 Voodoo. When the Batplane is stolen and triplicated by smugglers inBatman #61, Batman and Robin upgrade the Batplane to jet propulsion, adding at least "100 miles per hour" to its maximum speed.[7][11]
Batplane III is a modified Wayne AerospaceSlipStream ($46 million sans "extras"). It is detailed to resemble a standard mid-size corporate jet during take-offs and landings. Some of its features and capabilities are as follows:
The aircraft's specifications are:[12][13]
The Batwing appears inBatman (1989) andBatman Forever. It is destroyed in the former film, but rebuilt and upgraded. Both models of the plane were created with miniature effects.
InBatman, the Batwing was designed byAnton Furst and Julian Caldow and constructed by the John Evans special effects team atPinewood Studios. Five models were created, with only one in full-scale. A full-size segment of the cockpit was created in front of a blue-screen set for close-up shots ofMichael Keaton piloting the craft.[14] The Batplane's redesign inForever was devised by Barbara Ling and Matt Codd and has a ribbed body and tail fin similar to the Batmobile.[15][16]
This version of the Batplane appears inThe Flash, which ignores the events ofForever andBatman & Robin and showcases more of its inner functions, including folding wings and rear seats with built-in parachutes.[17]
An entirely new version of the Batwing appears in the filmThe Dark Knight Rises, referred to simply as theBat. It is an unconventional, lightweightvolantor-like craft with a ventrally mounted rotor. Developed byLucius Fox, the Bat was originally intended for close-quarters urban military operations but instead becomes Batman's new primary vehicle.
The Bat was designed byNathan Crowley, who based it on theHarrier jump jet,Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, andBoeing AH-64 Apache.[18]Chris Corbould described the Bat's size and shape as presenting a major challenge for filming due toChristopher Nolan's emphasis on practical effects overcomputer-generated imagery. The Bat was variously supported by wires and mounted on a purpose-built vehicle with hydraulic controls to simulate movement.[18][19][20]
The Batplane appears in the 2016 filmBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Here it is shown as a lightweightVTOL aircraft armed with machine guns and missiles, with a function that allows Alfred to remotely assume control.
The Batplane was largely rendered via CGI byScanline VFX, with only its cockpit being physical. It was modeled after theNorthrop Grumman X-47B and theLockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.[21]
The Batplane makes a cameo appearance inJustice League.
The 1989 version of Batplane also makes an appearance inThe Flash. In this movie, the Batplane has seen some improvements after its destruction by the Joker.
Lego'sLego Batman line includes one set which features an incarnation of the Batplane, though it goes by the name of "The Batwing" (7782 The Batwing: The Joker's Aerial Assault). The set is featured alongside the Joker's helicopter. Lego also made another set named (6863 Batwing battle over Gotham City) with the similar type of vehicles. In 2020, Lego produced the set 1989 Batwing, re-creating the vehicle from the 1989 film.
TheGotham City section ofSix Flags Over Texas includes a child-focused ride called "Batwing", which consists of two passenger seats that go in circles while moving up and down.[23]
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