The Pandora is a Zeppelin featured in Crimson Skies, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge and various other Crimson Skies media. It is the current zeppelin home of the pirate group the Fortune Hunters.
Details[]
The Pandora had a length of 1,378 ft. and a diameter of 182 ft. Twelve Dynometric V16 engines produced 440 h.p. each and when combined with a four bladed Jaray L.Z. propellers, the Pandora was capable of a maximum speed of 84 m.p.h.[3] Five gas bags[4] allowed the Pandora to hold a maximum gas capacity of 26,002,340 ft3 for a flight ceiling of 13,000 ft. At full speed, she could travel for 10,000 miles before needing resupply.[3]
As for load, she would typically carry 75,000 lbs of cargo, 86,400 lbs of fuel, 6,050 lbs of oil and 10,000 lbs of ballast. Additionally, she would have 7,200 lbs of crew, 54,000 lbs of food which would last the crew for thirty days, 60,000 lbs of aircraft and another 60,000 lbs of spare parts. Finally, there would be 25,820 lbs of free lift to allow the zeppelin to move around.[3]
History[]
Early Fortune Hunter ownership[]
The Pandora began life as the zeppelin Fulcrum, operated by Empire Air. Nathan Zachary snuck aboard the zeppelin by signing on as third mate,[3] along with six other members of the Fortune Hunters who were regular crew hands. They mutinied and took control of the zeppelin on July 4th 1934,[5] before setting down the previous captain and crew in a wheat field[3] in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Pennsylvania[5]. Three of the Fulcrum's crew joined the Fortune Hunters and the on-board strongbox was captured and withheld as a maintenance fund.[5] From here, Zachary used the Fulcrum as the replacement for his first zeppelin the Oracle which had been destroyed by mid-1933[6]
Using the maintenance funds, Zachary authorized several refits and upgrades to the Fulcrum, including extending the engine nacelle machine guns to sit on Weirhausen telescopic struts so they have a 120-degree field of fire.[5] The machine guns were also upgraded from 40-caliber Kirbys to 60-caliber belt-fed Protometrics[5] to further increase the defensive capabilities of the Fulcrum.
He also replaced the previous superstructure, which included a two-plane flight rack, with a new Rolls-Royce six-plane carrier system[5] which would greatly improve the offensive capabilities of the gang. Finally, he also had the Fulcrum renamed to the Pandora, after the Greek mythological chest.[5]
Prior to the events of Crimson Skies[]
Likely learning from his mistakes with the Oracle, Zachary led the Fortune Hunters on smaller and flamboyant, but safer raids[7] as he built up an intelligence network of spies and snitches to work out where high value, low risk raids could be performed.[6] From the middle-1930s onwards, their raids became increasingly daring before culminating in an ill-fated alliance between Zachary and Lucas Miles which resulted in numerous casualties and the Pandora suffering heavy damage over Cuba.
Battling the British and stealing Drake's gold[]
Following the bloody battle over Cuba, the Pandora was repaired and the Fortune Hunters made their way to the Kingdom of Hawaii, where Zachary got his hands on an old book of Sir Francis Drake. He learnt of a sunken galleon somewhere near to the Kapuahi island and moved in with the Pandora to investigate.[8] After discovering the presence of the British Empire on the island[8], the treasure was located, though the British attempted to bomb it, resulting in Zachary successfully performing a mid-air hijack of a British Bristol Type 140 Balmoral and flying it back to the Pandora.[9]
Realizing that the Pandora didn't have the equipment to haul up the treasure from the wreckage, Zachary located a British base on the island which had a zeppelin docking port built which they could dock the Pandora to and equip a heavy duty crane. After detaching and destroying the British cargo zeppelin, and making the area safe, Sparks brought in the Pandora and docked to the base.[10] Repeated British attempts to root out the pirates, including sending in the HMS Barracuda, failed to dislodge the Fortune Hunters who successfully finished fitting the Pandora with a new internal cargo crane.[11]
Sparks flies the Pandora over the gold, however as he moves in, the Medusas arrive to dispute the claim of the gold. Zachary and the Fortune Hunters defend the Pandora until it is in position over the site. Once there, the Pandora begins to raise the gold despite repeat attempts by the Medusas to cripple her by targeting her engines. The Fortune Hunters are, however, successful in defending the Pandora until it was away with the gold.[12]
Rescuing Dr. Fassenbiender[]
With the heist successful, the Pandora hurries to catch the USSR luxury passenger zeppelin the Worker's Voyage which is carrying an unwilling Dr. Wilhelm Fassenbiender, who was abducted and taken on board. The Pandora was able to catch the slow passenger zeppelin and shadow it until the Fortune Hunters could launch their attack. Russian Hughes P21-J Devastators attempted to defend the zeppelin by targeting the engines of the Pandora, but the Fortune Hunters were able to shoot down the Devastators. After slowing the Worker's Voyage by targeting its engines, Zachary was able to dock with it mid-air and send in Jack Mulligan to find and rescue Fassenbiender. Following the rescue of the doctor, Zachary and the gang shot down the last of the fighters and returned to the Pandora with the doctor.[13]
Raids on Paladin Blake[]
From Fassenbiender, Zachary learnt of a new prototype aircraft being held at Boeing Field fitted with a powerful and experimental engine. Travelling there in the Pandora, the Fortune Hunters launched an attack on the air base. The Pandora remained close to the field while Zachary and crew rescued Ilsa Fassenbiender, Dr. Fassenbiender's daughter, destroyed fuel tanks, and stole the prototype Hughes Bloodhawk code-named Blue Streak. Following the safe docking of Zachary and the Blue Streak, the Pandora left Boeing Field.[14]
Unfortunately, the gang had been unable to afford to fill up the tanks of the Pandora since their battle with Lucas Miles in Cuba, and as a result the zeppelin was running on empty. However, an opportunity came in the form of the Russian tanker the Oktober, which was carrying fuel to replenish that blown up by the Fortune Hunters on Boeing Field. After destroying the lighthouse and patrol boats, the tanker ran aground, at which point the Pandora moved in to begin raising fuel from its hold. An additional threat in the form of the Russian zeppelin Vostok caused concerns for the Pandora as it would be immobile while hauling up fuel. However, the forces of Zachary and the Fortune Hunters were able to shoot down the Russian Devastators and some of its engines, which when combined with the fire caused on the tanker, resulted in the Vostok being too slow to pursue the fleeing Pandora and instead staying to rescue their comrades on the Oktober.[15]
With a fresh load of fuel now on board, the Pandora returned to Boeing Field where Loyle Crawford of the Broadway Bombers had sent in Paladin Blake aboard the Light carrier-class zeppelin Promised Land to crush Zachary and his pirates. However, Zachary had a contact at Boeing Field called Slippery Sam who was able to lock open the broadside cannon hatches of the Promised Land as well as lock the docking clamp it was moored to, leaving it a sitting duck for the pirates. The Pandora remained over the field but hidden by the cloud layer while Zachary and his pilots came in from the sea at low level to destroy the helpless Promised Land.[16]
Things took a turn for the Fortune Hunters, however, as while they were dealing with the Promised Land, a group of Blake Aviation Security fighters broke through the cloud layer and descended on the Pandora, targeting its engines. Without a fighter screen to defend itself, the Pandora could only fight back using its static turrets against the fast Blake fighters and defend its engines as best it could until Zachary and his pilots had finished off the Promised Land and could return to the Pandora and fight off the Blake fighters before they destroyed too many of the Pandora's engines which would render it too slow to escape. While a close run thing, Zachary and his pilots were successfully able to destroy the Promised Land and defend the Pandora before too many engines were lost.[16]
Rescue of the Compassion and first battle with the Black Hats[]
After leaving Boeing Field for a second time, the Pandora intercepted a distress call from the Red Cross hospital ship Compassion which was under attack from a new pirate gang, the Black Hats, while it was on its way to rescue passengers from a crashed zeppelin. Zachary wished to help, and after his crew remained sceptical, he revealed that the downed zeppelin the Worker's Voyage which they had raided earlier and destroyed their fighters, likely resulting in its downing. The Pandora remained out of the combat area while Zachary and his men successfully defended the hospital ship and caused the Black Hats to retreat.[17]
Move to Hollywood[]
The Black Hats were soon forgotten as the Fortune Hunters received a new mission opportunity. Betty Charles had come into contact with the Hollywood starlet Lana Cooper who wished to get out of a contract with Johnny Johnson, and the Fortune Hunters were just the people to fulfil the request. The Pandora flew to the Nation of Hollywood and remained in the area of the movie lot while "Big John" Washington drove Ms Cooper's trailer through the sets before eventually Zachary dropped a ladder to rescue her.[18] Remaining in the area, the Pandora witnessed the stealing of the float plane Spruce Goose[19] as well as a trap laid for Zachary by Johnson under the guise of an air race, which resulted in Zachary's own pilots coming to his aid, something previously prepared for by Zachary who had not trusted Johnson and his race.[20]
Ambush by the Gemini[]
The race was quickly discovered to be a ruse by the Fortune Hunters when they returned to the Pandora. The air race was just a decoy to allow Johnson and his forces to locate the Pandora and strike it, hoping to destroy it. A behemoth zeppelin called the Gemini was quickly approaching the Pandora and, if nothing was done, its superior firepower would likely quickly crush the Pandora and destroy it. A large dogfight soon ensued in the skies around the Pandora as several waves of Hughes Aviation fighters attempted to cripple the zeppelin, as well as distract the Fortune Hunters while the Gemini got into position.[21]
The Gemini was soon spotted by Sparks coming out of the clouds and would quickly be in position to begin firing at the Pandora. The only option Zachary and the Fortune Hunters had to destroy it was by using the same tactic they used on the Promised Land, where they would launch rockets at the open cannon ports to blow up the cannons and therefore gas bags. Despite the Pandora losing engines and suffering a blown gas bag of her own, the Gemini was eventually slain and crashed below the cloud layer.[21]
Limping to Sky Haven[]
Despite successfully defending against the Gemini, the Pandora had suffered damage. A gas bag had been completely destroyed and the others were held together with patching, while half the engines were either destroyed or inoperable. As it stood, the Pandora would be unable to reach Sky Haven before being forced to the ground by its damages. An unexpected turn came when Tex Ryder and "Buck" Deere spotted the Cargo zeppelin Figaroa which they could hijack and use to tow the Pandora to Free Colorado, at which point they could detach from it and limp to Sky Haven under their own power. Commencing a raid on the Figaroa, the Fortune Hunters destroyed its Blake Aviation escort and commandeered the zeppelin, allowing the Pandora reach Sky Haven where it was repaired.
Sky Haven[]
The Pandora was repaired while at Sky Haven and its crew took a well-earned rest, however problem came in the form of its crew being kidnapped. The crew of the Black Swan was also kidnapped, resulting in the two aces teaming up to find their crew. The Pandora ran on a skeleton crew while Sparks managed to contact the zeppelin and was rescued by Zachary.[22] He revealed that the crew were ambushed and kidnapped by the Black Hats, with the only lead being Ulysses Boothe. After finding him and shooting him down[23], Zachary got the information about where the crews were being held, and successfully rescued them from the booby trapped cargo zeppelin, restoring the crews of both gang's zeppelins.[24]
Raid on the Black Hat mansion[]
Although the crews had been rescued, the Black Swan had been shot down and captured by the Black Hats. Likely held somewhere in their mansion, Zachary took the Pandora to raid the base. After neutralizing the power and destroying the static AA defenses, he docked in the hangar and searched for the Swan. Rescuing her, he stole a Black Hat Curtiss-Wright P2 Warhawk, but also discovered a large stash of Aerial torpedoes at the mansion. Deciding to take some, the Fortune Hunters defended the Pandora from Black Hat Warhawks and Fairchild F611 Brigands while Sparks flew the zeppelin over to the cargo bay and collect the torpedoes. The zeppelin was successfully defended from the gun trucks which arrived at the cargo bay as well as the Black Hat fighters before taking nearly all of the torpedoes and moving away from the mansion. After Zachary and crew docked back at the Pandora, they discovered the true plans of the Black Hats.[25]
Team up with Paladin Blake[]
Zachary discovered that the Black Hats were planning a raid on a Blake Aviation convoy which would likely put the final nail in the coffin of Blake and put his security firm out of business for good. With a gut feeling that something wasn't right, he had the Pandora hurry on the tail of the Black Hat zeppelin Dark Derby, catching it shortly after it began its aerial assault on the Black convoy, consisting of the cargo zeppelins Mercury and Twain. While initially hostile, the loss of the Twain and the Fortune Hunters only targeting the Black Hats resulted in Blake teaming up, still unwillingly, with the Fortune Hunters to defend against the Black Hats. Zachary managed to shoot down the Dark Derby and their combined efforts also shot down the remaining Black Hat fighters which included Boothe and Ace Dixon, saving the Mercury.[26]
Showdown in Manhattan[]
Zachary suspects that Miles is behind the recent Black Hat activity which is also in league with Sacred Trust Incorporated, a rival security firm to Blake Aviation. Trying to work with Blake, Zachary gets the Pandora to fly to Manhattan where he hopes to flush out Miles and end him once and for all.[27] The Pandora remained in the skies of Manhattan while Zachary destroyed the German freighter Steinmann and destroyed a Sacred Trust warehouse in order to flush them out.[28] One of Miles's men got nervous and attempted to flee aboard the passenger zeppelin Arcadia, though Zachary was able to support the Blake Aviation planes and defend the Arcadia for long enough until he could rescue the man.[29] The man was an accountant and exposed Sacred Trust, resulting in them attempting to flee with the loot. After disabling the three cargo zeppelins and destroying the Spruce Goose, Miles revealed himself.[30]
A final showdown occurred with Miles after he and his men took to the skies and began shooting up civilians on the streets. Launching from the Pandora, the Fortune Hunters had to defend it against Black Hat Warhawks and Sacred Trust Focke-Wulf Fw 193 Hellhounds. After shooting them down, the Pandora entered a long range battle with the Sacred Trust zeppelin Dante, holding Miles. Zachary and his men managed to destroy the Dante via its broadside cannons, forcing Miles to launch. The Pandora remained in the sky as the last Black Hat and Sacred Trust aircraft were shot down, and Zachary hunted down and shot down Miles, resulting in his final death.[31]
Leaving Manhattan[]
With Miles now killed, Sacred Trust was out of business and Blake Aviation had skyrocketed with customers. However, Zachary had now partnered with the Black Swan and was planning their next piracy activities. Black Swan wanted to head to Chile to steal diamonds, but Zachary wished to head to Canada. Unable to decide, the two pirate groups flew away from Manhattan before choosing a way to travel.[32]
Events of High Road to Revenge[]
The Pandora has undergone a number of upgrades and alteration over her life, moving from a slow, underarmed cargo carrier to a swift-moving, gun-toting, plane-carrying angel of death. By the time of the Die Spinne crisis in 1938, the Pandora carried eight .50-cal machine gun turrets, two 25mm cannon turrets and a belly-mounted magnetic missile launcher. The internal Rolls-Royce cyclic hanger rack could carry up to six craft in launch-ready position, and up to another eight on standby racks.
Trivia[]
- In the earlier beta version of Crimson Skies PC game, the Pandora was originally named Klondike[33] and had large skull with crossbones symbol instead of Fortune Hunters symbol.
Gallery[]
.png "Pandora (Crimson Skies).png (209 KB)")
References[]
- ↑ https://archive.org/details/crimsonskies2000manual/page/n9/mode/2up
- ↑ https://archive.org/details/crimsonskies2000manual/page/n9/mode/2up
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 https://archive.org/details/crimsonskies2000manual/page/n9/mode/2up
- ↑ Crimson Skies
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Journal entry "Starting My Career", "Addendum to Articles of Piracy: Opening Pandora's Box", Crimson Skies.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 https://firedrake.org/roger/csarchive/universe/pilots/n_zachary.htm
- ↑ https://firedrake.org/roger/csarchive/universe/piracy/fortune.htm
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Lost Treasure
- ↑ The Bomber Heist
- ↑ The Secret Invasion
- ↑ The Sinister Sub
- ↑ Union Jack's Revenge
- ↑ The Red Menace
- ↑ The Pilfered Prototype
- ↑ The Petrol Plot
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Peril for Blake
- ↑ Mercy's Errand
- ↑ The Stolen Starlet
- ↑ The Great Plane Robbery
- ↑ The Nefarious Trap
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Clash of the Dreadnaughts
- ↑ Raid on the Rocky Express
- ↑ The Pirate's Duel
- ↑ Deceit at Devil's Horn
- ↑ Rescue the Black Swan
- ↑ The Unholy Alliance
- ↑ End cutscene of The Unholy Alliance
- ↑ Death on the Docks
- ↑ The Runaway Witness
- ↑ The Criminal Exodus
- ↑ Battle Over Broadway
- ↑ Ending cutscene of Crimson Skies
- ↑ "Crimson Skies Game Design Version 1.03", Page 12.
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