‘Fallout’s Vertibird: The Best Ship For Traversing the Wasteland in Style

The XVB02 Vertibird was one of the most indispensable crafts in the Wasteland. The Enclave, Brotherhood of Steel, and more used them.

In the wasteland of Fallout, one craft remained in popular use, despite the lack of most production facilities. The VXB02 Vertibird was a symbol of power and status. Of pre-war greatness. Once, it was the sole purview of the Enclave, though that quickly changed in the mid 2200s.

But where did the Vertibird come from? And why was it so ubiquitous? A big part of the popularity of the craft was its versatility. Vertibirds often mounted heavy, advanced weaponry, making them quite potent in the wasteland.

It all starts in the latter days of pre-war America.

Vertibirds – A Brief History

As early as 2072, work had begun on the original Vertibird model. The U.S. Department of Defense was working on a multirole vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) craft that could quickly deploy troops and help dominate the battlefield of the coming war. Its first design was a monumental success, but military contractors rarely rest on their laurels.

So following the success of the initial Vertibird, the military set out to improve the Vertibird with better armor, weapons, speed, and cargo capacity. This was the design that would come to be known as the XVB02, the model that would come to dominate the Wasteland.

However at the time of the Great War, in 2077, development on the XVB02 was not complete. While limited trial runs saw early versions of the craft developed, it wasn’t until much, much later that the Vertibird entered into production proper. Civilization crumbled all around, but the Enclave survived on the Control Station Enclave with its advanced technology, the last bastion of a fallen military. There, between 2085 and 2240, the Enclave developed the second generation of Vertibirds.

Around 2242, the hero known as the Chosen One, who hailed from the town of Arroyo, fought off the Enclave forces and Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan to steal the plans for the Vertibird. From there, the Brotherhood of Steel, the NCR, and more came into possession of the plans.

A Pre-War Design Adapted to Post-War Needs

The XVB02 Vertibird was a twin-engine, VTOL craft that boasted surprisingly heavy armor for an aerial vehicle. With its bubble cockpit, the Vertibird allowed the pilot and copilot a wide field of vision.

Designed by the Enclave and then later by the Brotherhood of Steel and the NCR, the second-generation Vertibird carried considerable weaponry. Most commonly, they carried gatling lasers, missile racks, and a mini-nuke bay. There were two main variants:

The transport craft had a large cargo bay, seven blades on each rotor, and six legs.

Or the dedicated gunship, which had four-bladed rotors and four legs, giving it greater maneuverability while still carrying enough weaponry to level whatever forces they came up with. In flight, a Vertibird could boast speed matching that of a fixed-wing aircraft, while its VTOL capabilities meant it could land practically anywhere.

So the next time you’re in the wasteland, watch the skies carefully. You might just see a Vertibird or two. More than that and it’s time to take shelter.

Bell of Lost Souls Staff Writer and DM, J.R. covers RPGs of all stripes and on occasion eats sandwiches. You can ask him about either at [email protected]

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