The Batplane, later known as the Batwing, is the fictional aircraft for the comic book superhero Batman. The vehicle was introduced in "Batman Versus The Vampire, I", published in Detective Comics #31 in 1939, a story which saw Batman travel to continental Europe. ^[1] In this issue it was referred to as the Batgyro, and according to Les Daniels was "apparently inspired by Igor Sikorsky's first successful helicopter flight" of the same year. Initially based upon a either an autogyro or helicopter, 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.^[2][3]

The Batgyro was soon replaced by the Batplane, which debuted in Batman #1, and initially featured a machine gun.^[4] The vehicle was now based on a fixed 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.^[5] With the launch of the Tim Burton directed Batman film of 1989, the Batplane became known as the Batwing, a name which was carried over into the comics.

Background[link]

Batman once maintained aircraft in his original Batcave. However, launching these planes so close to Wayne Manor's neighboring estates threatened to compromise Batman's secret identity. The Caped Crusader now "borrows" specially-modified jets and helicopters from Wayne Aerospace's business and military contracts.

Batplane I^[6] and the Bat-Rocket favored Batman's signature look over sleek aerodynamics.

Batplane II^[7][7] was a retooled Wayne Aeropsace W4 Wraith fighter that married style with substance. In terms of design, it shares features with the Grumman F9F Cougar and McDonnell F-101 Voodoo. When the Batplane is stolen and triplicated by smugglers in Batman #61, Batman and Robin upgrade the Batplane to jet propulsion, adding at least "100 miles per hour" to its maximum speed.^[5][8]

Batplane III[link]

Batplane III is a modified Wayne Aerospace SlipStream ($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:

• At cruising altitude (35,000-45,000 ft.), telescoping wings retract. Exterior sections of tail and nose-cone envelop cockpit and cabin fuselage for higher altitude pressurization.

• Gaining further altitude (45,000-55,000 ft.) delta fins in the tail and snub winglets elongate to increase efficiency and stability as speeds approach supersonic.

• At ceiling altitudes (55,000-60,000 ft.) "smart" paint on exterior radar-shielding ceramics responds to dropping air pressure and temperature, thus camouflaging the Batplane's exterior to stealthy black.

• Avionics include ergonomic "at-a-glance" viewing levels for all electronics and multifunction displays. The breakaway canopy allows for pilot/co-pilot emergency ejection. The reinforced acrylic glass canopy windows polarize at stealth altitude.

The aircraft's specifications are:^[9][10]

Height: 14.5 ft.

Length: 57.7 ft.

Wingspan: 47.6 ft. - The wings are protected by a bleed-air anti-icing system.

Altitude Ceiling: 60,000 ft.

Maximum Speed: 4,400 mph

Range: 2,486 n m

Take-Off Distance: 5,230 ft.

Landing Distance: 2,984 ft.

Payload: 2,670 lb.

Refueling Time: 7.8 minutes

In other media[link]

Live-action film[link]

The Batwing appears in the movies Batman and Batman Forever, used to combat the Joker and the Riddler, respectively. After being used to prevent a deadly Smilex gas attack, the original Batwing was shot down by the Joker towards the end of the first film and has been rebuilt and upgraded by the events of Forever. The Batwing in the latter actually has an ejection pod which also doubles as a mini sub. Both models of the plane are roughly bat-shaped. In the comic book adaptation of the Batman Forever, the Batwing actually folds up into the Batboat.

Set photos from filming Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises showed a "new vehicle" being transported to the Wabash Tunnel, with later footage confirming it in action.^[11][12] The film's official trailer, released on the 19th of December 2011, shows a brief clip of The Bat in full flight.

Animation[link]

The Batwing also appears in Batman: The Animated Series, shaped like a stylized bat with very long wings that jut out past the "head" of the plane. Later in the series, the batplane takes on a smaller, sleeker design, shaped like a rocket with a curved wing on each side. In Batman Beyond, set fifty years into the future, flying cars are commonplace and thus the Batmobile used by Terry McGinnis doubles as a plane. The classic Bat-Plane appears frequently in Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

In The Batman, the Batwing is created in the episode "Thunder" to defeat Maxie Zeus. In the episode "Artifacts", Nightwing uses it to save a plane and crashes it on Freeze.

The Batwing briefly appeared in the Young Justice episode "Revelation", where Batman used it to help combat a giant plant monster created by the Injustice League.

Other appearances[link]

Lego's Lego 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.

A vehicle largely reminiscent of the one seen on screen in the 1989 Batman film is also seen in Batman: Revenge, (2003).

In the Batman-themed motion simulator ride Batman Adventure – The Ride 2 in Warner Bros. Movie World, riders seemingly follow the Batplane in pursuit of the Joker, Mr Freeze, and Catwoman.

In the video game Batman: Arkham Asylum, a Batplane-like vehicle can be seen hanging from the ceiling and covered by a tarp inside the hidden Batcave under Arkham Island. Later in the game, Batman remotely pilots the Batplane to his location and has it drop off one of his gadgets, the Line Launcher. At the end of the game Batman calls it again to leave for Gotham. When unlocked, the character trophy is called 'Batwing'.

The Batwing makes a brief cameo in Batman: Arkham City dropping off Batman's Batsuit in the beginning of the game. It also makes a cameo in the Batcave DLC.

See also[link]

• Batboat
• Batcopter
• Batcycle
• Batmobile

References[link]

External links[link]

• The Unofficial Batplane Biography
• Action Figure Insider :: View topic - Which Batplane is the best?
• Batman: Collected Issues of the Dark Knight - Batman #203
• Batman: Yesterday, Today, & Beyond
• History of the Batplane
• A History of Other Batplanes - The Elseworlds

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Batman Vengeance is a 2001 video game that was released on all major platforms of the sixth generation of console games. It was developed and published by Ubisoft in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics. It is based on the television series The New Batman Adventures (the sequel to Batman: The Animated Series).

Plot[link]

In Batman Vengeance, crime escalates in Gotham City as Batman finds himself the target of a conspiracy. After saving the life of Mary Flynn (Harley Quinn in disguise) Batman is lured to Gotham Bridge where he fights the Joker. After the duel, the Joker slips and hangs over Gotham River. Batman offers to lift him up, but the Joker surprises him with his electric joybuzzer and falls to his apparent death. Batman decides to play along until he knows what's going on. He's alerted to Gotham Industrial, which is under attack by Mr. Freeze who's looking for a man named Isaac Evers. Freeze was sent a publicity video of promethium supposedly by Evers (It was actually the Joker who sent it in order to stall Batman). After a chase in the Batplane, Evers explains what Freeze was holding and says he has a grant from the Wayne Foundation. Batman later fights Freeze, then goes to save Batgirl, who's under attack by a trench coat creature. After a Batmobile chase, the car crashes and they discover an apple (though the thug got away). At the Batcave, Batgirl discovers a plant inside the apple (similar to what she saw Mayor get from the trench coat). Batman discovers subtle links between Poison Ivy and Harley. After he defeats Poison Ivy, he heads to Funnibones Warehouse to collect from Harley for letting her walk the night the Joker seemingly died. She informs him of some activity at the Gasworks. He heads there and floods some pipes in order to stop some flammable toys from getting away. He then finds Isaac Evers, who only wanted to burn down Gotham Industrial but fails to convince Batman. He takes Evers outside, but is forced to go undercover after being framed for throwing a Batarang at Commissioner Gordon. Hunted by the police, Batman must discover who is behind these mysteries before Gotham City is destroyed. He heads to Funnibones only to discover the knife that the Joker was holding the night he fell. In the end Batman discovers that the Joker is not dead after all. His plan was to first underline the city with his flammable toys, then use his Joker Toxin mixed with Promethium and flood the city with the gas. Then, the toys were to emerge and ignite the city. The Joker tries to fend him off by using a heavy thug armed with explosives. Batman manages to shut down the gas flow and defeat the rocket thug in time to get on the Joker's blimp. After a brief fight, Batman deteriorates the gas and disables the auto-pilot. After Batman defeats the Joker, he destroys the blimp, and finally takes his archenemy back to Arkham Asylum. Commissioner Gordon calls Batman to apologize for the earlier SWAT chase as they found Harley's fingerprints on the Batarang that hit him. As Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Harley and the Joker sit in Arkham Asylum, Batman jumps onto the gargoyle he was on at the start of the game.

Production[link]

Vengeance took environmental and character designs from The New Batman Adventures, and starred most of the main voice cast from both it and its predecessor, Batman: The Animated Series. The cast includes Kevin Conroy as Batman, Mark Hamill as the Joker, Tara Strong as Batgirl, Diane Pershing as Poison Ivy, Michael Ansara as Mr. Freeze, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. as Alfred Pennyworth, Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn, Bob Hastings as Commissioner Gordon, and the late Lloyd Bochner as Mayor Hill.

Reception[link]

Batman Vengeance received average reviews from critics and fans alike. The game's praise mainly went towards the voice acting, story, and cinematic cutscenes. There was much criticism for the first person view, and there were also complaints about the player's abilities being limited. The PC version drew a lot of negative reviews due to simplified controls.

See also[link]

• Batman: Gotham City Racer
• Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu

References[link]

External links[link]

• Batman: Vengeance at MobyGames