Type-26 Banshee: Difference between revisions

{{Center|This article is about the ground support aircraft. For the space fighter variant, see [[Type-27 Banshee]].}}

|manufacturer=[[Assembly Forges]]<ref>'''Halo: The Essential Visual Guide''', ''page 18''</ref> <br> [[Lodam Armory]] <small>(Post-Human-Covenant War)</small>

|length={{Convert|5.5|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="dio">'''[[Diorama]]'''</ref><ref name="ENC">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 265''</ref>-{{Convert|7.1|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="H4VG">'''Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide''', ''page 119''</ref>

|width={{Convert|7.5|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="H4VG"/>

|height={{Convert|3.6|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="H4VG"/>

|mass={{Convert|2.25|MT}}<ref name="manual">'''Halo: Combat Evolved''', ''game manual''</ref>

|affiliation=[[Covenant]]<br>[[Swords of Sanghelios]]<br>[[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction]]<br>[[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group]]

The '''Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft''', more commonly known as the '''Banshee''', is the [[Covenant]]'s standard ground assault aircraft.  

== Specifications ==

=== Design details ===

The Banshee is a versatile single-pilot aerial assault craft in the Covenant's vehicular arsenal, piloted either by [[Sangheili]] or [[Jiralhanae]]. The cockpit, in which the pilot rests prone, is encased in a curved, reflective cowling with no discernible windscreen; one version features an enclosed cockpit<ref>''Halo: Reach'' and ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' - Banshee model</ref> and thus is capable of space flight with the proper modifications.<ref name="H4VG"/><ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level [[Dawn (level)|''Dawn'']]</ref> It has two wing canards, each of which terminates in a [[boosted gravity propulsion drive]], including a jet and an anti-gravity pod; these leave a vaporous exhaust trail behind the Banshee. The craft is capable of achieving a velocity of over {{Convert|100|km/h|mph|sp=us}}<ref name="ENC"/> and reaching an altitude of 300 meters.<ref>'''[[The Art of Halo]]''', ''page 128''</ref> In addition to its versatile design, the Banshee is capable of performing complex maneuvers, such as aileron rolls and flips. The Banshee is also capable of hovering, though this ability is not often used.<ref group="note">The Banshee's inability to hover in most games is more likely a gameplay conceit than an element of canon. Presumably all versions of the craft are capable of hovering.</ref>

=== Armament ===

The Banshee sports two weapon pods attached underneath the fuselage; each pod contains a [[Class-2 directed energy cannon|Class-2 plasma cannon]] capable of firing in 100-250 kilowatts range and a [[Fuel rod cannon|Class-2 fuel rod cannon]].<ref>'''Halo: The Flood''', ''page 51''</ref><ref name="manual"/> The plasma cannons are deadly to infantry; one bolt can instantly kill a lightly armored target. Heavily armoured targets like the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR]]-equipped [[SPARTAN Program|Spartans]] can withstand only a few bolts before being killed. A direct hit from the Banshee's fuel rod cannon is fatal, even to armored infantry. Repeating plasma cannons, which have a greater rate of fire than the standard armament, can be installed on the front of the anti-gravity pods.<ref>'''Halo Wars'''</ref>

Several variations on the standard Banshee design exist, varying depending on the year in which it was manufactured and the branch to which it belongs.<ref name="essential">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 18''</ref> Combat performance is fairly standard across all variants of the craft. There are at least three major iterations which share the same core design elements.<ref name="universe">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/banshee '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Banshee'']</ref><ref group="note">The Banshees seen in ''Halo: Reach'', ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'', and ''Halo 4'' look drastically different from those in earlier media, making it clear that they are different versions. Though the Banshees seen in ''Halo Wars'' resemble those seen in other pre-''Halo: Reach'' media, the straighter, less backward-swept design of the wing canards and the drum-like design of the engine nacelles may suggest that they represent another distinct version. This is supported by the fact that repeating cannons can be installed on the wing canards, rather than on the fuselage as with the other versions of the Banshee. ''Halo: Escalation'' is the first official non-reference work to acknowledge the existence of separate designs: specifically, a ''Halo 3''-style Banshee and a ''Halo 4''-style Banshee are shown side-by-side in Issue 2.</ref>

==Notes==