| The oil refinery which provides the bulk of the fuel used by government forces has been devastated by sabotage. Prince Saki is ordered to launch a reprisal strike against the chief rebel controlled refinery. Shin, Mickey, and, for some reason, Makoto are summoned to Saki's office. Kitri is introduced to the pilots' custom of always eating their meals in their own particular "lucky seat". The pilots are briefed on a radical tactic for penetrating the heavy defenses: to avoid being picked up by radar, they will reach the target by flying single-file through a narrow, treacherous canyon. Second-in-command Roundell, an expert at low-level flying, will personally lead "Operation Tightrope". Makoto manages to persuade Micky to let him ride in the back seat of his F-14 Tomcat. He knows this will be a very dangerous mission, but wants to get a look for himself at "the hell you pilots see"... |
| Way cool computer graphics are just the ticket for the canyon-flying scene--you almost get airsick yourself. What really would have made you puke is if the camera had left the planes stationary while the canyon walls zoomed past on both sides--but I guess that would've been more difficult than computer-animating the planes themselves. This mission was far too neat for the TV remake to pass on. I'll let the pictures talk for themselves. Taking the trouble to save images really makes it clear how much trouble was put into animating the flight scenes in a realistic manner (if you can call flying a jet plane down a canyon "realistic", that is!). Hurray for the BAC Buccaneer, Roundell's personal plane! This is a British jet bomber, originally designed to operate from aircraft carriers (A Buccaneer also makes an appearance in Najica Blitz Tactics). For some reason, the ED song is now being sung in Engrish. Anyway, a balls-to-the-wall exciting episode. |
