Yeah I was amazed at that also, but then I realized that it would be way to much of a problem to repair them and then have them fall apart?

The BOS got Vertibird Plans from the Chosen One (if it is considered canon)

They have the plans, but thats a long way from production. For all of their learning, the BOS have only limited experience with rotary aircraft.

It would also take a lot of resoruces to build one.

Taking the ones left in Navaro after you slaughter the enclave there?
Repairing the broken one in Klamath?
Repairing the rest they have probably shot down?

You're assuming the chosen one did slaughter navaro - I dont think its designed as a combat encounter.

As for repairing crashed ones... I'd be suprised if they were that useful. remember the Debris field after those crashes in 2001....

Looks intact to me...
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh127/dagorkan/fallout2/scenes/scr00028.jpg

Well, if we're going to go simply by what you see in the game, everyone in the vaults would die of starvation - Do you see any hydroponics bays or long term food storage anywhere?


What you see on screen is just a representation of what would really be there - Theres enough wreckage so when you see an intact vertibird, you can put two and two together, like seeing a large part of an airline fuselage.

And besides, you're only seeing the outside - inside its a complex mechainical beast that has lots of small parts.

That's why you use helium, rather than hydrogen, to fill the bag. Fun fact: the Hindenburg was meant to be filled with helium, but Nazi Germany had to use hydrogen instead because the USA did not accept to sell them enough helium...

And making holes in a zeppelin isn't a real issue. The gas inside the bag isn't under pressure, so it leaks very slowly, instead of exploding like a party balloon.

Its why we'd use it in the real world... But even here its hard to produce, and more expensive than hydrogen

Where in the ruins of California can you get enough Helium to fill an flotilla of Zepplins?

If the Enclave already operates Vertibirds though, I would think that they would have enough personnel on staff to get those old T2V SeaStar's up and running.

Also in the Capital Wasteland, where are all the Vertibirds, launched and operated out of?
Is the Enclave using an old AFB, or did they build their own forward airfield?

Why? The Vertibird was an experimental advanced helicopter at the very point before the war started... Why when you have vertibird try using a plane that was in mass serive before the war? Probably quite dated...

Unfortunately, since "Jane's Defense" of the Fallout World never published any specs on the Vertibird...its hard to make an accurate guess on its performance, outside the fact that the T2V SeaStar's were known for their durability(especially in the instance that they were used on carriers), they also have the reputation of being one of the better flight trainers out there, and I'm assuming they would no doubt be much faster then a Vertibird, making them an excellent choice for long ranged reconnaissance.

What we do know is that Megaton was built with the remains of an old Airport - One of the residents says theres no sign of the airport now, not even the runway.

So I doubt an AFB would have surived in a usable condition.

If you look around, when your in Raven Rock. You'll see large rooms that act as "Hangars" for Vertibirds that are being lifted up on a platform to Escape, and those are the Vertibirds you see when Raven Rock Exsplodes. :facepalm:

AFB - Air Force Base - "Air Force"s use Fixed Wing Aircraft - Runways required.

Vertibirds are Helicopters
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/VB-02_Vertibird

In Military terms, Helicopters are not considered aircraft - They're considered Cavalry - This is the Army's Remit (with a few for Navy/Marine use).

Vertibirds would be housed/used from in an Army base, not an AFB.

In reference to helicopters as not being air force assets, that's not entirely true. Both the Irish Air Corps, and the Rhodesian Air Force, had helos, which are under the AF.

Even the USAF, uses helicopters though in a support role. That being said, it wouldn't be too far fetched to see the Enclave claiming an old AFB, as it would definitely have a larger surplus of parts etc.

An interesting point to chew on....is the Vertibird an Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps asset?

I'm assuming its an Army asset, but that is based only on the fact that we've only ever seen the Enclave's Land Forces, and of course there is anecdotal evidence that supports a Naval branch as well.

from the Drill Sargent's Dialoge file, it suggests that Navarro at the least was a Army installation;



Here's what we do know about their organisation:
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Enclave_Armed_Forces

Yes I know, I was'nt trying to counter his post, I was just stating that Vertibirds could be seen coming from Raven Rock and not some old Air Force Base.

Well, the Museum of Technology calls it aircraft:



Looks like the devs aren't very well versed in military terms (and neither are they in biology - they called radscorpions "insects", even though they're arachnids).

Well it certainly explains the officers, who are NOT wearing any sort of ballistic protection. It also very much explains the whole "trenchcoat" obsession.

Mind you, I don't think that the dev's paid much attention to the gun culture/military aspects that surround Fallout.

I agree with that. I think they just placed a bunch of "Military sounding" lingo into FO3 and thought no one would catch it. :nono: :shrug: