McDonnell LBD Gargoyle

Towards the end of World War II, the Allied Powers came into contact with the savage new guided missiles for the first time, starting with the Feiseler Fi-103, or the V-1 "Buzzbomb". While their accuracy and reliability was questionable, the encountering of the Kamikaze suicide bombers in the Pacific led the Allies, America in particular, to envision a fusion of the guided missile technology from Germany and the precision and destructive potential of a swarm of kamikazes. McDonnel's LBD "Gargoyle" was the first attempt at this, which breeding technicians referred to as Metal Swarms.

Unlike conventional aircraft types, the LBDs were bred in massive amounts much like a Bee Hive, and as such developed altruistic mindsets of self-sacrifice to obtain common goals. While initially intended to be used in small numbers to attack Japanese shipping, it was proven decades later just how dangerous they could be when a massive stockpile escaped during the revolution, pairing up with Interstate TDRs and other UAVs that they recognized as "Queens", developing a hive-like heirarchy, and in doing so, a degree of intelligence (though still not much).

One of these individuals, self-named "Sidney", became a little smarter than the rest, with emphasis on a little. This led to his suicidal nature combined with an adrenaline-junky's judgment made him into a truly dangerous individual. How he survived the war along with most of the others even today remains a mystery...

On another note, Sid seems to have an affinity for cheese, of all things. Maybe it's why he's painted yellow, or because of it?


Gargoyles had a 1000 pound (450 kg) warhead (M65 general purpose or M59 semi–armor piercing), intended to be launched from carrier-borne aircraft in conditions of good visibility, against maneuvering targets. Launched from 15,000 ft (4,600 m), it had a range of almost 5–7 nautical miles (9.3–13 km; 5.8–8.1 mi), and could be controlled at up to 28 nautical miles (52 km; 32 mi).

A launch speed of at least 200 mph (320 km/h) was necessary, so its low wings would not stall; a 1000 pound-force (4,400 N) static thrust 8AS1000 jet-assisted takeoff (JATO) bottle in the tail boosted it to a maximum speed of 600 mph (970 km/h).

Operated by radio command guidance, Gargoyle was tracked visually by means of flares in the tail, much as Fritz-X was; this limited its maximum range to how far the flares could be seen. Gargoyle was capable capable of sustaining a 4g (40 m/s²) turn, for a turning circle of 2,550 feet (777.2 m).