EVA Special Long-Distance Transport Aircraft

EVA Special Long-Distance Transport Aircraft
Series	Neon Genesis Evangelion
Japanese	EVA專用長距離輸送機
Status	Unknown
Operator	United Nations NERV

EVA Special Long-Distance Transport Aircraft (EVA專用長距離輸送機^?) is an aircraft that appears in Neon Genesis Evangelion and The End of Evangelion.

Profile

Transport aircraft leaving NERVS First Branch.

The EVA Special Long-Distance Transport Aircraft or ESLDTA's for short are extremely massive flying wing aircraft responsible for the rapid transport and deployment of Evangelions.

Features

UN02.

The design of the ESLDTA is quite similar to that of a stealth bomber, the wide wingspan and the compact, flat profile combined with a lack of distinct vertical stabilizers are common design features in strategic bombers like the B-2 or conceptual YB-49. This design reduces radar cross-section, a key characteristic in stealth bombers. ESLDTA's also appear to have very large communication arrays, alongside numerous embedded rotodomes toward the front of the aircraft. This may imply the aircraft were, at one-point, dual purpose AEW&C's and stealth strategic bombers, now repurposed for the transport of Evangelions. In Episode:07, Hyūga pilots one of these aircraft alone, implying that most, if not all of the aircrafts systems are automated.

ESLDTA's have very large wingtip devices, and extremely heavy landing gear to compensate for their massive size. During both flight and takeoff these aircraft appear to use 4 elongated turbojet engines mounted on the underside of the aircraft. In Episode:07, an ESLDTA is seen utilizing Rocket-Assisted-Take-Off, ESLDTA's have a total of 8 large RATO engines located under the wings on either side of the aircraft.

There are various distinctive markings on the aircraft. On the topside, on the left wing, an aircraft designation written in white is visible, which reads "UN01" suggesting these aircraft are operated and maintained by the United Nations. Written in black letters on the right wing is "NERV", above this, also written in black is "UN01". There are defined black lines on the surface of the aircraft that resemble panels, along with visible flaps. It's feasible these aircraft are powered by an onboard nuclear reactor or a form of N² technology, providing the massive amounts of power these aircraft would need, allowing them to fly any distance without refueling.

Using the width of an Evangelion to measure, which is about 30 meters, the wingspan of the ESLDTA is 300 meters. Assuming the other two sides are 170 meters each, the total wing area of the ESLDTA is roughly 12,000 square meters, meaning it can lift at the most 46,872 tons,

History

Neon Genesis Evangelion

First Appearance: Episode 7, Timestamp: 16:05, "UN01"

Second Appearance: Episode 9, Timestamp: 4:20, 2 of the aircraft deploy Unit 01 and 02

Third Appearance: Episode 10, Timestamp: 11:13, "UN02"

Fourth Appearance: Episode 17, Timestamp: 21:24

Fifth Appearance: Episode 18, Timestamp: 1:32

The End of Evangelion

Craft variant seen in The End of Evangelion.

Nine ESLDTA can be seen carrying and deploying the Mass Production Evangelions during the raid of NERV HQ. Oddly, these have different markings from the other ESLDTA previously seen, being numbered 1-9, they are also missing radar domes. The Mass Production Series is deployed with a unique cargo system, unlike those seen earlier in the TV series.

See Also

• U4002-01 NERV EU Extreme Heavy Lift Cargo Aircraft (Dedicated Eva Aerial Transport)