D79-TC Pelican

Dropship 79 Heavy - Troop Carrier
	Halo 4 model Halo 5 model
Production information
Manufacturer:	Misriah Armory
Class:	Pelican
Role:	Multi-purpose dropship/gunship
Technical specifications
Length:	30.7 meters (100.6 ft)
Width:	25.2 meters (82.7 ft)
Height:	10.7 meters (35.2 ft)
Mass:	64.7 metric tons (63.7 LT; 71.3 ST)–77 metric tons (76 LT; 85 ST)
Maximum speed:	671 km/h (417 mph)–903 km/h (561 mph)
Slipspace drive:	Not equipped
Armament:	2 GAU-53 70mm rotary cannon; 6 hardpoints;
Complement:	15–20 personnel
Crew:	3 (pilot, co-pilot, crew chief)
Chronological and affiliation
Era:	Human-Covenant War (limited service); Post-Covenant War conflicts;
Affiliation:	United Nations Space Command

"This was a D79-TC, one of the newer models, but they're essentially all the same: big squat green airships with a twenty-five meter wingspan and stretching about thirty meters long."

— Edward Buck on the D79 Pelican.^[5]

The D79-TC Pelican, formally designated Dropship 79 Heavy - Troop Carrier, is a UNSC dropship designed by Misriah Armory.^[1] Infrequently in service as early as 2526,^[6]^[7]^[8] the D79 had become the UNSC's standard dropship by 2557, supplanting the D77 and D77H models.^[1]^[9] A gunship variant (the G79H-TC/MA) is also produced.^[2]

Overview

Design details

Unlike the D77 and the D77H Pelicans, the D79 features a twin-bubble canopy akin to that of the 21st century Mi-24 Hind gunship/attack helicopter; flight controls and frontal weaponry triggers are linked to the lower seat, while the dorsal turret is manned through the upper seat. The D79 Pelican features increased hull armor and more powerful engines compared to its predecessors.^[3] It has a sleeker, more rounded fuselage which presumably improves its aerodynamics. A tall air intake is located immediately adjacent to the fuselage on either winglet, while a shorter but wider intake is mounted in front of and beneath each forward thruster; two smaller intakes are located above these. Two small maneuvering thrusters are mounted on either side of the fuselage. The Pelican is armed with a pair of GAU-53 70mm rotary cannons mounted on a gimbal, below its nose.^[9]

Misriah's D81-LRT Condor uses an airframe strikingly similar to the D79's, as it uses the D79-TC Pelican as the base. However, the Condor possesses a slipspace drive and additional thrust nozzles, in addition to substantially greater length.^[4]

Gunship variant

Main article: G79H-TC Pelican

In addition to the standard dropship model, a gunship model (designated Gunship 79 Heavy Troop Carrier/Mobile Armory) is also used. This version incorporates heavier armament than the dropship version and additional weapons and ammunition racks for the resupply of ground troops.^[2]^[10]

Corporate variant

Main article: Corp Pelican

The Liang-Dortmund Corporation has access to specialized Pelicans suited to their needs.

Liang Dortmund variant

Identified Pelicans

Trivia

In the level Infinity, Pelicans can be shot down by enemy fire, despite their actions being scripted, which can cause them to fall on top of the player and kill them. Additionally, sometimes the pilots will be killed, resulting in the aircraft crashing but not being destroyed. The Pelican's cockpit will be open and the aircraft can be flipped, but it cannot be piloted by the player.

Gallery

Illustrations

Multiple D79 Pelicans on the cover of Halo: Escalation.
A Pelican with a Broadsword during the Battle of Aktis IV in Halo: Escalation.

Development images

Concept art of the D79 Pelican for Halo 4.
Concept art of the D79 Pelican for Halo 4.
Concept art of the D79 Pelican for Halo 4.
Concept art of the D79 Pelican for Halo 4.
Concept art of the D79 Pelican for Halo 4.
Concept art of the D79 Pelican for Halo 4.
Concept art of a Pelican bay on the UNSC Infinity.
Concept art of another Pelican bay on the Infinity.
Render of the interior of the Pelican.
Concept art of several D79 Pelicans in a hangar for Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series.
Concept art of the troop bay of a D79 Pelican in Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series.
A base mesh of a D79 Pelican's troop bay in Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series.
A wire frame render of a D79 Pelican's troop bay in Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series.
Finalized render of a D79 Pelican's troop bay in Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series.
Finalized render of a D79 Pelican's troop bay in Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series.
Pre-production concept art for Halo Infinite depicting D79 Pelicans preparing to launch from a UNSC warship.

Screenshots

A D79 Pelican leaving Circinius IV in Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.
Render of the D79-TC Pelican in Halo 4.
A D79 Pelican preparing to drop reinforcements on Requiem.
A D79 flying over the canyons of Requiem.
Detailed view of the dropship's engines.
H4Epilogue - NP Pelicans.jpg

Two Pelicans descend upon New Phoenix following the Didact's attack in 2557.
A crashed D79 Pelican at Two Giants.
A trio of D79 Pelicans carrying Mantises during the Skirmish at Two Giants.
A D79-TC Pelican gunning down an Unggoy Storm in Spartan Ops.
A Pelican barely avoiding a Wraith's plasma mortar.
Detail of the Pelican's cockpit interior, flown by Tedra Grant.
Two Pelicans flying in formation as they flee Requiem in 2558.
A D79-TC Pelican being fired at by a D'nomlhe-pattern Banshee.
D79-TC Pelicans in a War Games match of Warzone on Escape from ARC in Halo 5: Guardians.
Pelicans in a hangar on the UNSC Infinity in the Halo 5: Guardians E3 Hololens Experience.
Pelicans flying round in a hologram version of Escape from ARC in the Halo 5: Guardians E3 Hololens Experience.
Spartan-IVs about to depart from a Pelican's troop bay.
A customized Pelican prop in Forge.
A D79-TC Pelican in The Halo Experience Showcase.

List of appearances

Sources

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Halo Waypoint Halo 4 Interactive Guide
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide
^ ^a ^b ^c Halo Waypoint: Pelican
^ ^a ^b Halo Waypoint: Condor
^ Halo: Bad Blood, Chapter 1
^ Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
^ Halo Waypoint - Hastati Squad
^ Halo Waypoint: 10 things wrong in the games and media
^ ^a ^b Halo Waypoint: Halo 4 Weapon and Vehicle Renders
^ Halo 4, campaign level Shutdown

[H4_Guide-1] Halo Waypoint Halo 4 Interactive Guide

[EVG-2] Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide

[waypointarticle-3] Halo Waypoint: Pelican

[CondorWaypoint-4] Halo Waypoint: Condor

[5] Halo: Bad Blood, Chapter 1

[6] Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn

[7] Halo Waypoint - Hastati Squad

[8] Halo Waypoint: 10 things wrong in the games and media

[Waypoint-9] Halo Waypoint: Halo 4 Weapon and Vehicle Renders

[10] Halo 4, campaign level Shutdown

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]