Sky Whale

The Sky Whale (スカイホエール, Sukai Hoēru) is a large combat aircraft used by ZAT.

Subtitles:

Flying Whale (空飛ぶ鯨, Soratobu Kujira)^[1]

Conception

Design Evolution

In the early planning stages of the series, the Sky Whale was initially conceived as ZAT's primary large-scale machinery, with the ability to travel from the atmosphere into outer space. Its design featured a whale-like appearance, with fin-shaped characteristics on the tail structure.^[2]

However, as the project scaled down to focus on the current Ultraman Taro storyline, space battle scenes became more difficult to implement. Consequently, the design of the Sky Whale was altered, drawing inspiration from Japanese folklore and One Thousand and One Nights. The concept of a "flying carpet" was integrated into the design.^[2]

Additionally, the most significant influence on its final design was the Condor 2 (コンドル2号, Kondoru Ni-gō), an aircraft that was originally intended for ZAT but never appeared in the series. Its highly unusual appearance posed challenges for takeoff and landing scenes and made it difficult to commercialize, which ultimately led to its cancellation. Elements of the Condor II were later incorporated into the final design of the Sky Whale.^[2]^[3]

In its finalized form, the Sky Whale was designed with a more slender, streamlined appearance, its most notable feature being its twin horizontal tail fins. The original concept was transformed to resemble an aircraft more closely. The flying machine was colored in blue tones, echoing the color scheme of ZAT's uniforms and other aircraft in the series.^[2]

Model designer Yoshio Suzuki stated that his goal was to make the Sky Whale and other ZAT machines visually vibrant and richly decorated, making them more appealing and easier for children to understand. These features were also tied to the commercial considerations of promoting defense team mechanical toys at the time.^[4]

Prop Miniature

Currently, only one wooden model of the Sky Whale used during the original filming period is preserved. The model measures 170 centimeters in length and 120 centimeters in width (approximately 1/35 scale).^[4] Notably, this model does not contain any nails or rivets. According to Shinichi Ooka, there are actually two Sky Whale models of this size. During the filming of Ultraman Taro, there was an urgent situation where the model could not be completed before airing, prompting Tsuburaya Productions to seek assistance from Japan Modern Planning. Since Ooka was working at Japan Modern Planning at that time, he also participated in the filming of that episode. As the Sky Whale appeared in several episodes, an additional model of the same design was produced.^[5]

The first model was taken back by designer Akihiko Iguchi after the filming of Ultrmaan Taro. Due to its large size, Iguchi eventually broke it apart and discarded it. The currently preserved 120-centimeter version is, in fact, the second model produced by Japan Modern Planning. The angles of the wings and the shapes of the components are completely different from those of the first model.^[5]

The model was restored by Tomoo Haraguchi during the exhibition "Director, Hideaki Anno's "TOKUSATSU" Special Effects Museum-Craftsmanship of Showa & Heisei eras seen through miniatures," held at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo in 2012.^[6] At the time, the model was in a severely deteriorated and damaged condition. The restoration process began with the complete removal of the degraded paint and repairs to the missing parts. During the repair, the shapes and dimensions of each component were estimated based on rare photographs taken for commercialization. Since only the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and part of the main wings made of balsa wood remained, many areas needed to be recreated. Additionally, it was discovered that some parts appeared to have been damaged by termites. As a result, the restoration team utilized a pottery kiln for gas fumigation and applied resin penetration treatment to the gaps while preserving the shape.^[4]

During the paint removal process, it was found that the Sky Whale had been repainted four times during filming to address deterioration, making it impossible to identify the original color before restoration. However, a hole for a battery pack located at the bottom of the fuselage retained the original paint. By extracting and identifying this paint, the team was ultimately able to repaint the entire model in the same color.^[5]

The model is currently housed at the Sukagawa Tokusatsu Archive Center and is periodically displayed at related special effects exhibitions.^[4]

Overview

The Sky Whale is ZAT's large-scale flagship fighter, equipped with both command and control capabilities, serving as a mobile command center at the frontlines of ZAT missions. It can be classified as a multi-role aircraft, capable of atmospheric and space travel, and is equipped with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities.^[1]

Sky Whale is capable of executing various missions, including weapon transport, reconnaissance, and patrol. Most equipment used in strategic operations is also airlifted via this aircraft. Additionally, the Sky Whale's unique feature lies in its ability to respond flexibly to the extraordinary operations carried out by ZAT. The interior is equipped with a chemical analysis lab, enabling real-time synthesis of medications.^[1]^[7]

In terms of armaments, the Sky Whale's primary weapons include a laser cannon mounted at the nose, box-shaped missile/incendiary bomb launchers suspended beneath both main wings, and a crane. The lower section of the aircraft features storage space that can accommodate various optional weapons and equipment, enhancing its versatility for strategic operations and post-battle assaults.^[1]

History

Ultraman Taro

In the series, the Sky Whale is primarily stationed in an underground hangar at the ZAT Tower. When deployed for missions, the hangar doors open, and the Sky Whale moves along a track to the central elevator, where it ascends and launches.

In typical monster operations, the Sky Whale, along with Condor 1, serves as a main weapon, participating in various battles.