Chimera

American pride!

209 (Elite)

279 (Heroic)

626 (Heroic)

## Introduction

The **B-4 Chimera** is the US Air Force's second most powerful bomber aircraft right after the Wyvern. It is also the heaviest of all aircrafts and is even bigger than the Wyvern.

## Overview

The B-4 Chimera is a giant long-range bomber that is shaped like a flattened seagull with its legs cut off and plated with steel aircraft armor. It moves with three diesel afterburners and comes with a missile compartment under its wings. Its main weapons are six ALBM Long Range Stand Off Cruise Missiles fitted with 45 kilograms of blast-fragmentation penetrator and has its own heat-seeking device to automatically move itself to the enemy. Thanks to the aircraft's radar receivers at its front (the long antenna-like objects), the Chimera can fire its missiles without needing to get close to a target, thus increasing its survivability.

The Chimera is one of the slowest buildable aircrafts in *Contra*, its speed is on par with a large support aircraft summoned via General's Powers. But what it lacks in speed and agility it makes up for with sheer firepower and range. The Chimera serves as General Granger's tier 3 advanced artillery unit. It's armed with six cruise missiles which can strike targets accurately from beyond the range of any AA defenses. This makes the Chimera an excellent counter against enemy AA base defenses, destroying them without fear of retaliation and pave way for other bombers like the F-16XL and the Aurora Alpha. Its firing range can be further increased with the assistance of an Eye Designator.

While its high firepower and long range allow it to evade most AA defenses, the Chimera is most vulnerable when its on the ground, due to the long reload time of its missiles and its large size. A well placed artillery strike will quickly ground an airfield full of Chimeras. And like all of General Granger's aircrafts, the Chimera is airfield bound, meaning that if the Levitation Pad it rests on gets destroyed it will be destroyed as well. Unless it can find space on another Levitation Pad to land, be it a regular one or a Special Levitation Pad.

## Upgrades

* **Countermeasures** - Allows the Chimera to evade missiles with 20% chance and become 20% more resistant to AA weapons.

## Assessment

Pros:

* Long firing range, can out range all AA base defenses.
* Highly effective against structures and stationary ground units.
* Range can be increased with the help of an Eye Designator.
* Can increase firepower and survivability via Pilots.

Cons:

* Cruise missiles have limited homing capabilities, even slower units can evade its attack as long as they're on the move.
* Expensive.
* Very slow for an aircraft.
* Cannot retaliate against aircraft.
* Mid-late game unit, requires Rank 3 + Strategy Center + Special Levitation Pad to build.

## Quotes

### When Selected

* Armed to the teeth!
* B-4 Chimera pilot reporting.
* Heavy flying artillery.
* Mission objective?
* Big and spectacular!
* B-4 bomber.
* American pride!

### When Ordered to Move

* Approaching destination.
* Hell yeah, baby!
* ETA: 10 seconds.
* The airspace is big enough.
* Plenty of airspace for me.
* \*laughs\* They are not ready for me!
* Sooner than they expect...
* Are we early?

### When Ordered to Attack

* Target is in sight.
* They are going down...
* Release the Tomahawks!
* Shoot and GOAL!
* This won't go unnoticed...
* Multiple launch initiated.
* Flatten them!
* They'll see the missiles first...

### When Crashing

* Damage is too heavy!
* I can't stabilize it!

## Trivia

* Prior to 009 FINAL Patch 2, the Chimera shared is voice lines with the Mammoth Tank.
* The Chimera's model is based off the Boeing X-48 experimental UAV.
* The Chimera's name comes from a mythological creature. It is a fire-breathing lion with a goat head on its back and a dragon/snake tail. According to the legend, the creature was wreaking havoc in the region of Lycia (Anatolian Turkey) until Bellerophon, mounted on Pegasus, slayed it.
* The Chimera shares some resemblance with the Blake & Mortimer main antagonist Colonel Olrik's Red Wing.

## Gallery

Two Chimeras and two Wyverns in the older version of Contra, instead of requiring a special airfield, it takes up two hangar spaces in a normal airfield.Chimera in flight.Rear quarter view.The Chimera launching its cruise missiles.The Boeing X-48, which the Chimera is likely based off.