Buzzard Attack Chopper

"The Buzzard is a light, compact helicopter for military or millionaire use. With a 5-bladed main rotor and a top speed of 175mph, it's widely considered to be the best performing helicopter in its class. These hardly ever drop out of the sky like a stone. Helicopters are one of the safest ways to travel."

- Warstock Cache & Carry description.

The Nagasaki Buzzard Attack Chopper (formerly named "Buzzard") is a light attack helicopter featured in The Ballad of Gay Tony, Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.

The Ballad of Gay Tony
"The ultimate party starter: light, maneuvrable and armed with rockets and a high-calibre machine gun."

- TBoGT Official Website.

The Buzzard is evidently based on the, an attack variant of the light observation helicopter, which in turn is a military version of the  and the. It also features a pod under the cabin, similar to the real life. It is important to note that the Buzzard has the old-style tail stabilizer, characteristic of the MD-500C and its corresponding defender AH/MH-6 counterparts.

Compared to the Maverick or the Annihilator, the Buzzard is depicted with a rather compact fuselage and a bubble glass canopy, having a curved front face with a small circular light on top and a large FLIR camera/searchlight pod, as well as curved side doors for the occupants. Around the middle/rear section, the aircraft has open sides that expose the rear bay, two small stub wings and short skids with tall struts, as well as an elevated section on top that partially surrounds the main rotor shaft, four small fins beside it and a large circular exhaust on the rear end of the fuselage. The tail boom is relatively small in comparison to most helicopters, having the tail rotor on the left and a single horizontal stabilizer on the right. The vehicle bears the registration "17 340" on the front, the sides of the upper section and the upper vertical stabilizer.

The interior of the cockpit denotes its small appearance, fitted with a small flight instrument panel on the center and visible rudder pedals, while a tall wall separates the front section from the rear bay. Despite the open rear bay, the aircraft cannot carry passengers on it.

According to in-game speech, the Buzzard that Luis steals for Yusuf Amir was a prototype, meaning there is possibly only a single one in existence. The same stolen one was later repainted gold, by Yusuf - this difference would be first recognized during the mission, "Not So Fast", where Luis must use it to land on the roof of the Libertonian. LCPD will call it a "black/gold helicopter", depending on which version Luis uses - the black Buzzard acquired by a cheat code or the gold Buzzard from Yusuf at the end of the game. The vehicle is also considered "illegal" in Liberty City.

The helicopter is only seen in a single primary color, being either the default black color or the special gold color.

The vehicle is similarly armed with miniguns as the Annihilator that resemble s and are fed by a large ammo box on the rear bay, as well as additionally featuring rocket pods, each one loaded with eight rockets that resemble unguided rockets.

Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online
Returning in Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online, the Buzzard Attack Chopper retains the same design and features. However, the small light on the front face can be toggled on/off like most vehicles, while the light on the FLIR camera/searchlight works when the engine is on. The rear bay is also able to hold two rear occupants, due to the repositioning of the ammo belts towards the sides of the rear bay box, the slight cut-out of the stub wings and the addition of two side steps. In the enhanced version, the flight instrument panel uses a dedicated "Flyer" dial set derived from the Maverick and the Police Maverick.

Unlike in TBoGT, the Buzzard Attack Chopper is no longer a prototype, and is issued for law enforcement/military use. In addition, NPC pilots can operate the mounted camera/searchlight and aim it towards their target, in a similar manner to the Police Maverick.

Again, the aircraft is only available in a single primary color, which is set to black on naturally-generated examples, although other color options are also available.

The aircraft is still armed with miniguns and rocket launchers, both retaining the same model as the previous iteration.

Vehicle
Designed as a light exploration/attack helicopter, the Buzzard has an excellent maneuvrability, able to turn quickly and move with a reasonable top speed (though not as fast as the Annihilator). The Buzzard's weakness, however, is its bubble canopy and low bullet protection, which can prove dangerous to the pilot and passenger when faced with heavy weapons like the Advanced MG or the Automatic Shotgun with explosive rounds. Like all helicopters, one of the weak spots is the rear rotor, when destroyed, it will spin out of control.

True to its real-life inspirations, the Buzzard is powered by a single located on the rear section, evidenced by the single rear exhaust seen below the tail boom. Said engine powers the 5-bladed rotor, delivering good engine output to ascend quickly. The rotor sound is rather unique, appearing to be a higher-pitched variation of the one from the Maverick, with a slightly faster pacing due to the five blades on the main rotor.

Weaponry
The Buzzard is equipped with a set of two weapons operated by the pilot:
 * Minigun: The miniguns on the Buzzard are much more effective than those on the Annihilator - they have a much faster rate of fire, a narrower spread, and are fired both simultaneously, unlike the Annihilator, which only fires one gun at a time. They do considerably less damage than the Annihilator's guns, although they never overheat, which allows for continuous fire.
 * Rocket Launcher: The rocket launchers are a faster variation of the Rocket Launcher, with a higher fire rate but a slightly decreased range. While powerful and devastating, players should be careful to not fire a rocket at low altitudes (lower than about a person's height); before a rocket takes flight, it is first dropped out of the container, then takes flight when the fuse lights itself. At ground level, however, the fuse does not have enough time to ignite, thus making the rocket explode when it hits the ground and destroying the helicopter in the process.

TBoGT Overview
Buzzard=

Miniguns=

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Vehicle
The Buzzard handles similarly to how it did in TBoGT; it is still a quick and maneuverable helicopter. Despite its small size, the Buzzard is still a very fast helicopter with a top speed of approximately 135 knots, but will lose altitude when going full speed. The relatively small profile makes it a versatile choice for landing in areas where other larger helicopters would struggle, and despite the short skids, it is quite stable to land on uneven areas and does not lose balance easily. The increased capacity also allows for quick transportation and additional defense from the rear passengers.

The Buzzard is powered by the same single turboshaft engine located on the rear section. However, the rotor sound has a much faster pace and a fairly moderate noise compared to its previous iteration.

Defense
The Buzzard's small frame and good maneuverability makes it easier to avoid enemy homing missiles compared to some of its larger cousins, such as the Savage, Annihilator, or Cargobob. However, only one hit from a Homing Launcher, RPG, or any standard explosive will destroy the aircraft. The helicopter can only withstand two to three explosive rounds from the Heavy Sniper Mk II before exploding. In addition, the Buzzard's large cockpit windows almost completely expose the pilot to enemy gunfire, and the helicopter itself cannot withstand very much damage before the engines begin to smoke. Just like all helicopters, the Buzzard's engines will begin to fail and give out entirely over the course of approximately two minutes and twenty seconds, assuming no further damage is taken.

Similar to the Police Maverick, NPC-operated Buzzards are vulnerable to large-caliber rounds being shot to the tail rotor, causing them to lose control and crash to the ground.

Weaponry

 * Machine Gun: The Buzzard's miniguns function are largely identical to the ones from TBoGT, being extremely powerful weapons capable of destroying enemy vehicles or aircraft after a couple seconds of sustained fire. However, the weapons are laser-accurate, with no bullet spread and have a range of almost 600 feet. It should be noted that the reticle is set for long-range shots, meaning the player will struggle against targets on close range, unless the player manages to set the reticle towards the target (usually by tilting the helicopter backwards), or switching to first-person/hood view.
 * Missiles: The rocket launchers on the Buzzard are a bit different compared to the ones from TBoGT, as they can fire guided or unguided missiles. These missiles have a short "reload" time after firing two missiles in quick succession, but can be avoided by carefully timing each shot. The missiles fired from the Buzzard do not have very good tracking and can struggle to hit agile targets. The co-pilot of the aircraft can also take responsibility of aiming and firing the missiles with a mounted camera. However, these missiles have a slower firing rate and greatly reduced travel speed.

GTA V/GTA Online Overview
Buzzard Attack=

Miniguns=

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Grand Theft Auto Online
Upon being converted into a personal aircraft, the Buzzard Attack Chopper can only be repainted with a primary color, which covers all of the aircraft's body. The markings cannot be removed, however.

The Ballad of Gay Tony

 * Abdul Amir
 * Frickie Van Hardenburg
 * Luis Lopez
 * Yusuf Amir

Grand Theft Auto V

 * International Affairs Agency
 * Federal Investigation Bureau
 * Merryweather Security
 * Military

Grand Theft Auto Online

 * International Affairs Agency
 * Federal Investigation Bureau
 * Merryweather Security
 * Military
 * Kkangpae
 * Madrazo Cartel
 * The Professionals
 * Bogdan's Crew
 * Cliffford Mercenaries
 * Duggan Crime Family
 * El Rubio's Private Security
 * Johnny Guns
 * Billionaire

The Ballad of Gay Tony

 * Sexy Time
 * Not So Fast
 * Departure Time

Grand Theft Auto V

 * Three's Company
 * Cargobob
 * The Merryweather Heist
 * Derailed
 * The Bureau Raid (Roof Entry)
 * The Wrap Up
 * Legal Trouble - A Buzzard Attack Chopper can be seen taking off in the airport during the mission.
 * The Big Score (Obvious)
 * The Third Way

Missions

 * Mixed Up With Coke

Survivals

 * Used by attacking enemies in various Survivals:
 * Meth Lab Survival
 * Project 4808C: Grapeseed
 * Project 4808D: Desert
 * Project 4808F: Pillbox
 * Kortz Survival
 * Quarry Survival

Heists

 * The Prison Break
 * Humane Raid - Insurgents
 * Humane Raid - Valkyrie
 * The Humane Labs Raid

Special Vehicle Work

 * Breakdown Recovery
 * End of Transmission

Mobile Operations

 * Severe Weather Patterns
 * Half-track Bully
 * Exit Strategy
 * Offshore Assets
 * Mole Hunt

Supplies

 * May spawn as enemy aircraft during several Resupply missions, particularly involving stealing a Technical Custom.
 * May spawn as enemy aircraft during several Supplies Sell Missions, particularly involving making deliveries in the Marshall on hilltops.

Freemode Events

 * Can appear as a Kill List or Kill List Competitive vehicle. 1 to 4 players can participate.

Adversary Modes

 * Air Quota (vehicle list 2)
 * Bombushka Run (Buzzard team)

The Cayo Perico Heist

 * Heist Prep: Disrupt Air Support
 * The Cayo Perico Heist (If Heist Prep: Disrupt Air Support is not completed)

Contracts

 * The E.C.U Job/Finale
 * The Data Contract/Finale

The Contract

 * Investigation: The Marina
 * High Society Leak/Finale

Singleplayer

 * Yusuf Amir gives his golden Buzzard to the player as a gift after completing the game. It will be then available at the helipad beside the golf club on the West River. It replaces the Swift that was parked there.
 * Can be spawned via cheat code, by dialing the number: 359-555-2899 (FLY-555-BUZZ).
 * There is one way to obtain the black Buzzard without entering the cheat code stated above. After destroying the boats in "Sexy Time," land the black Buzzard on a road. Get into a car or bike, and drive away from it but keep the camera fixed on the Buzzard. After the player has failed the mission, reverse and it will be there.

Multiplayer
In multiplayer, there are multiple locations where Buzzards can be found:
 * The first two can be found at Francis International Airport, on the helipads.
 * One can be found at the heliport in southern Algonquin.
 * One can be found at the helipad on the West River where the golden Buzzard is in single player.
 * One can be found at the yacht just south of Acter Industrial Park and east of Happiness Island.

Grand Theft Auto V

 * Can be bought from Warstock Cache & Carry for $2,500,000.
 * It may rarely spawn in a unique white paint scheme in story mode.
 * Can be found at Fort Zancudo.
 * On top of the NOOSE Headquarters on Sustancia Road in Palomino Highlands, Los Santos County. Despite its location, it can be obtained safely without triggering a wanted level.
 * Can be spawned with the following cheat code button combinations:
 * Xbox 360 / Xbox One


 * PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4


 * PC:
 * 1-999-289-9633 (BUZZ-OFF)

Grand Theft Auto Online

 * Spawns on numerous helipads at Rank 43 or higher.
 * Commonly parked at Los Santos Naval Port.
 * Can be bought on Warstock Cache & Carry for $1,750,000.
 * Prior to the Cunning Stunts: Special Vehicle Circuit update, the vehicle could only be purchased after reaching rank 43.
 * It can then be ordered after via Pegasus Lifestyle Management, where it will spawn on the nearest helipad.
 * In the enhanced version, it is classed as a Small vehicle when stored in a Hangar.
 * Will also spawn on numerous helipads, such as in the Paleto Bay Police Station helipad.
 * Can be requested by a VIP (and any bodyguards of the organisation) for $25,000 (or for free if owned as a Pegasus vehicle) from the Interaction Menu > VIP Vehicles. It will always spawn in matte black and will spawn near the player where there is enough space.

Grand Theft Auto Online

 * Logging in on 28 December, 2018 will award players a free purchase of the Buzzard Attack Chopper, regardless of their level.

General

 * The name "Buzzard" may be a reference to Buzzard 1, a named Police Maverick helicopter from the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas mission, "Reuniting the Families".
 * The name may also be a reference to the AH/MH-6 Little Bird Attack Helicopter, as a Buzzard is a type of bird.

The Ballad of Gay Tony

 * Oddly, the ammo belts are placed onto the minigun's barrels.

Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online

 * Despite the description saying it "hardly falls like a stone from the sky", ironically it is destroyed numerous times throughout the GTA V story.
 * Similar to the P-996 LAZER and Savage, when controlled by NPCs, the Buzzard Attack Chopper can move its miniguns in any direction, both vertically and laterally.
 * The cheat code used to spawn the Buzzard Attack Chopper is the same cheat used to spawn the Rhino tank in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, with a few button modifications.
 * The front-mounted spotlight can be moved depending of where the player is looking, having a fast rotation speed. It is noticeable when switching to the cinematic camera, where the same device could keep its direction.
 * This is absent in the Enhanced version, although one can still see the spotlight moving when customizing the Buzzard at the Hangar.