The Nagasaki Buzzard is a light patrol helicopter featured in Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.
Design[]
The Buzzard is essentially the unarmed version of the Buzzard Attack Chopper, lacking the stub wings and the ammo box on the rear bay. The helicopter bears the registration "N230MP" on the sides of the upper section. Like the armed version, it has a small flight instrument panel on the center, which, in the enhanced version, uses the same "Flyer" dial set as the armed variant, the Maverick and the Police Maverick.
The helicopter is intended for use by the Los Santos Police Department. The Buzzard is fitted with camera/searchlight can be operated by the NPC pilot, though it is fixed and cannot be angled towards a target, unlike the Police Maverick.
Like the armed variant, the Buzzard is only found in a single primary color, which is set to black.
Performance[]
The Buzzard performs identical to its armed variant, being a fast helicopter with nimble handling. However, it is more stable and is able to yaw and pitch much quicker. Its incline and decline speeds remain about the same. As expected, the Buzzard lacks onboard weapons, but any passenger can make use of their weapons, serving as a fast defense helicopter.
Like its armed variant, the Buzzard is powered by a single turboshaft engine 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 also shared with the armed variant, 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.
Performance Overview[]
| Take-Off Speed (0-60 knots in Seconds) |
Top Speed (mph / kmh / knots) |
Vertical Climb/ Descent Rate (ft/min) |
Engine Type | Engine Location | Mass (kg / lbs) |
Fuel Tank Size (litres) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 99 / 160 / 86 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 3800 / 8378 | 100 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 4.6 Seconds | 155 / 217 / 135 | 400 / 400 | Single turboshaft engine, 5-bladed rotor | Middle/Rear | Cannot be observed | Cannot be observed |
| Damage (per shot) [?] |
Fire Rate [?] | Range (m / ft) [?] |
Ammo Specifications/ Capacity |
Reload Mechanism | Reload Speed [?] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2 | 50 / 164 | 1 | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
 |
Damage | 0% 0% | |||
| Fire Rate/Speed | 0% 0% | ||||
| Accuracy | 10% 10% | ||||
| Range | 35% 35% | ||||
| Clip Size | 1% 1% | ||||
Variants[]
| Image | Vehicle | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 The Buzzard Attack Chopper in Grand Theft Auto V. |
Buzzard Attack Chopper | Formerly known as simply "Buzzard", the Buzzard Attack Chopper is an armed variant of the Buzzard appearing in The Ballad of Gay Tony, Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online. | |
| Special variants | |||
| Baby Blue Buzzard | A unique baby blue Buzzard appears in the Air Freight Cargo steal mission "Epsilonists" as part of the Smuggler's Run update. The player must steal it from the Epsilon Program at their main building. It can be kept if the player drops the cargo over their hangar instead of parking it in front of the doors, as there is no self-destruct mechanism on it triggered upon completion of the mission. It cannot be stored, however. | ||
 Tony's Buzzard in Grand Theft Auto Online. (Rear quarter view) |
Chrome Buzzard | Tony Prince owns a chrome Buzzard as part of the After Hours update for Grand Theft Auto Online. It is used in the Nightclub Management Mission "Drop flyers", which involves the player dropping promotional flyers across the city for their Nightclub. It has increased durability to weapons and explosives. It can be kept after the mission (albeit with regular durability), but not stored. | |
Gallery[]
Design[]
Images[]
Notable Owners[]
Prominent Appearances in Gameplay[]
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
Smuggler's Run[]
- Four Air Freight Cargo Steal Missions
- Rooftop crates – A red or blue one provided to reach the building.
- Maverick crashsite – A red or blue one provided to reach the crash site.
- Epsilonists – The player must retrieve a baby-blue Buzzard containing the cargo. Additional Buzzards will appear as enemy reinforcements upon taking the cargo.
- Roof bombings – Will appear as enemy reinforcements after collecting the cargo.
After Hours[]
- Nightclub Management: Drop flyers – A chrome Buzzard is used to drop flyers around designated areas within the city.
The Diamond Casino & Resort[]
- Used by attacking enemies in the following three Survivals:
The Cayo Perico Heist[]
- The Cayo Perico Heist
- Heist Prep: Unmarked Weapons (Office scenario) – A wave of two Buzzards (up to three waves) may appear as enemy pursuers when the player steal the unmarked weapons from the target Office.
- Heist Prep: Kosatka – One by a Merryweather patrol group above the Ramius. Two more will later appear as reinforcements after the player steals the sonar jammer.
- Used by attacking enemies in the following two Survivals:
The Contract[]
Los Santos Drug Wars[]
- Acid Product: Chemical spill – Appears as a guarding/patrolling helicopter over the site of the chemical spillage.
Agents of Sabotage[]
- The FIB Files
- The Black Box File
- Finale – One Buzzard and three Buzzard Attack Choppers will chase the player after they collect the black box underwater and come to the surface. Also, during the player's escape down Cassidy Creek, a Mesa is scripted to crash into a Buzzard.
- The Black Box File
Locations[]
Grand Theft Auto V[]
- It may spawn in South Los Santos, Rancho, Davis Avenue, or on top of the LSPD building next to the Towing Impound Lot. Sometimes a Police Maverick may spawn at the same spot.
- Can be found on the LSPD Station in Mission Row, although once on the roof, the player will get a 3 star wanted level.
- Can be seen patrolling around the city (rarely though) late at night, often around Davis and Strawberry districts (near the Grove Street Garage). These may have their spotlights activated.
- Can be rarely seen flying north up the Los Santos Storm Drain, often at daytime.
- Buzzards are occupied by NOOSE agents and will chase the player when gaining a wanted level within their proximity. When close enough, the copilot may attack the player with a Pistol.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
- Sometimes found on top of police stations.
- Can be seen patrolling around neighborhoods of South Los Santos, like in Grand Theft Auto V.
- Can be requested by the Road Captain of a Motorcycle Club in free mode for club use, for $1,000.
Rockstar Games Social Club[]
Trivia[]
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". "Buzzard" was also the Buzzard Attack Chopper's former name in TBOGT.
- The name may also be a reference to the AH/MH-6 Little Bird Attack Helicopter, as a Buzzard is a type of bird.
Grand Theft Auto V[]
- There is a "Los Santos Police" stencil within the texture file, but is not mapped on the model.
- The helicopter lacks the red and green navigation lights on either side. This is likely a developer oversight, as the armed variant has the red and green lights on the stub wings.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
- During early Rockstar Games announcements for the Smuggler's Run update, there was an image of a red Buzzard mislabeled as the Havok.
See Also[]
- Buzzard Attack Chopper – Attack variant appearing in The Ballad of Gay Tony, Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online, where it was originally named "Buzzard" in the first game.
- Buzzard 1 – A police helicopter with a similar name.