Vertical Bird

Type	MISSION
Vertical Bird
Carl Johnson dogfighting military jets after stealing one from the Easter Basin Naval Station aircraft carrier.
Appears in	Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
For	Carl Johnson
Location	Madd Dogg's Crib, Mulholland, Los Santos, San Andreas
Target	Spy Ships
Mission Objectives
There's a silenced pistol and a knife in the speedboat. Head for the ship. Get inside the ship before the rear door closes. Swimming will help avoid detection by the guards. Find the control room to switch off the SAM sites. Steal one of the military jets. Try not to alert the guards. You have been detected by a mechanic. He is running to trigger the alarm. (If a mechanic sees the player standing near them or a guard gets killed in front of them by the player) You've been detected by the guards. The aircraft carrier is now on alert. (If the player gets spotted by the guards) Steal one of the military jets. The SAM sites are still active. (If the player steals one of the military jets but does not disable the SAM sites) There are military jets on your tail. Take them out! (If there are two or three Hydra jets chasing after the player) There is a military jet on your tail. Take it out! (If there is one Hydra jet chasing after the player) Enemy jet destroyed. 2 still active. Enemy jet destroyed. 1 still active. All enemy jets destroyed. Now destroy the spy ships. (If the player destroys all the Hydra jets first) Spy ship destroyed. 3 ships remain. Spy ship destroyed. 2 ships remain. Spy ship destroyed. 1 ship remains. All spy ships destroyed. Now take out the remaining jets. (If the player destroys all the spy ships first) Take the jet to the desert airfield and land anywhere on the landing strip. Guide the plane into the Hangar. The Hydra will now always be available in this hangar.
Conditions of mission failure
Wasted Busted Hydra destroyed All jets on the carrier destroyed before stealing one Failing to get on the carrier before the ramp closes Jumping off the carrier before stealing a Hydra
Rewards
Rewards	$50,000 Respect Hydra at Verdant Meadows Weapons at Mike Toreno's Ranch
Missions
Unlocks	Home Coming
Unlocked by	A Home in the Hills
Technical Information
Time of day	In-game time

Toreno: "Would you like to see your brother this week?"

Carl: "Yeah! What can I do?"

Toreno: "You just gotta steal a military jet off an amphibious assault ship and use it to destroy a flotilla of spy ships. Nothing big."

—Mike Toreno gives Carl Johnson his mission

Vertical Bird is a mission in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas given to protagonist Carl Johnson by government agent Mike Toreno from Madd Dogg's Crib in Mulholland, Los Santos, San Andreas.

Mission

After reclaiming Madd Dogg's mansion from the Vagos, Carl returns to the mansion, where he listens to Madd Dogg performing in his recording studio with Kent Paul and Maccer. All of a sudden, the audio is cut off and Toreno's voice is heard on the speakers, requesting that Carl meet him outside the mansion. Carl leaves Paul, Maccer and Dogg in the studio and enters Toreno's Washington outside.

Toreno drives Carl to the northern shore of Red County. Requesting another job to be performed for him in exchange for Sweet's release from prison, Toreno demands that Carl sneak inside an amphibious assault ship in the Easter Basin Naval Station to steal a Hydra VTOL jet to destroy a flotilla of spy ships. Carl hops in a Squalo speedboat containing a knife and a silenced pistol, and heads for the naval base. Carl enters the ship through the rear, where he has the option to either blast his way in, or sneak inside the ship using his equipment. Regardless, Carl disables the ship's S.A.M. sites and steals one of the Hydras.

Shortly afterwards, a group of Hydras are dispatched to shoot down Carl's aircraft. Toreno tells Carl not to worry about it, stating that a shootdown would cause an international incident. Carl destroys the pursuing aircraft and flies towards the Sherman Reservoir where he uses the Hydra's weaponry to destroy the Tropic spy ships, as Toreno requested. With his task completed, an infuriated Carl now asks Toreno what to do with the jet, but Toreno tells Carl that it is his problem. Carl flies the aircraft back to the Verdant Meadows airfield, where he taxis the jet into one of the hangars, completing the mission.

Mission Objectives

In order to complete the mission the player must:

• There's a silenced pistol and a knife in the speedboat.
• Head for the ship.
• Get inside the ship before the rear door closes. Swimming will help avoid detection by the guards.
• Find the control room to switch off the SAM sites.
• Steal one of the military jets.
• Try not to alert the guards.
• You have been detected by a mechanic. He is running to trigger the alarm. (If a mechanic sees the player standing near them or a guard gets killed in front of them by the player)
• You've been detected by the guards. The aircraft carrier is now on alert. (If the player gets spotted by the guards)
• Steal one of the military jets.
• There are military jets on your tail. Take them out!
• Enemy jet destroyed. 2 still active.
• Enemy jet destroyed. 1 still active.
• All enemy jets destroyed. Now destroy the spy ships.
• Spy ship destroyed. 3 ships remain.
• Spy ship destroyed. 2 ships remain.
• Spy ship destroyed. 1 ship remains.
• Take the jet to the desert airfield and land anywhere on the landing strip.
• Guide the plane into the Hangar.
• The Hydra will now always be available in this hangar.

Deaths

• (Potentially) All of the guards and mechanics aboard the LHD-069 - Killed by Carl Johnson in order to steal a Hydra VTOL jet.
• Pilots of enemy Hydra VTOL jet(s) - Killed by Carl Johnson for attempting to kill him for stealing one of the Hydras.
• Unknown personnel aboard the Tropic spy ships - Killed by Carl Johnson with a Hydra jet under the orders of Mike Toreno.

Rewards

• $50,000
• Respect increase.
• Next mission Home Coming is unlocked.
• Hydra permanently spawns in the westernmost hangar of Verdant Meadows.
• Heavy weapons spawn at Toreno's ranch, including a minigun, both versions of the rocket launcher, and the flamethrower. All of them gives the player more ammunition than a regular pick-up. E.G. Minigun with 500 ammo here, other locations 200 ammo.

Transcript

Transcript

Carl Johnson and Kent Paul are listening to Madd Dogg rapping in the recording studio of his crib, while Maccer pleasures himself. Maccer: (grunts) Go on, go on, come on, come on, go on... Paul: Will you please leave yourself alone?! CJ: (cheering at Dogg - not in subtitles) Yeah! Maccer: Oh, fuck! Paul: Oh, you manky mongrel! Maccer: Ooh, sorry geez... Paul: You shouldn't be choking the gecko in the first place! Remember what happened at that gig in Hamburg?! CJ: (not in subtitles) That's my Dogg! Maccer: That groupie loved it! Paul: That wasn't a groupie, that was a roadie! Maccer: But she had great tits. Paul: Man tits! They were MAN TITS! Suddenly, the music cuts off. CJ: Hey, what happened? Hey, where the sounds at? Paul: I dunno, bruv, it all just went! Maccer: You're fucking shite you are, P. Paul: I can't be held responsible for dodgy gear, alright? CJ: C'mon, keep it together, man - we can't fuck with his flow. Toreno (Voice only): Finally! I thought I'd never get through to you. CJ: What the f- Paul: (not in subtitles) What's this? CJ: Toreno? Is that you? Paul: What's happenin' here? CJ: Toreno? Toreno (Voice only): Listen; you gotta pull one last string for me, OK? Paul: (to Dogg - not in subtitles) Hold up, right, look, hold up, one second... Toreno (Voice only): Communists at the gate, Carl. CJ: I'm tired of this, Toreno. Toreno (Voice only): I'm outside. Let's take a ride. Maccer: Now I'm hearing things - fuck me! The music resumes playing. CJ: Hey, I gotta get outta here, you got this? (to Dogg) Hey, Dogg, I gotta go hit a marketing meeting, I'm gonna catch you later! Dogg continues rapping. Paul: Right, mind you go, sunshine. Yeah, sweet as... Come on. You having that, Maccer, you having that? CJ leaves the crib to see Mike Toreno. Toreno: Well, no invite to the housewarming, huh, kid? CJ: I knew you'd come anyway. Toreno: Yeah, well, that's not important right now. I'll bring you up to speed on the way, get in. CJ and Toreno get into the latter's Washington, as Toreno takes him to the Panopticon. CJ: How long's this gonna take? I got my own shit to worry about. Toreno: Would you like to see your brother this week? CJ: Yeah. What can I do? Toreno: You just gotta steal a military jet off an amphibious assault ship and use it to destroy a flotilla of spy ships, nothing big. CJ: Oh, man, you shittin' me. Toreno: Would I shit you, Carl? There's a boat. All the gear you need is on board. I'll keep you briefed as you go. CJ: I ain't coming back from this one, am I? Toreno: Yes you are, don't be ridic--here, take this earpiece. Trust me, do as I say, you'll be home for a blowjob and a bologna sandwich. CJ gets out of Toreno's car and heads to a nearby Squalo, which contains a knife and a Silenced 9mm on board. Toreno (Voice only): OK, Carl, the ship is moored in the Easter Basin Naval base. CJ sails to the ship located near the Easter Basin Naval Station. Toreno (Voice only): Sneak in the back without being seen. Once you're on the inside, I cannot help you. CJ: Well, can you help me now? Toreno (Voice only): Uh, well, no. Actually, no. CJ sneaks to the back of the ship and goes to disable the Surface-to-Air Missile system on the ship, then goes to steal a Hydra, either by doing it quietly, or risking alerting the military personnel and triggering an alarm. Once CJ steals the Hydra, he flies away from the ship. Toreno (Voice only): You see? You see? What did I tell you, it was a snap! Three enemy Hydras are deployed to shoot down CJ. Navy Pilot: Stolen aircraft, prepare to be vaporized! CJ: Did you hear that? Toreno (Voice only): "Prepare to be vaporized", what a bunch of bullshit, ignore them. They shoot at you and it's an international incident. You're not a British tank, you should be fine. CJ: For real? Toreno (Voice only): Yeah, well, probably. Now make your way to the flotilla and sink the fuckers! CJ destroys the three spy boats located at the Sherman Reservoir, while making sure to take out the chasing military jets along the way. Toreno (Voice only): You see? Child's play! CJ: Fuck you, Toreno! I never want to go through this again! I think I'm gonna hurl... Toreno (Voice only): Ooh, what a big whiner, you want some cheese with that wine? Hey, you were spectacular. You know what, I'm beginning to think my little Carl is a double agent, oooh. CJ: Shut up, Toreno! Where do you want this thing?! Toreno (Voice only): What thing? I don't know what you're talking about - you stole it. Got nothing to do with me, I don't know what you're talking about. See ya 'round. CJ: Toreno? TORENO! Shit! CJ is left with no choice but to take the Hydra for himself to the Verdant Meadows Airfield.

Aftermath

A WCTR news bulletin announces that several eyewitnesses witnessed the Hydra being stolen from the Naval Base. However, this is denied by the Navy.

Walkthrough

In the mansion's recording studio, Madd Dogg performs with Kent Paul's support.

Carl listens to his performing.

The audio is cut off, Madd Dogg being confused.

The others were confused as well.

The men hearing Toreno's voice, asking Carl to meet him outside the crib.

Carl exits the studio, leaving Paul, Maccer, and Dogg inside...

...and enters Toreno's car outside.

Carl is taken to the northern part of Red County by Toreno.

In exchange for Sweet's release from prison, Carl was given another job.

The player going to the Squalo speedboat, with a knife and a silenced pistol provided by Toreno.

There's a silenced pistol and a knife in the speedboat.

Head for the ship.

Get inside the ship before the rear door closes. Swimming will help avoid detection by the guards.

Find the control room to switch off the SAM sites.

Steal one of the military jets.

Try not to alert the guards.

You have been detected by a mechanic. He is running to trigger the alarm.

You've been detected by the guards.

In the control room, Carl turns off the S.A.M. sites.

Steal one of the military jets.

The player taking off the Hydra.

"Prepare to be vaporized!"

There are military jets on your tail. Take them out!

The player destroys the first enemy jet.

Enemy jet destroyed. 2 still active.

The player taking out the second enemy jet.

Enemy jet destroyed. 1 still active.

The player taking out the last enemy jet.

All enemy jets destroyed. Now destroy the spy ships.

Spy ship destroyed. 3 ships remain.

Spy ship destroyed. 2 ships remain.

Spy ship destroyed. 1 ships remains.

Take the jet to the desert airfield and land anywhere on the landing strip.

Guide the plane into the Hangar.

The player guides the plane into the Hangar.

Mission passed, The Hydra will now always be available in this hangar, $50,000 reward.

Gallery

Carl Johnson attacking a boat.

Mission passed screen.

Reasons to fail the mission. Notice the first two.

Trivia

• This is the only storyline mission that takes place across each of the three major areas in the State of San Andreas. It starts at Madd Dogg's Crib (Los Santos), Carl steals the Hydra from the Easter Basin Naval Station (San Fierro), destroys spy ships in Tierra Robada and lands the jet at Verdant Meadows (near Las Venturas).
  • The only mission that covers more distance is the second Beat The Cock! triathalon. It starts in Palomino Creek, traverses the countryside and requires the player to enter San Fierro, Bayside and Las Venturas proper, the latter two requiring a passage through the desert.
• The mission is scripted to take place at night and have stormy weather.
• If the patrol boat that enters the carrier is destroyed from afar (with a Minigun or RPG), the game will crash as soon as the player sneaks aboard.
• The default radio station in the Washington is WCTR, but when Carl and Toreno enter Toreno's car, K-Rose is playing.
• On the aircraft carrier, three jets can be found initially. A fourth one lands later on, while one of the initial three departs. Destroying one of the remaining jets will lead to two Hydras pursuing CJ after stealing a Hydra, while destroying two will lead to just one Hydra pursuing CJ.
• In the beta, Carl would have to drive all the way to the boat, as depicted by unused mission failure messages (i.e. "Toreno's car is destroyed!").
• The S.A.M. sites on the aircraft carrier are mission-exclusive, and will remain inactive out of the mission, regardless of whether they were deactivated or not by the player during the mission.

Navigation

Navigation

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