Editing Aerialbot (G1)

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{{disambig3|Aerialbot}}

:''The Aerialbots are an [[Autobot]] [[subgroup]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Aerialbots2.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Cause when you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the waaay...]]
The '''Aerialbots''' are the first Autobot [[Combiner|combiner/gestalt/special team]].  They transform into Earth-style aircraft and combine to form [[Superion (G1)|Superion]].

*[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] — ''Concorde SST (Supersonic Transport)'' — [[Wikipedia:acrophobia|acrophobic]] leader, and den mother
*[[Air Raid (G1)| Air Raid]] — ''McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle'' — impulsive and fearless close-quarters fighter
*[[Fireflight (G1)| Fireflight]] — ''McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II'' — daydreamer, dangerously absent-minded flyer
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] — ''General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon'' — unassuming but gifted strategist, military history aficionado
*[[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] — ''British Aerospace Sea Harrier FRS.1'' — insecure loud-mouthed jerk, [[Wikipedia:VTOL|VTOL]] capabilities

And sometimes:

*[[Airazor (Universe)|Airazor]] — ''fictional jet'' - small but fierce guy who occasionally replaces Slingshot
*[[Barrel Roll]] — "Cybertronian jet" - former hothead who has apparently mellowed with age

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[Image:Aerialbots group.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Future Autobot jerks.]]
In order to fight the [[Autobot]]s more effectively on the ground, the [[Decepticon]]s built a [[Combiner|combiner team]] that could convert into cars. However, in order to give these [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] life, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] had to take them to [[Vector Sigma]], a megacomputer deep within [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Vector Sigma could only be activated with a [[Key to Vector Sigma|circuit key]], which was in the hands of the ancient Autobot [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]. Megatron stole the Key and succeeded in giving life to the new team. A group of Autobots had been following Megatron, and, to counter the Stunticons, they rebuilt some old, abandoned shuttles into the Aerialbots. However, without the Key, they couldn't activate Vector Sigma. Alpha Trion then revealed that, as one of the first Transformers created, he had the ability to interface his power supply with the megacomputer. Against [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s protests, he merged with Vector Sigma, activating it, and his lifeless body fell to the ground. Prime asked Vector Sigma to "Let [the Aerialbots] think for themselves, to grow in knowledge and wisdom, and let them always value freedom and life wherever they find it." After the Aerialbots were programmed, Alpha Trion's voice came from the megacomputer; his mind had merged with Vector Sigma.

[[Image:Aerialbots key2.jpg|left|200px|thumb|It's like a very boring rave.]]
Once on [[Earth]], the Aerialbots fought a brief battle with the Stunticons that ended when Megatron sent a message to his car warriors to return to base. Thinking that the Stunticons had retreated, the Aerialbots' egos soared; all, that is, except [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]'s. During the fight, he had discovered his fear of heights, which he guessed came from the fact that he was built from a low-altitude cargo shuttle. Prime helped him deal with the phobia by naming him Aerialbot Leader, thus giving him duties that would keep his mind off of his fear. However, he found his position a hard one to fill. The other Aerialbots, especially [[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]], saw themselves as better than anyone else. They couldn't understand why the Autobots wasted their time protecting the foolish and inferior humans, and they eventually left the Autobots. Silverbolt, who didn't agree, merely promised Prime he would bring them back, then left with them. After a while, Silverbolt finally convinced them that they owed the Autobots their lives, and they decided to stay with the Autobot army.

[[Image:G1Silverbolt Key1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Goodbye, cruel world!"]]
Meanwhile, Megatron had discovered that the Key could "de-energize" Earthen matter, turning it to metal. Hoping to create a new Cybertron, he began sweeping through forests near the [[Seattle|Seattle-Tacoma area]], turning everything from trees to mountains into metal. The Autobots tried to stop him, but the Stunticons were unstoppable... that is, until the Aerialbots arrived. The two teams formed their gestalt modes, and, as the battle entered the outskirts of a city, [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] arrived and turned the tide. Megatron retreated, but he still had the Key. Silverbolt, braving his phobia, chased him down and destroyed it. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2}}

A few weeks later, strange energy readings were detected on Cybertron. A team of Autobots and the Aerialbots left to investigate. The Aerialbots, enamored with Cybertron, were on a patrol when they were attacked by three Decepticon jets.  Curious, Slingshot surrendered and began to ask the Decepticons questions, like why Prime thought they were evil. All the other Aerialbots except Silverbolt did the same, and Silverbolt followed at a distance. [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]], feigning friendship, led the naive team into the [[Kronosphere]], a time machine that had been generating the unusual energy readings. As Silverbolt arrived, trying to convince his teammates that they were in a trap, Megatron activated the Kronosphere, intending to send them back to before the beginning of time. Outside of the timestream, they would be trapped in eternal nothingness. However, the other Autobots arrived and destroyed the machine before it could finish its work. The Aerialbots had been sent only nine million years into the past, during the [[Golden Age|Golden Age of Cybertron]] before the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] had broken out.

In the past, the Aerialbots met a young Transformer named [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Orion Pax]], who was working at an energy shipment facility. As they got to know each other, Orion soon told them about his admiration of a "new kind" of Transformer that had the ability to fly in robot mode. He was understandably awestruck when the leader of those robots, Megatron, arrived at his workplace under the guise of friendship. After Orion gave him a brief tour, Megatron ordered his disguised troops to attack the facility and take the energon. During the assault, Orion, his girlfriend [[Elita One|Ariel]], and his friend [[Dion]] were severely injured. The Aerialbots arrived at the scene just as Megatron was leaving. They took Orion to the young Alpha Trion, who was devising ways to fight the Decepticons. He rebuilt Orion into the first of a new breed that would be capable of standing against Megatron. He also gave him a new name: Optimus Prime. Alpha then rebuilt Ariel into Elita One, but it is unknown whether Dion was given similar treatment.

Prime inflicted severe damage on the Decepticon forces, but Megatron was still powerful. His raiders were starting to loot a fuel transfer center that would supply him with enough [[energon]] to win the war just as it was beginning. The Aerialbots realized this, and they set up explosives to destroy the energon. However, while they were inside, the Decepticons surrounded the facility, preventing their escape. Now fully aware of Megatron's evil, they set off the charges despite the danger to themselves. Just as the energon detonated, they found themselves being transported back to the present. When they arrived, they saw that the Autobots had repaired the Kronosphere but were fighting the Decepticons and a reanimated [[Guardian robot]]. The Aerialbots combined into Superion and destroyed the Guardian, and Megatron retreated. As the Decepticons flew away, Slingshot swore: "You'll never get away from us, Megatron! We won't stop fighting till you're finished!" {{storylink|War Dawn}}

[[Image:Aerial assault4.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Well, they did try to warn us about tensions in the Middle East.]]
Since that time, the Aerialbots have been invaluable to the Earth-bound (and largely flightless) Autobots. When Megatron obtained the ultra-powerful [[Lightning Bug]] from the ruins of an ancient Autobot colony, it was Superion who eventually destroyed the weapon (after having defeated [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]). {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}   Later, Slingshot and Skydive went undercover at a Middle Eastern airbase to investigate a rash of jet thefts. Late one night, men in laundry trucks began disassembling them and several other jets, carting their components to a car repair shop.  There, the parts were jury-rigged into bizarre-looking cars and driven across the border to Megatron's secret base.  The planes were then reassembled and used by the Decepticons as a remote-controlled drone armada. With the help of [[Jumal|Hassan]], a young human who was also investigating the smugglers, Slingshot and Skydive were rebuilt without being detected. The other Aerialbots soon arrived and began battling the drones, the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]], and Megatron's [[Giant Purple Griffin|sphinx-like airborne fortress]]. As Superion, they beat the Combaticons' gestalt mode [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] and destroyed the fortress by blowing up an oil well. After the Decepticons retreated, the Autobots discovered that [[Ali (Sunbow)|Ali]], the head of the smuggling operation, had become the ruler of his country by allying himself with Megatron and overthrowing a certain Prince Jumal. Megatron was going to use Ali's drone jets to take over the Middle Eastern oil fields, thus supplying himself with enough energy to conquer the world... and giving Ali a fair share of domination, of course. It was also revealed that the Aerialbots' friend Hassan was actually the deposed Prince Jumal in disguise. {{storylink|Aerial Assault}}

For many years, the Aerialbots remained a valuable asset to the Autobot cause. When [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] and several other Autobots were trapped on [[Quintessa]], the Aerialbots arrived in a rescue craft and saved them, just as the planet self-destructed. However, the force of the explosion destroyed their ship, and they hurtled helplessly through space until colliding with [[Goo 8739B]]. There, they fought a giant trash-collecting machine and (later) Decepticon warriors before escaping with the help of the [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]] [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}}

[[Image:Aerial forever 2.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Hey! Didn't you use to have a longer moustache?"]]
Some time later, the Aerialbots were dispatched as part of a reinforcement team to help a group of Autobots who had discovered a [[Quintesson]] base on a large asteroid near Cybertron. The Aerialbots arrived and drove the Quintessons away, finding [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] heavily damaged and half-conscious. Before blacking out, Perceptor told them that the team had discovered a Quint time machine. Under attack with virtually no hope of escape, the other team members had jumped through the [[Time Window]] just moments before their would-be rescuers arrived. Now, the reinforcement team (led by Rodimus Prime) could do nothing but keep the time machine activated and hope that their comrades would come back through. The Autobots also made another discovery at the Quint base: the Quintessons had used the time machine to extract from the distant past an Autobot named A3. As Rodimus and A3 began to converse, the Quintessons returned in force, and a battle ensued. During the battle, chronal energies emanating from the time machine were playing havoc with the nature of space-time. Events were occurring that defied normal linear time, such as endlessly repeating loops and sudden reversals of the timestream. Superion was holding A3, protecting him from the Quint attacks, when suddenly the ancient robot became Alpha Trion. He told Superion, "You must live, that I may be born," then reverted back to A3. Then things really got bizarre when a second Superion appeared out of nowhere and began attacking the Quintessons. The two gestalts proved to be too much for the Quintessons, who retreated. After they left, the second Superion vanished. Later, the Quintessons sent the Autobots a holographic message explaining that the time distortions were the result of the activated time machine, and that it had to be destroyed before the space-time continuum was completely unraveled. A3 volunteered to go back through the window and find the missing Autobots, which he did. Upon their return to 2006, the window was destroyed, and everything appeared to return to normal. The time-traveling Autobots had participated in the first rebellion against the Quintessons 11 million years ago, and that battle was won when A3 returned through the window and used a secret weapon. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

Later, the Aerialbots returned to the Middle East, this time to fight in the African desert nation of [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]]. The conniving Decepticon [[Octane]] had convinced [[Abdul Fakkadi (G1)|Abdul Fakkadi]], the ruler of the country, to allow the heavily-damaged [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] to recuperate there, using the super-rich Carbombyan oil as a fuel source. Octane sought to use the power of the oil and the strength of Trypticon to overthrow [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] and become leader of the Decepticons. Meanwhile, in order to justify the giant Decepticon's oil consumption, Octane ordered Trypticon to steal famous monuments (including Fort Knox and all of its gold) and place them in Carbombya. The money gleaned from these tourist attractions would make up for the loss of natural resources. But the Autobots soon deduced Trypticon's location, and the Aerialbots were sent to attack. However, their timing was terrible—Galvatron and the main Decepticon army had just arrived in the country to investigate the situation, and the Aerialbots found themselves badly outclassed. They retreated, and Galvatron took over Carbombya, imprisoning Fakkadi. Later, the Aerialbots returned with reinforcements (including the behemoth [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]). They won that battle, driving the Decepticons out of the nation and freeing Fakkadi. Ecstatically grateful for the Autobots' help, Fakkadi swore never to associate with the Decepticons again. On a side note, it is unknown whether there is any connection between Prince Jumal in 1985 and Carbombya in 2006. {{storylink|Thief in the Night}}

The Aerialbots later traveled to an Earth-like world inhabited by humanoids who could produce the [[harmony]], a manipulation of sound that could be used as either a miraculous healing power or an incredibly destructive force. Naturally, Galvatron sought to possess the harmony, and the Aerialbots were among the Autobots who tried to stop him.  {{storylink|Carnage in C-Minor}}

Some time after that incident, the Aerialbots met up once again with Trypticon. Trypticon blasted Air Raid with his powerful fire-breath, but, while the Decepticon dinosaur was recharging, Silverbolt was able to fly into his mouth and inflict heavy damage that disabled him for a brief period of time. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

Their next assignment was to investigate the Junkions, who had inexplicably attacked the Autobot [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]].  When they arrived at the junk planet, they found a Quintesson ship in orbit, so they merged into Superion and attacked. Superion inflicted damage on the ship, but he was also heavily injured. Unbeknownst to the Aerialbots, the Quintessons had been using subliminal messages to induce xenophobic hatred in the television-obsessed Junkions. However, Superion's attack had damaged the Quintessons' transmitter, and the subliminal message turned from "All other life forms are your enemies" to "To care is to share; to share is to care." The brainwashed Junkions blindly obliged, using their own omnidirectional broadcaster to share the original message of hatred with the rest of the galaxy. Every race with any sort of TV technology was affected, and massive interstellar war broke out. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}}

The Autobots soon stopped the messages and thereby ended the wars, but the Aerialbots' next major appearance heralded another galactic conflict. They were part of an Autobot team sent to a human laboratory where the late Optimus Prime's body was supposedly stored. The body was there, but it was a trap set by a vengeful scientist to infect the Transformers with the [[Hate Plague]], highly contagious spores that cause maniacal hatred and violence. The Aerialbots were among the first to be infected, and in their subsequent rampage, they gravely injured several Autobots (including [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]]) and passed the disease to many more. The damaged Autobots were later repaired, and Bumblebee was completely rebuilt into a new form, Goldbug. With their help, the reanimated Optimus Prime was able to cure the Plague by emptying the Matrix. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}}

The Aerialbots were later seen fighting the Decepticons, a battle during which the entire team was taken out by the Decepticon [[Sixshot]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} Despite being robbed of their [[power pack]]s while unconscious, one of the Aerialbots was seen jumping with Bumblebee, indicating they survived. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{note|The events of "The Rebirth" do not occur in Japanese cartoon continuity.}}
=====Scramble City=====
The Aerialbots were dispatched from the [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]] project by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] to aid Optimus Prime in battle with the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] and [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. Their aerial firepower frankly overwhelmed the marauding Decepticons, and sent them home with their transistors between their struts. On his second attempt, Megatron sent the Stunticons, who were considerably more successful in engaging the Autobots. Damaged in jet modes, the Aerialbots chose instead to merge and form Superion. As Superion, they possessed scramble combining abilities, but so did the Stunticons when they formed Menasor. The Aerialbots were in the midst of reconfiguring their limb formation when Fireflight, being... well, a daydreaming idiot, mixed up whether he was supposed to be the right leg or the left. His indecision gave Menasor time to shoot him down, and [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] assumed the place of Superion's right leg instead, corrupting his programming. Abashed by his boner, Fireflight teamed up with Optimus Prime to assault Menasor, and retook his place as Superion's limb. {{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
The Aerialbots were stationed on Earth when Galvatron attacked Cybertron with his new [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] warriors. They were summoned to the [[space bridge]] with Ultra Magnus, and transported to Cybertron along with the Trainbots and several additional warriors. As Superion, they battled the Decepticon combiner [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]]. [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] nearly shot them in the back, but Optimus Prime used a flying jump kick to spoil his aim, and the shot struck Abominus instead. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Later, Superion, Defensor and [[Raiden]] were being overrun by four Decepticon combiners until the [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Battleship Maximus]] intervened, scattering the 'Cons like flies. As [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] began his mission on Earth to find the Matrix of Leadership, the Aerialbots transported back to that planet to keep the Decepticons from interfering. They confronted the Stunticons in the desert and started a fierce battle. Superion was unable to stop Menasor from reaching Hot Rod in the Arctic, but he did keep the Decepticons too busy to intervene on the mission too badly. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

After Blaster was rebuilt as Twincast, the Aerialbots and the [[Triple Changer]]s distracted the Decepticons long enough for Twincast to sneak inside Trypticon and gather data on the [[Madmachine]]. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} Sometime later, the Aerialbots were on a research vessel that passed near a [[Metamorphose|strange meteorite]]. The meteorite had been altered by Galvatron to produce magnetic warping waves whenever it detected metal, and so it send the Aerialbots and their ship twisting through space. Although the Decepticons tried to intervene, the Autobots eventually recovered Silverbolt and his injured men. {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}}

Following a lengthy repair cycle, the Aerialbots were ready for action when Galvatron and the Decepticons laid siege to Cybertron one last time. Transporting to Cybertron from Earth, they raced into battle (on foot, for some reason). The Aerialbots got the drop on the Stunticons when they merged into Superion, smashing and scattering the 'Cons before they could form Menasor. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} As the fighting continued, the Aerialbots battled Abominus as Superion and later separated to trade blaster fire with the Stunticons. The warring only came to an end once [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s bombs blew up [[Vector Sigma]] and annihilated the planet. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

Silverbolt was operating at Autobot City when a volcano erupted in [[Peru]]. He begged Ultra Magnus to send him team in, but Magnus couldn't spare the extra troops. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} When a giant carnivorous plant attacked San Francisco, Ultra Magnus dispatched Silverbolt and the Aerialbots to combat it. Although they made frequent bombing runs on the organism, the Aerialbots were unable to stop it. Only the arrival of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]] and his powerful giant [[transtector]] brought an end to the creature's rampage. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

The Aerialbots were part of a strike team who traveled to the [[Moon (moon)|moon]] to attack the Decepticons during Scorponok's leadership rally. They immediately assembled into Superion after launching out of the robot train. The tide turned against the Autobots when Galvatron arrived and galvanized his troops to strike back. Superion was zapped hard, and fled with the other Autobots. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}}

When one of Scorponok's Death Towers emerged in Washington D.C., the Aerialbots were dispatched to investigate it. In their combined form as Superion, the Aerialbots participated in the Autobots' final battle with Scorponok's Decepticons at the North Pole. Along with all the Autobots present, they lent their energies to the Headmasters' [[Head Formation]] to revitalize Fortress Maximus at the critical moment. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

===Marvel Generation 1 comics===
[[Image:Aerialbots marvel 21.jpg|right|180px|thumb|What, too good to make your own [[introdump|introdumps]]?]]
The Aerialbots were created to bolster the [[Earth]]-bound [[Autobot]]s' depleted forces, counter the [[Decepticon]]s' aerial superiority, and utilize the [[combiner]] technology that [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] had stolen from the Decepticons. Their first mission came suddenly when a crisis arose at [[Hoover Dam]]. An employee armed with a super-powerful handgun had taken over the control room and ordered that the dam be shut down. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] suspected [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s involvement, but the only Autobots who could reach the dam fast enough were the newly-constructed Aerialbots. Although [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] had completed their bodies, [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] was the only one whose personality had been fully programmed. Feeling he had no choice, Prime sent them anyway.

[[Image:Aerialbots disassemble marvel 21.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Don't get used to this [[scale]] for the Aerialbots.]]
Arriving at the dam, they found that it had, indeed, been shut down, and where water used to fall there now hovered a [[space bridge]]. Sitting on the bridge was a giant drilling machine that was slowly boring through the dam. From the machine, a huge pipe led back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. The Decepticons' plan was apparent: The water that would normally flow over the dam would be piped to Cybertron, where technologically advanced turbines would generate huge amounts of power. As the Aerialbots began to assault the drill, they were intercepted by [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]], who had just arrived from Cybertron. During the fight, Silverbolt briefly succumbed to his fear of heights, but he recovered by putting his team's safety before his own. The battle was soon joined by the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] (also new arrivals from Cybertron), but the Aerialbots still managed to win the fight. The drill, however, was impervious to individual attacks, so the Aerialbots combined into [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] and began to destroy it. Suddenly, the human who had started the whole mess (under [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]'s mind control) appeared atop the dam and pointed Megatron's gun mode at the Autobot gestalt. As Megatron hurled threats, Superion reached over to crush him. The human, [[Ricky Vasquez]], began to think of his daughter, and Bombshell's control weakened. At the same time, Superion was having a mental crisis of his own:  Silverbolt, the only fully programmed Aerialbot, was the only one who had any respect for human life, and he tried desperately to override the other Aerialbots and stop the gestalt from crushing Ricky. Realizing that he couldn't succeed, he forced his team to disassemble. Meanwhile, Ricky managed to fight the Decepticon mind control just enough to shoot the drill instead of the Aerialbots. The Decepticons left in defeat, and the Aerialbots returned to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. {{storylink|Aerialbots over America!}}

[[Image:Aerialbots minds wiped marvel 22.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Punishment for doing poorly in a mission? ''Death''. Harsh, Optimus. Harsh.]]
However, the tiny Bombshell was able to sneak into the Ark with the Aerialbots, and he secretly injected a mind-controlling [[cerebro-shell]] into Optimus Prime. However, the shell malfunctioned, and the Insecticon could only read Prime's thoughts, not control them. Megatron still used this to his advantage, for when Prime used the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] to give life to more robots, Megatron could secretly access its power and do the same. This occurred when Prime reprogrammed the Aerialbots. Because of their poor performance at Hoover Dam, Optimus had had the team's minds completely wiped and re-created. (It is unknown whether Silverbolt still had a fear of heights after being reprogrammed.) During the process of re-creation, Matrix power was channeled from the cerebro-shell to [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], then to Megatron (via an artificial communications hook-up), and from him into the lifeless [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]. This five-member Decepticon team could transform into Earthen cars, and thus humans would easily confuse them with the Autobots.

The Stunticons began to wreak havoc on a highway, and their attack was not a random one; they were targeting the Autobot [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], who, along with the human [[Donny Finkleberg]], was searching for a group of Cybertronian Autobots that had been accidentally transported to Earth. As the Stunticons neared Skids, Donny ran off to safety. At that moment, a [[Rapid Anti-robot Assault Team|RAAT]] team led by [[Circuit Breaker]] attacked the Decepticons but was somewhat ineffectual. The Stunticons surrounded Skids, who saw the helplessness of his situation and didn't fight back. Then the Aerialbots appeared and began firing at the Stunticons, who pretended to be protecting Skids. Circuit Breaker saw the destructive Stunticons appear to protect the supposed "good guy" Skids, and this further cemented her belief that all robots are evil. After the two Transformer teams merged into their gestalt modes, Circuit Breaker slipped into the fight and blasted Superion with all the energy her suit could provide. This stunned the giant Autobot long enough for the Stunticon gestalt, [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], to deal a debilitating blow with his cyclone gun. Skids and Donny used the opportunity to escape and continue their mission. {{storylink|Heavy Traffic!}}

The Stunticons withdrew, and the deactivated Superion was taken to RAAT headquarters and disassembled for study. Several other captured Autobots (incidentally, the same ones Skids and Donny had been looking for) were in similar states of dissection when RAAT again moved into the offensive, this time against the two Decepticon [[Battlecharger]]s. In the heat of the battle, Circuit Breaker unintentionally endangered the lives of civilians (and lost the fight anyway). Because of her poor judgment, she was forbidden to participate in any more assaults on the Battlechargers. Itching for revenge on the two Decepticons, she found that her only possible allies were the disassembled Autobots in her lab. It would have taken too long to repair their bodies properly and reconnect their brains, but she knew she could jury-rig them together into a form that she could control. However, she would not be able to subdue them completely, so she struck a deal: If they would obey her commands, then she would let them go after she had had her revenge on the Battlechargers. And that is just what happened. Unfortunately for her, releasing the Autobots got her fired from RAAT. {{storylink|Decepticon Graffiti!}}

Immediately after Ratchet finished repairing the damage inflicted by Circuit Breaker's studies and jury-rigging, the Aerialbots were sent on a new mission: Bumblebee had spotted Bombshell at the grand unveiling of [[Power Station Alpha]], an advanced, mobile nuclear power facility. Sent to assist Bumblebee, the Aerialbots arrived to find their ally in pieces.  The anti-terrorist team [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] had been guarding the station, and, mistaking Bumblebee for a threat, they had destroyed him. The Aerialbots combined into Superion and briefly battled the humans. {{storylink|Blood on the Tracks}} The fight was cut short by a radio message from [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], who informed Superion that Optimus Prime was dead and that all Autobots were to return to the Ark. The Aerialbots did just that, leaving Bumblebee's wreckage (and some confused G.I. Joes) behind. {{storylink|Power Struggle}}

Later, the Decepticons stole Power Station Alpha and began to use it in a plan that would, if enacted, ultimately destroy the Earth. After clearing up some misunderstandings, an alliance was formed between the Autobots, G.I. Joe, and (recognizing the mutual threat) the terrorist organization called [[Cobra]]. While a team of humans sneak-attacked the station, the Aerialbots participated in a diversionary strike on the Decepticons' island base. As human jets battled the Decepticons' air armada, Superion fought an aerial battle with Devastator, the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]] combiner. Just as Superion defeated his foe, Alpha was destroyed.  The beaten Decepticons retreated, and the Autobot-Joe-Cobra alliance dispersed. {{storylink|...All Fall Down!}}

[[Image:Aerialbots buster marvel 50.jpg|left|180px|thumb|The Aerialbots save Buster from a drug overdose.]]
After this point, the Aerialbots faded out of the spotlight. Their next notable appearance was during [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]]'s Decepticon captivity. Wanting the awesome power of the mysterious, spaceborne [[Underbase]] for himself, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] used Buster as bait to lure the Autobots into a massive battle with the Decepticons.  He would use the confusion to sneak off and find the Underbase before anyone else could. Three Aerialbots (Air Raid, Fireflight, and Skydive) were the Advance Security Patrol that found Buster freezing in the Arctic. After the other Autobots arrived, the battle ensued. However, the combatants soon deduced Starscream's plan, and they forged a shaky alliance to stop him.  When they found him, they were able to stop him from absorbing all but a small fraction of the Underbase's power...but that was enough to make him virtually invincible. In a show of force, he sought to destroy three major Earth cities. The Aerialbots were easily eliminated while defending [[New York City]]. {{storylink|Dark Star}}

Although Starscream was eventually destroyed, the severe microchip damage he inflicted on his victims kept them in deactivation for a very long time. Although the technology to repair them did exist, the Autobots didn't have it on the Ark. The Aerialbots and many others were not revived until [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] found a miracle fuel called [[Nucleon]], and they awoke just in time to fight the demi-god [[Unicron]]. After Unicron's destruction, the Decepticons left Cybertron to conquer other worlds. Under Grimlock's impulsive orders, Aerialbot leader Silverbolt piloted the main pursuit ship that flew right into a Decepticon ambush (nearly destroying the entire Autobot army).

Despite this, the Autobots prevailed, and the Decepticons exiled themselves (supposedly) forever. For a time, peace was known, but then a situation developed on Earth: Megatron, who knew nothing of the Decepticon exile, was making his presence known through an alliance with Cobra. He had been on board the Ark when it had crashed in northern [[Canada]] shortly after Unicron's defeat. He had repaired and hidden the Ark, then had made a deal with Cobra: He would give them access to the Ark's technology if they would build him a new body (to his specifications, including a "rail gun", a human invention which he considered superior to his [[fusion cannon]]). When G.I. Joe discovered that he had returned, they contacted the Autobots on Cybertron, and a team was sent to Earth to stop him. The team consisted of [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]], [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]], [[Chase (G1)|Chase]], [[Override (G1)|Override]], [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]], and the Aerialbot Skydive. Megatron quickly destroyed Steeljaw, Chase, and Brawn, and the Autobots realized that they had to come up with some new tactics. Override distracted Megatron while Skydive and Hot Spot snuck aboard the Ark. At some point, Hot Spot left the Ark to stop Cobra, who had a truckload of Cybertronian technology. After destroying Override, Megatron launched the Ark into orbit, aware of neither Skydive nor a second stowaway, the human [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]. {{storylink|Final Transformations}} Spike found the body of his [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster partner]], [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], and merged with it. He and Skydive attacked Megatron, and Max was severely injured. With his last ounce of strength, Max plunged himself into the Ark's [[antimatter]] conversion chamber, setting off a chain reaction that quickly destroyed the ship. Skydive escaped with Megatron's human captive, the brilliant Doctor [[Sidney Biggles-Jones]], and delivered her to G.I. Joe. Upon arrival, he found that Hot Spot had succeeding in destroying Cobra's Cybertronian technology, but he had destroyed himself to prevent his own tech from falling into Cobra's hands. {{storylink|All or Nothing!}} As the only Autobot on Earth, Skydive briefly functioned as a liaison between his own army and the humans. When the main Decepticon army returned and began decimating the Earth, Skydive contacted Optimus Prime and asked for reinforcements. When other Autobots arrived and established a presence on the planet, Skydive was reunited with his fellow Aerialbots. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}}

Soon the vicious [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]] arrived on the Earth and began devouring all Transformers. The Aerialbot Slingshot was destroyed, along with [[Slag (G1)|Slag]], just moments before Megatron arrived with [[Rheanimum|a substance]] that would make metal virtually indestructible. {{storylink|A Rage in Heaven!}}

===''Robo-Capers''===
[[Balloon]] was the first Aerialbot. {{storylink|Robo-Capers issue 114|Robo-Capers #114}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation 1'' comics===
{{cleanup||storylinks, refine prose}}
The Aerialbots' history is largely unknown. They were presumably active with the Autobot army on Cybertron millions of years ago, and received their combination form of Superion prior to the passage of the [[Crisis Intervention Accord]]. Although they were not part of the Ark's original crew, they somehow wound up on Earth in the 1980s, and joined Optimus Prime's team battling the Decepticons on that planet. Like all the Autobots of Earth, they were believed dead after the ''[[Ark II]]'' exploded on its maiden voyage in 1999.

In fact, the Aerialbots lay in a dormant state beneath the Arctic until Optimus Prime used the power of the Matrix to revive them several years later. As Superion, they flew the reactivated Autobots to [[Lazarus]]' base, and then to San Francisco once Megatron reassumed control of the Decepticons. Superion was damaged battling Devastator and the Seekers, and collapsed back into the individual Aerialbots. When San Francisco was threatened with a nuclear missile, however, Silverbolt gathered his team back together, and they shot out over the ocean to intercept the missile as Superion. The missile detonated safely away from the city, but Superion was destroyed. {{storylink|Prime Directive}}

The remains of the Aerialbots were taken into custody by [[Earth Defense Command]], and held in their secret facility in Nevada. {{storylink|Generation 1 issue 0|Generation 1 #0}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
[[Image:Aerialbot_DW_GIJoe_3.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]
The Aerialbots were awakened on the [[Fera Islands]] in [[1939]] and were reformatted as [[World War II]]-era fighter planes. After joining the battle against [[Cobra]] and the Decepticons, they did battle with the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], forcing them back. {{storylink|Trial by Fire}} When [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] fell off a cliff, the Aerialbots combined into Superion and rescued them. {{storylink|Wolves}}

As Superion, the Aerialbots advanced on the Cobra [[Terrordrome]], only to come under fire by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. {{storylink|Trenches}} The combiner shielded his allies from enemy fire as long as he could, but eventually succumbed, and the Aerialbots were destroyed. {{storylink|The Iron Fist}}
{{-}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
When an Autobot peace ceremony on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] came under attack from the Decepticons, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] attempted to contact the Aerialbots for reinforcements. Unfortunately, he was interrupted by [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] before he could finish the transmission, and the Aerialbots never arrived. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}}

===IDW Generation 1 comics===
The Aerialbots and the other Autobot fliers helped attack the [[Kimia Facility|Kimia Facility]] and the [[Sweeps|Sweeps]] defending it.{{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers}}
[[Image:StickTogether-Aerialbots.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Green paint is the new red shirt.]]
After the war, The Aerialbots helped perform crowd control after the [[Arcee (G1)|"suicide"]] of [[Ratbat (G1)|former Senator Ratbat]]. They later receded from Bumblebee's government after Starscream had joined due to his actions on saving some [[NAILs|NAILs]]. {{storylink|Stick Together}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1 Silverbolt toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Silverbolt]]
[[Image:G1Slingshot toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Slingshot]]
* '''Aerialbots''' (1985)
**[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]]
**[[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]]
**[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]]
**[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]
**[[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] 

:The Aerialbots were released in late 1985, in sync with their [[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2|television debut]]. They could be bought separately or as a gift set.

:The four smaller toys were sold on cards at the $5 price point. All four share a virtually identical transformation scheme; the tail and nosecone swing up to combine into a backpack, the arms pull out from the sides, and the legs are formed by extending the fuselage. Though they have fused feet and no elbow or neck articulation, ball joints at the shoulders give them remarkable posability at that joint.

:The four smaller jets combine with the much larger Silverbolt (sold boxed with the combiner pieces) to form [[Superion (G1)|Superion]].

===Generation 2===
* '''Aerialbots''' (1994)
**[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]]
**[[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]]
**[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]]
**[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]
**[[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] 

:A reissue of the Generation 1 molds, with what might charitably be called ''enhanced visibility'' color schemes.

* '''Air Raid''' (Cyberjet, 1995)

:A redeco of the [[Skyjack]] Stealth Fighter mold.

===Classics===
* '''Fireflight''' (Legends, 2006)

:A redeco of the [[Legends Class|Legends-class]] ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] mold.

===Universe (2008)===
====Classic Series====
* '''Silverbolt''' (Ultra, 2008)

:''Main article: [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt (G1)#Universe (2008)]]''

*'''Aerial Rivals''' (multi-pack, 2008)

: This Legends-class five-pack contains Air Raid, a redeco of ''Cybertron'' [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]], and Skydive, another redeco of ''Cybertron'' Jetfire.

* '''Special Team Leaders''' (Legends Class multi-pack, 2008) 

: Silverbolt is part of this five-pack as a [[redeco]] of the Legends-class ''Cybertron'' [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]] mold.

====G1 Series====
*'''Superion''' (Multi-pack, 2008)
**[[Airazor (Universe)|Airazor]] 
**[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]]
**[[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]]
**[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]]
**[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]

: The ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' Aerialbots are redecos of the ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Air Team]], only available as a [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] multi-pack in Australia and Singapore. For [[trademark]] reasons, Slingshot was replaced by [[Airazor (Universe)|Airazor]] for this release.

: This multi-pack was released in North America in new packaging as the ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Aerialbot (ROTF)|Aerialbots]].

==Notes==
* The Aerialbots were additionally homaged by a [[Aerialbot (Universe)|Micromaster team]] in the first [[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|''Universe'' toyline]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Airbot''' (エアーボット ''Eābotto'')
*''English:'' '''Air Corps Regiment''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''French:'' '''Aérobot''' (Canada)
*''Polish:'' '''Aerobot'''

[[Category:Aerialbots| Aerialbot (G1)]]
[[Category:Autobot subgroups]]
[[Category:Combiner teams]]
[[Category:Generation 1 subgroups]]
[[Category:Generation 2 subgroups]]