Elite Flying Corps

The Elite Flying Corps is an Autobot combat unit from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Flying Autobots are relatively few and far between, but the Autobot Elite Flying Corps are more than a match for their Decepticon adversaries. Under the command of Optimus Prime, competition for the Flying Corps' five places is fierce, and only the best of the best of the best get in.

Fiction

Marvel UK Generation 1 comics

Divebomb was a member of the Elite Flying Corps, serving directly under Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime datafile He did not attempt to hide his contempt for his commanding officer and eventually point-blank refused to recognise Prime's authority. The Icarus Theory

During one of the many battles of the war on Cybertron, Divebomb tangled with a Decepticon and lost. Though taunted by his Flying Corps team-mates, he coped with the defeat until his opponent let it be known he was taking Divebomb's name for his own. Humiliated and enraged, the Autobot went AWOL to reclaim his name but the Decepticon soundly beat him once again, and would have killed him if not for Optimus Prime's timely intervention. The original Divebomb, now calling himself Swoop, led the other Autobots to believe he had killed the Decepticon usurper and Prime did not report the incident nor contradict that version of events. What's in a Name?

Subsequently (perhaps because of this incident) Swoop left the Elite Flying Corps, although he remained under the command of his "most hated commanding officer" as part of the Ark crew. He must have been thrilled to get that detail.

Dreamwave comics continuity

When on a mission during the Dark Ages, Grimlock almost accidentally called Swoop "Divebomb", suggesting the same incident had occurred. Fragmentation

Notes

• In response to a reader's query, Soundwave specified on his letters page that there were only five members of the Elite Flying Corps (not including Optimus) and hinted that the other four might appear in a future story. They never did.