Name: Grand Storch
Alignment: Formerly Helic Republic
Family: Avian
Registration Number: Zi-026
Crew: 2
Height: 21.54 Meters
Length: 71.68 Meters
Weight: 180 Tons (unloaded)
Top Speed: Mach .9 (1103 kph)
Weapons: None.
Special Abilities: Cargo Carrying
Cost: $34,000 per unit
Level: Wartime Transport

Who ever said one only transports things by land? Well, no one. There have always been the extremely large and bulky "Big Three" transports, but unless you're moving in serious bulk, it's rarely worthwhile to divert an entire Whale King or Hammer Kaiser (even if it technically is more cost effective). The Grand Storch is nothing short of living, breathing -- such as a Zoid lives and breathes -- proof of this understanding. It's not a recent realization, either. During the ancient scuffles between Republic and Empire, the Helic Republic once realized they needed something a little less bulky and more agile (to say nothing of discrete) to carry their cargo and material.

Thus, the Grand Storch was born, based off of the rival, normal Storch design. The Storch itself was eventually rendered obsolete, going the same way of the Imperial Reddra. The Grand Storch, however, stood the test of time. It wasn't just designed by the Republic -- it was overdesigned, enough so that it has continued to be useful right up until the present day. The Grand Storch has twice the armor of a Salamander bomber and is capable of lifting up to 200 tons of cargo, by far the largest of cargo capacity of any aircraft this side of the Hammer Kaiser and carry one Zoid. It has four jet engines (and can continue to fly with two disabled), and is extremely resilient and reliable. These qualities make it a long-standing favorite of parachute infantry and armored.

That being said, despite its extremely tough exterior, the Grand Storch handles worse than even a Salamander. Not that you should be fighting in it -- the Grand Storch is unarmed and if at all possible, one shouldn't test the integrity of that armor. You cannot rearm inside of a Grand Storch either... and note that the Grand Storch is a wartime Zoid only. A Grand Storch must land on an airstrip; the Grand Storch cannot safely land on any transport (save the Ultrasaurus). Its use inside of sanctioned Zoid Battling is strictly prohibited -- since its unarmed, can't rearm, and is more expensive per unit Zoid carried than the Gustav. Soldiers love the damned thing, though. The Grand Storch's place is definitely on the battlefield.

Special Abilities:
Cargo Carrying
The Grand Storch can carry one Zoid, level 1-4. Level 5 Zoids and higher are too advanced (and in the case of Zoids like the Gojulas and the Dark Thrasher, too heavy) to be supported by the Grand Storch -- though if they're under 200 tons they can be carried but not launched by the Grand Storch. If it's an aerial Zoid Level 4 or lower, the Zoid can be launched in flight. However, an aerial Zoid cannot land on the Grand Storch safely. The Grand Storch can also carry 200 tons of troops, material, and other non-Zoid cargo in case of a Zoid. If this cargo happens to be parachute infantry, then they can jump from the Grand Storch.