Perrine's jealousy towards Yoshika finally gets the best of her and she challenges the newcomer to a duel. This confrontation is cut short when a Neuroi is spotted. The Neuroi is different than the ones that came before it, and possibly much more dangerous. Yoshika finds herself unable to kill it after it assumes the shape of a witch, and when she tries to prevent the other witches from destroying it, the results are disastrous for her Major.
Historical References[]
Kübelwagen Type 82[]
Kübelwagen Type 82
The Volkswagen Kübelwagen (short for Kübelsitzwagen, meaning bucket-seat car) was a military vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche and built by Volkswagen during World War II for use by the German military (bot Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS). Based heavily on the Volkswagen Beetle, it was prototyped as the Type 62, but eventually became known as internally the Type 32. With its rolling chassis and mechanics built at KDF-Stadt (now Wolfsburg) and its body built by US owned firm Ambi Budd in Berlin, the Kübelwagen was for the German what the Jeep was for the Allied.
"Thach Weave"[]
Thach Weave
The Thach Weave was an aerial combat tactic developed by naval aviator John S. Thach of the United States Navy early during World War II. Thach had heard of the Japanese Mitsubishi Zero's extraordinary maneuverability and climb rate. Before even experiencing it for himself, he began to devise tactics meant to give the slower-turning American F4F fighters a chance in combat. He eventually came up with what he called "Beam Defense Position", but that soon became known as the "Thach Weave". It was executed either by two fighter aircrafts side-by-side or by two pairs of fighters flying together. When an enemy aircraft chose one fighter as his target (the "bait" fighter: his wingman being the "hook"), the two wingmen turned in towards each other. After crossing paths, and once their separation was great enough, they would then repeat the exercise, again turning in towards each other, bringing the enemy plane into the hook's sights. A correctly executed Thach Weave (assuming the bait was taken and followed) left little chance of escape to even the most maneuverable opponent.
Zero's excellent maneuverability at lower altitudes[]
Excellent maneuverability
After Yoshika preforms Mio's maneuver to beat Francesca and Charlotte, Francesca makes a subtle reference to the A6M Zero's excellent maneuverability at lower altitudes.
Mio's magic shield not working[]
(The A6M Zero's "little problem")
Zero's "problem"
Designed for attack, the Zero gave precedence to maneuverability and firepower at the expense of protection - most had no self-sealing tanks or armor plates - thus many Zeros were lost too easily in combat along with their pilots. One shot in the tanks and the Zero will burst into flames.
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