XXXG-01W Wing Gundam

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Disambiguation:

• TV
• EW

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XXXG-01W Wing Gundam
XXXG-01W Wing Gundam (XXXG-01W ウイングガンダム)
Unit Type
Transformable General-Purpose Mobile Suit
Profile
Developed from	XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Proto Zero
First Seen	April 7, 195 A.C.
Last Seen	December 22, 195 A.C.
Manufacturer	Jay Null
Operator	G Team Colony Liberation Organization Earth Sphere Unified Nation Sanc Kingdom
Known Pilots	Heero Yuy Trowa Barton Lady Une
General Characteristics
Overall Height	16.3 meters53.478 ft <br />641.732 in <br />
Empty Weight	7.1 metric tons
Power-plant	Ultracompact Fusion Reactor
Pilot Accommodations	Pilot only (in cockpit in torso)
Armor	Gundanium Alloy
Equipment
Standard	Bird Mode Search Eye Self-Destruct System
Optional	2 x Energy Cartridge Pod
Standard Armaments
Fixed	2 x Machine Cannon
Handheld	Buster Rifle Shield (2 x Beam Saber)
Optional Armaments
Handheld	2 x Drei Zwerg (6 x Messer Zwerg)
Real World
Mechanical Designer	Hajime Katoki
Appearances*
Manga	Wing: EW-GoL

The XXXG-01W Wing Gundam (aka Gundam 01, Wing Gundam [Early Type] or Wing Gundam [Ver.Ka.]) is the titular mobile suit of the manga Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Endless Waltz: Glory of the Losers. It was primarily piloted by Heero Yuy.

Technology & Combat Characteristics

Out of the five original Gundams created for Operation Meteor, Wing Gundam is the most well-balanced in terms of abilities and bears the closest resemblance to their common ancestor: the XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Proto Zero. Like its predecessor, the Wing Gundam can transform into an alternate flight form known as "Bird Mode" and has a powerful Buster Rifle as part of its armaments. However, the "ZERO System" interface (which had technical problems) and other parts considered to be excessive were not included, and the skills of the pilot are needed to make up for the shortfall.

The major contributor to Wing's mobility is the pair of wing units on the backpack. These units not only generate lift, but can also change the aerodynamic characteristics of the mobile suit through the movements of their individual panels, supporting a range of speeds from stall to hypersonic. Even in outer space, the wing units exhibit high attitude control capability using both AMBAC and built-in vernier thrusters. By transforming into Bird Mode, Wing Gundam's mobility and movement range are increased further, allowing it to conduct operations that other Gundams could not.

Armaments

• Buster Rifle

Wing Gundam's signature weapon, usable in MS mode and Bird Mode. Its energy cartridges allow it to fire three powerful beam shots, each comparable in power to a battleship's main guns and capable of destroying a small group of mobile suits and ships. The emitted beam ionizes the surrounding atmosphere, creating a violent plasma vortex with a radius of 150 meters centered on the optical axis of the beam and a scorching torrent of several tens of kilometers. However, by adjusting the output, the affected area can be altered. The beam itself has a composite structure, consisting of high-speed, highly penetrative beam in the center surrounded by a low-speed but highly destructive particle beam. The rifle can be reloaded with spare energy cartridges through a break-action similar to a double-barrel shotgun. As it is not powered by the Gundam's reactor, unlike Wing Zero's Twin Buster Rifle, it is usable by other mobile suits as well.

• Machine Cannon

Located on the shoulders, the two cannons are short to medium range weapons. They are capable of rapid fire thanks to internal drum structure. They are covered when not in use, similar to Wing Zero's machine cannons.

• Shield

Made of high-strength Gundanium Alloy, it can also be used as a ramming weapon. The shield can be mounted on the left arm and/or held with the left hand. In Bird Mode, it is docked with the Buster Rifle and mounted on the backpack to form a nosecone.

• Beam Saber

The beam saber is the standard close-combat weapon for many mobile suits, it generates a blade-shaped beam to melt and cut through enemy's armor. Due to the use of the highly durable Gundanium Alloy, Wing Gundam's beam saber has a high output that is not attenuated even in water. A pair of beam sabers are stored in Wing's shield. The beam saber is typically wielded in Wing's right hand, which forces the Gundam to discard the Buster Rifle temporarily or attach it to the back of its waist.

• Drei Zwerg

A powerful beam rifle-type weapon that was originally designed for the Wing Gundam Proto Zero. Data of the weapon was stored in the ZERO System by Doctor J in A.C. 186. The Drei Zwerg is a combination of three identical component rifles known as Messer Zwerg, which can be used paired or individually. In A.C. 195, after encountering the Proto Zero, Heero creates imperfect replicas of the Drei Zwerg for Wing Gundam. Although it can function on its own as a weapon, it can also be mounted on Wing's Buster Rifle to increase its destructive power. This combined form is known as Drei Zwerg Buster. However, they can only be used once each in this combined form as they are not made of Gundanium Alloy, and hence cannot withstand the weapon's power. When not in use, the Drei Zwerg can be mounted on Wing's arms, resembling a hawk's talons when the mobile suit is in Bird Mode. Heero uses one of the Drei Zwerg to defend the Sanc Kingdom and the other during the battle at Luxembourg.

Special Equipment & Features

• Bird Mode

When transforming into Bird Mode, the Wing Gundam's shoulder armor folds down, the arms spin around so that the claw-like landing gear face down, and the legs fold up at the knees with the feet pointing backwards, the backpack and wings move lower allowing the combined shield and Buster Rifle to attach over the Gundam's head, forming the nose, and the Gundam's wings spread open. In this form, Wing Gundam is capable of high-speed flight, though it requires extra boosters in order to launch into space.

• Search Eye

Focused on data gathering. When the antennas and main cameras do not suffice, the Gundam's secondary eye, comprised of the large jewel on its chest, is used to gather visual and radio-wave data.

• Self-Destruct System

Wing Gundam was built to self-destruct should the pilot choose to. A remote detonator is placed within the cockpit and if a dire situation arrives, the pilot can destroy the Gundam. The system was designed to overload its power systems and has enough explosive power to destroy several city blocks. It's a last option tactic if the pilot is incapable of protecting the Gundam, while not allowing it to fall into enemy hands. It also can be used as one large explosive device to eradicate large targets.

• Energy Cartridge Pod

Two racks that each carry three spare energy cartridges for the Buster Rifle, for a total of six spare cartridges, allowing the Buster Rifle to fire nine shots instead of only three in a single sortie. The pods can be mounted on the claw-like landing gear on the side of Wing Gundam's forearms. Heero used the last energy cartridge as part of his Gundam's self-detonation in Siberia.

History

Operation Meteor

The Wing Gundam was developed in the L1 Colony Cluster by the engineer Doctor J as a tool of revenge to use against the OZ organization for the assassination of the pacifist leader of the colonies, Heero Yuy, whom the Gundam's pilot was code-named after. Wing was sent to Earth with Heero to commence Operation Meteor, at the same time that each of Doctor J's fellow scientists deployed their respective Gundams as well. However, Wing was intercepted during its descent through Earth's atmosphere by an United Earth Sphere Alliance assault carrier commanded by OZ's Zechs Merquise. Heero destroyed both of the carrier's OZ-07AMS Aries with Wing's Buster Rifle, but Zechs used his Leo Type IV (Greif) to grapple with and weigh down the Gundam. Wing then crashed into the Pacific Ocean near the coast of Japan, and Heero abandoned it.

Following a botched attempt to destroy the sunken Wing before it fell into enemy hands, Heero recovered his Gundam thanks to Duo Maxwell. However, Heero repaired Wing by stealing parts from Duo's XXXG-01D Gundam Deathscythe. He then used Wing for a mission to destroy an enemy air carrier transporting Gundanium Alloy, and recovered the carrier's Gundanium for his own use. Sometime later, Heero broke into an Alliance base stationed in Hawaii and installed extra energy cartridge pods for Wing's Buster Rifle. As he later proceeded to destroy the base, Duo arrived seeking revenge with his repaired Deathsycthe. The two Gundams began to clash, but were interrupted when Doctor J and Professor G contacted both pilots and ordered them to destroy the new OZ-12SMS Taurus that were said to launch from the New Edwards Base. Heero repaid his debt to Duo by firing Wing's Buster Rifle at enemy units attempting to attack Deathscythe from behind, then took off for New Edwards Base in Wing's Bird Mode.

However, the mission was a decoy by OZ's leader, Treize Khushrenada, to manipulate the Gundams into assaulting the Alliance officials gathered at New Edwards Base, while OZ simultaneously led a worldwide takeover of the Alliance's various bases. As soon as Wing arrived at New Edwards Base, it was fired upon by Trowa Barton under the assumption that it was sent by the Barton Foundation. Heero converted Wing back into MS mode and then fired its Buster Rifle at Trowa's XXXG-01H Gundam Heavyarms in retaliation, but Trowa managed to dodge the blast. Quatre Raberba Winner then used his XXXG-01SR Gundam Sandrock to defend Field Marshal Noventa's shuttle from Wing's blast. However, Heero spotted the shuttle before it could flee and swiftly destroyed it with Wing's beam saber before finding out he had killed the Alliance's officials instead of OZ. Angered at his error, Heero elected to cover the other Gundam pilots' escape while allowing Wing to take damage from enemy units. When Heero was alerted that New Edwards Base was targeted by an orbiting missile satellite in order to eliminate the Gundams, he used Wing to intercept and destroy the missile.

Self-destruction and Restoration

Wing Gundam's next mission was at OZ's Baikal Base in Siberia, where they were preparing to launch the real Taurus. As soon as Wing arrived, it was intercepted by Zechs' OZ-00MS Tallgeese and they engaged in a beam saber/heat lance duel. Though they seemed evenly matched, Wing managed to gain the upper hand when it sliced the Tallgeese's left arm off. However, the duel was interrupted when OZ's Lady Une threatened to destroy the space colonies if the Gundam pilots did not surrender. In response to this, Heero activated Wing's self-detonation device while standing just outside the cockpit, destroying his Gundam and nearly killing himself as well.

While Heero spent over a month recovering under Trowa's care, Zechs had taken Wing's remains with him to rebuild it for a re-match as he felt both cheated and disgusted by Lady Une's actions in Siberia. Wing was rebuilt at Zechs' base in Antarctica. However, Heero chose to use Trowa's Gundam Heavyarms for the re-match to avoid any sense of reluctance between himself and Zechs. When Romefeller's fleet arrived to arrest Zechs for his defiance, Trowa used Wing to deliver extra supplies to Heero and Zechs for a counterattack. Zechs chose to instead take on the fleet alone, so Trowa converted Wing into Bird Mode and picked up Heavyarms as he and Heero escaped.

When the five Gundam pilots returned to space to stop OZ from taking over the colonies, Heero left Wing behind on Earth to avoid enemy detection. Sometime later, Wing was found underwater by Sally Po, who eventually turned it over to Lucrezia Noin after the two recovered it while Sally was temporarily imprisoned by OZ. Noin then brought the Gundam to the rebuilt Sanc Kingdom's underground hangar. Not long after Heero returned to Earth, he joined a local branch of the Treize Faction and engaged an army of Romefeller's new OZ-02MD Virgos in a standard Leo. Though Heero was vastly outmatched, Noin delivered Wing's Buster Rifle to him and he was able to wipe out all the Virgos with it.

Following the battle, Heero was brought to the Sanc Kingdom and reunited with his Gundam once again. He then used the underground hangar's resources to build the "Drei Zwerg" for Wing, but could only build imperfect replicas due to lack of Gundanium Alloy. Soon after, Heero used the upgraded Wing to prevent a battalion of Romefeller carriers from invading the Sanc Kingdom, and wiped them all out with a single shot of the Drei Zwerg-equipped Buster Rifle.

Final Battle and Replacement

When Romefeller sent another army of Virgos to crush the Treize Faction at their base in Luxembourg, Heero used Wing Gundam to help defend the Treize Faction in order to prevent Romefeller from spreading their forces any further. Armed with the Drei Zwerg, Wing proved to be more of a match for the Virgos than the Treize Faction's Leos and Aries. However, the Gundam was eventually disabled and used up all of the Drei Zwerg's shots. Heero then prepared to use Wing's self-detonation device again, but Treize and Dorothy Catalonia spoke to Heero through the Gundam's intercom and encouraged him not to give up. Heero then abandoned Wing for the final time, as he was given the OZ-13MS Gundam Epyon by Treize. However, Heero would soon after replace Epyon with the XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero.

Last Heroics

After the battle at Luxembourg Base, the abandoned Wing Gundam was captured by OZ and taken to a base on the grounds of a military hospital for repairs. While there, it was fitted with booster rockets for travelling into space, though one engineer asked another why the Gundam needed the modifications for space flight since seemingly nobody remaining on Earth was capable of piloting it. When Treize attempted suicide in space by taunting Zechs into firing the battleship Libra's main beam cannon directly at him, Lady Une suddenly awoke from a coma on Earth, commandeered the idle Wing and launched into space at full speed.

Rapidly switching Wing out of Bird Mode, Lady Une arrived just in time to push Treize's OZ-00MS2 Tallgeese II out of the devastating path of the beam attack. Taking the full force of the beam, the Gundam was almost completely disintegrated, with only its head and torso remaining undamaged. Lady Une then emerged from the cockpit wearing a spacesuit and jumped onto the Tallgeese II's hand. Wing was never seen again after this.

Gallery

Lineart

Front view (from Newtype magazine)

Manga

Glory of the Losers

Transforming to MS mode for the first time.

With a pair of Drei Zwergs in Bird Mode.

Using Drei Zwerg Buster (Buster Rifle equipped with Drei Zwerg) in MS mode.

With the Tallgeese and Proto Zero (background) on the cover of Chapter 19.

Illustration & Artwork

Wing EW and Wing Zero EW artwork.

Games

BR-Rank Wing Gundam (EW) as it appears in SD Gundam Capsule Fighter Online

MS mode

Bird Mode

Fan Art

MS Girl fan art of Wing Gundam EW by Komatsu Eiji

Wing EW fan art by robographer

Wing EW Bird mode fan art by robographer

Gunpla

RG 1/144 XXXG-01W Wing Gundam EW (2016): box art

MG 1/100 XXXG-01W Wing Gundam "Ver.Ka" (2004): box art

MG 1/100 XXXG-01W Wing Gundam EW (2011): box art

HiRM 1/100 XXXG-01W Wing Gundam EW (P-Bandai exclusive; 2019): box art

HiRM 1 100 GUNDAM WING EW promotional video - EN sub

HiRM 1/100 GUNDAM WING EW promotional video - EN sub

SD Gundam BB Senshi XXXG-01W Wing Gundam EW (2011): box art

Action Figures

Robot Damashii "XXXG-01W Wing Gundam [EW Ver.]" (Tamashii Web exclusive; 2011): package front view.

Gundam Fix Figuration (GFF) #0006 "XXXG-01WE Wing Gundam (Early Type)" figure set (2002): package front view.

GFF #0006 "XXXG-01WE Wing Gundam (Early Type)" figure set (2002): package rear view.

GFF #0006 "XXXG-01WE Wing Gundam (Early Type)" figure set (2002): product sample (MS mode)

GFF #0006 "XXXG-01WE Wing Gundam (Early Type)" figure set (2002): product sample (Bird mode)

GFF "XXXG-01WE Wing Gundam (Early Type)" (Crystal Clear Ver.) figure set (Limited edition San Diego Comic-Con exclusive; 2009): package front view.

GFF "XXXG-01WE Wing Gundam (Early Type)" (Crystal Clear Ver.) figure set (Limited edition San Diego Comic-Con exclusive; 2009): package rear view.

GFF "XXXG-01WE Wing Gundam (Early Type)" (Crystal Clear Ver.) figure set (Limited edition 'San Diego Comic-Con' exclusive; 2009): product sample (MS mode)

GFF "XXXG-01WE Wing Gundam (Early Type)" (Crystal Clear Ver.) figure set (Limited edition 'San Diego Comic-Con' exclusive; 2009): product sample (Bird mode)

SDGAF XXXG-01W Gundam Wing [Endless Waltz]: package front view

Gashapon

EW version

Metallic version

Real Type color

Notes & Trivia

• The head Vulcan Guns are omitted from the Wing Gundam EW version, though they are still listed among Wing's stats in the Glory of the Losers manga.
• While the original version of Wing Gundam never received an upgrade in the Gundam Wing anime, unlike the other four Operation Meteor Gundams, this was changed for the EW version via the Drei Zwerg (though only a temporary upgrade in Glory of the Losers).
• The Wing Gundam EW made its first video game appearance in Super Robot Wars Alpha 2 as "Wing Gundam Early Type". It was an unlockable unit that could be obtained if the five main Gundam Wing pilots' levels were over 140, combined, by stage 35. The Wing EW was weaker than the Wing Zero EW as it had no ZERO System and the Buster Rifle was ammo-based, not EN-based. However, all seven playable Gundam Wing characters could pilot it.
• The Armor Girls Project Wing Gundam figure includes a special hardpoint attachment that allowed the option of equipping the Robot Damashii EW Version Wing Zero's wings.
• The Gundam Fix Figuration's figurine of Hajime Katoki's redesign of the Wing Gundam is named as "XXXG-01WE Wing Gundam [Early Type]". However, the Master Grade releases of this design use the name "XXXG-01W Wing Gundam". A slight variation of the latter name, "XXXG-01W Wing Gundam EW", is used in the Glory of the Losers manga.
• Though the unit itself does not appear in Gundam Breaker, its EW wings can be built from scratch using the wings from the Wing Zero EW.

References