“Bertie’s DarkBlue Doodlebug from the TV show Anime Air Police Bigglesworth”. Based on some drawings I made as a kid back in the nineties, this would be your typical cartoon or anime ‘fururistic’ airplane where cool effects top practicality or even technical constraints. So yes, imagine you being back in your favorite Saturday morning or Wednesday afternoon action cartoon, don your imaginary flight helmet, board your cool imaginary plane and take to the sky.

The ‘Doodlebug’ is a VTOL/STOVL jet plane with extendable extra wings. Or rather, it is three nice flying airplanes in one: a powerful jet, a slow flying air cruiser and a lift-assisted STOVL capable of taking off and landing from any flat surface.... And on top of that, she has a completely decked-out cockpit and a couple of extras up her sleeve as well.

A little breakdown:
- VTOL/Flaps: The bottom half of the VTOL slider extends and retracts the flaps. On full power the Doodlebug darts around at 450 mph but using flaps for takeoff and landing, you can land conventionally at half the speed.
- Button 1: Open/close canopy (also retracts the joystick to give the pilot some extra space climbing in and out)
- Button 2: Extends auxillary front wings for slow flying mode. With wings extended, flaps full down and engine pulled back to 15% power, the Doodlebug can cruise (and takeoff or land) at 150 mph
- Button 3: Gyro-stabilized VTOL node. With VTOL down or neutral, Button 3 just enables the gyroscope and steering nozzles. Then move VTOL slider halfway up (2nd to 3rd marker) to fire up lift engines. Move VTOL slider between half and full up to rotate exhaust nozzles between +30° and -60° to brake/position craft. VTOL engine is not powerful enough for conventional vertical takeoff, but will reduce runway in combination with main engines. Also Doodlebug can hold its height flying on VTOL engine alone with nozzles at maximum +30° (VTOL slider at 3rd marker).
- Button 4: Arrester hook for the one or two times you feel crazy enough to land on USS Beast

Some proven techniques:
- Power takeoff from USS Tiny: Button 3 to enable VTOL. (Button 2 for auxiliary wings is optional). Main engines to full power. As soon as Doodlebug begins to move, push VTOL slider 1/2 way up (3rd marker) for lift engines. Once in air move VTOL to neutral and switch off Button 3 when retracting landing gear.
- Lift jet STOL landing: Dive at runway at up to 45°, lower landing gear, extend auxiliary wings (Button 2) , kill main engines (keep pulling back to extend air brakes ) and fire up VTOL engine (Button 3). Just before hitting runway, push VTOL slider full forward to brake and pull up to horizontal. As soon as craft begins to buckle upwards, pull VTOL back to about 2/3 up (just above 3rd marker) and use residual speed for conventional landing. Move slider between full and 1/2 up to brake and decrease lift output as needed. This is a pretty delicate operation but once you master it, you can land the Doodlebug pretty much everywhere.

Happy flying