Strike Witches: Road to Berlin

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Strike Witches: Road to Berlin (2020)

Two months into her medical studies at the University of Lausanne in Helvetia, Yoshika Miyafuji receives a visit from Mio Sakamoto and Keisuke Hijikata in early November, 1945, though their reunion is quickly interrupted by news of a potential Neuroi attack on a Venezian battleship captained by the father of one of Yoshika's local friends. Flying from the Alps to the coast, Yoshika, and later the rest of the Strike Witches attempt to stop a Neuroi from crashing a massive iceberg into the port of Antwerpen in Belgica, however their efforts fail and the port facilities are destroyed.

With the loss of the deepwater port at Antwerpen, humanity's plans for a push on occupied Karlsland, with the goal of retaking Berlin, must be put on hold for several months until the port can be rebuilt. In the meantime, the 501st JFW is reassembled and stationed in Den Helder, Nederland. With Mio having aged out of her magic several months prior, the Imperial Fuso Navy now officially assigns a replacement, one Shizuka Hattori. With other members not far off aging out themselves, the Strike Witches must prepare for the upcoming operation to liberate Berlin, deep in the heart of Neuroi-occupied territory.

Strike Witches: Road to Berlin is a follow-up to Strike Witches: The Movie; it is the first story to be set after the events of The Movie since that film released in 2012.

For more in-depth explanations of the lore and setting of the World Witches universe, see the first season's page.

Warning: Some descriptions and images are spoilers for the series, read at your own risk.

The following weapons were used in the anime series Strike Witches: Road to Berlin:

Pistols

Browning M.25

The Browning M.25 (the Dutch military designation for the FN Model 1922, in .380 ACP) is seen in the holsters of two officers at the Schelde Fort, a coastal artillery installation at the mouth of the river of the same name. The pistols themselves are not seen outside their holsters, however this was the standard sidearm of the Dutch military at the time.

FN Model 1922 - .32 ACP

The base commander and his subordinate can both be seen with holsters, while the three other soldiers in the room are unarmed. (Ep.2)

A closer shot of the two officers as the subordinate attempts to call for reinforcements, showing more detail of their uniforms, including the holsters for their M.25s. (Ep.2)

Colt M1873

General Gerald S. Patton carries a custom Single Action Army revolver very similar to the one carried by the real George S. Patton. Patton's revolver is an engraved 4.75" Civilian model with ivory grips, though the World Witches depiction differs in being gold-plated rather than nickel. Charlotte Yeager also carries an M1873 Civilian (blued with wood grips) in a left-handed shoulder holster (presumably for easier access if her BAR is still in her right hand) which she lends to Gertrud Barkhorn as a lightweight backup weapon for a sortie against a particularly dangerous Neuroi.

Two custom Single Action Army revolvers with 4.75" barrel, ivory grips, and engravings - .45 Long Colt. The bottom is the 'hero gun' from Patton, while the top is the actual SAA carried by Patton.

Colt M1873 "Civilian" - .45 Long Colt

General Patton holds his Colt after firing three rounds into a map table, frustrated at having to delay Operation Southwind due to losing the port at Antwerpen. (Ep.3)

With that apparently not being enough to vent his frustration, Patton then slams his fist down on the table, showing a surprisingly detailed shot of the bottom of the revolver. The Japanese subtitles listing his name and position are unfortunately not removable. (Ep.3)

A wider shot immediately afterwards, showing his SAA is indeed the Civilian model. To the right of Patton is General Oscar Bradley, Mio Sakamoto, and Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke. At the end of the scene Patton fires the remaining three rounds into the table again. (Ep.3)

Gertrud Barkhorn, having put on muscle and ditched as much weight from herself and her striker unit as possible, draws Charlotte's Colt from its "holster". (Ep.6)

Thumbing back the hammer as she draws it, Gertrud fires the pistol and then recocks it. The cylinder can be seen mid-rotation here, and is correctly rotating clockwise (shooter's perspective) with the fired cylinder being the one not visible, at the one o'clock position. (Ep.6)

Gertrud fires her second shot and then recocks the M1873 again. Note the loaded cylinders, as there are four unfired rounds remaining. (Ep.6)

Switching angles, Trude fires the third shot and then recocks the SAA. (Ep.6)

The fourth shot is fired, after which she again cocks the hammer before a cut to a close-up of the Neuroi's core being exposed by an off-screen fifth shot. (Ep.6)

"You messed with the wrong witch." Gertrud finishes off the Neuroi with her sixth and final shot, the Colt's cylinders now empty. (Ep.6)

A fantastic close-up of Patton's M1873 as he loads a .45 Long Colt cartridge, while taking shelter inside the Zoo Tower alongside Yoshika Miyafuji and the surviving Liberion and Karlsland tank crews. (Ep.12)

After loading the cartridge, Patton rotates the cylinder, and again it's rotated clockwise; the hammer is also correctly sitting at half-cock. This shot also shows the engraving on Patton's SAA. (Ep.12)

General Patton, a Liberion tanker, and Yoshika Miyafuji attempt to brace themselves as the Neuroi intensify their attacks on the Zoo Tower. As Patton ultimately doesn't draw his revolver when on the roof later, it's not seen on-screen again after this point. (Ep.12)

Submachine Guns

MP 40

MP 40 submachine guns are carried by Karlsland troops and tank crews; one of them is taken by Yoshika Miyafuji and used in a last stand atop the Zoo Tower in Berlin. An MP 40 magazine is also seen among other clutter in Erica Hartmann's room.

MP 40 - 9x19mm Parabellum

Mid-episode artwork, a photograph of Erica Hartmann commemorating her first solo flight, alongside Gertrud Barkhorn and Erica's instructor, Edytha Rossmann. Around the photo sits an empty MP 40 magazine at bottom-right, a 9mm Parabellum cartridge at top-right, and a tin of Scho-Ka-Kola "aviator chocolate" at top-left. (Ep.6)

Troops at the airfield in Kiel celebrate, one of them prominently holding up an MP 40, while another has one slung behind his back. (Ep.10)

Two Karlsland soldiers, armed with MP 40s, stand guard at the entrance to General Bradley's forward command post at the outskirts of Berlin. (Ep.11)

Inside the Zoo Tower, Yoshika and another medic tend to wounded soldiers. Most have BARs, however the soldier at far right has an MP 40 next to him. (Ep.11)

"I'm taking you bastards down with me!" A desperate Karlsland tanker fires at Neuroi from the roof of the Zoo Tower. (Ep.12)

After he's injured by a beam, Yoshika races to help the soldier, who continues to fire his MP 40 and actually manages to destroy one of them. (Ep.12)

Adrenaline wearing off, the exhausted soldier drops his MP 40 as Yoshika drags him to safety. (Ep.12)

A little while later, Yoshika picks up the same discarded MP 40 to cover General Patton and herself as they attempt to escape the roof. (Ep.12)

Yoshika, whose magic is currently recharging and unusable, deliberately draws the attention of the Neuroi with a long burst from the MP 40. (Ep.12)

Surrounded by Neuroi beams and flaming debris, Yoshika's submachine gun spits lead as she lets out a war cry. (Ep.12)

With the thud of a bolt closing on an empty chamber and the hiss of an overheating barrel, Yoshika's MP 40 runs out of ammo. (Ep.12)

Empty weapon slipping from her hands, Yoshika gives the Neuroi a glare as fierce as the beams they're charging. (Ep.12)

Rifles

Boys Mk I*

Lynette Bishop continues to use a Boys Mk I* anti-tank rifle in her role as the 501st's designated marksman. She notably makes use of her Boys to put a stop to the shenanigans caused by an ancient clay fertility idol roaming around the Strike Witches' base.

Boys Mk I* - .55 Boys

A rare non-blurry look at the rifle's impressive muzzle blast, as well as a bullet leaving the barrel, in the opening credits. (OP)

An excellently framed shot of Lynette Bishop attempting to flank the retreating iceberg Neuroi, Boys in hand. (Ep.2)

Lynette holds her rifle while Eila Juutilainen notices that despite the controlling Neuroi having been destroyed, the enormous iceberg's inertia is continuing to carry it into the port of Antwerpen. (Ep.2)

The Strike Witches desperately attempt to slow or destroy the iceberg, but quickly realize that a dozen small arms are not going to have any effect whatsoever. Lynette can be seen cycling the bolt here. (Ep.2)

Getting behind Shizuka Hattori in a mock battle, Lynette aims a training-version Boys rifle. As always, it's painted orange to denote that it fires non-lethal paintball rounds. (Ep.3)

Making use of an altitude advantage, Lynne fires her training rifle at Shizuka in an attempted surprise attack. (Ep.3)

As the last Strike Witch not incapacitated or captured, Flight Sergeant Bishop retrieves her Boys Mk I* from the hangar. (Ep.7)

Residual muzzle flash swirls in the air as Lynette fires a second shot, attempting to destroy the clay idol, but the shot is blocked by the collective shields of the other witches. (Ep.7)

An absolutely gorgeous stitched shot of Lynette firing again, dislodging a tree branch and knocking the idol into her line of sight. Showcasing Lynette's incredible marksmanship, the camera follows the subsequent bullet as it passes through a tiny gap between the mass of rotating witch shields, and shatters the idol. (Ep.7)

A victorious Lynette stands with her Boys rifle as the sun rises. Similar to Perrine in OVA and Yoshika in The Movie, this is a rare example of a witch using a rifle on the ground. (Ep.7)

Lynette with her rifle, as the 501st chases the main body of Wolf, the Neuroi hive over Berlin. (Ep.10)

Wolf baits the witches into a trap, dropping a large number of Neuroi walls from the sky that encircle the centre of Berlin, and fill the sky with countless beams. (Ep.10)

Lynette freezes up in the middle of cycling her rifle as she realizes that the large bomber-type Neuroi is jamming their comms with a chaff-like material. This ability was previously used by the Heinkel Lerche type Neuroi in The Movie. (Ep.10)

Boys pressed into her shoulder, Lynne attempts to call out to Shizuka, who just let out a static-filled scream over the radio. (Ep.10)

A .55 calibre bullet slices its way through an entire formation of small-type Neuroi, with Lynette cycling the rifle so fast the empty casing can already be seen falling from the rifle. (Ep.11)

Pierrette and Lynette watch as a wall-type Neuroi is utterly demolished by large-calibre naval cannons. (Ep.11)

With her Shiden Kai strikers severely damaged, Minna orders Shizuka to remain behind as the rest of the Strike Witches prepare to navigate the narrow tunnels of the Berlin underground. (Ep.12)

Perrine and Lynne bring up the rear as the group flies through a dilapidated train station. (Ep.12)

Machine Guns

Bren Mk 1 (M)

In addition to continuing to be the standard weapon of Pierrette-Henriette Clostermann, a Bren Mk 1 (M) is also used by Yoshika Miyafuji while defending the Venezian battleship Doge. It is odd that a Venezian ship would have Britannian weapons onboard, though this is likely a matter of production simplicity; with Francesca Lucchini not using Romagnan/Venezian/Italian weapons, there wouldn't be reference material (including a 3D model) already available for use in what is ultimately a single episode appearance. This is supported by a Twitter post from series creator/artist Humikane Shimada, mentioning that he would have liked the Helvetian/Swiss Bf 109 flown by Yoshika in the first two episodes to be a D or E variant, but a new 3D model and other reference material would have been excessive for a single appearance (as such, Yoshika flies a Bf 109 F, likely an F-4).

Bren Mk 1 (M) - .303 British

Now armed with a Bren, Yoshika and two of the Doge's maintenance personnel prepare for her to launch from the ship's forward catapult. (Ep.2)

A side view of the Bren's receiver, as Yoshika weaves her way through a hail of bomb-type Neuroi headed for the Doge. (Ep.2)

Racing along one of the iceberg Neuroi's tendrils, Yoshika punches holes in it with her Bren. The amount of ammo Yoshika expends during this battle is probably a tad optimistic, given the Bren's 30-round capacity. (Ep.2)

Illuminated by the muzzle flash, Yoshika finishes her strafing run, causing the tendril to violently explode. (Ep.2)

Inside the iceberg, the Bf 109's engines fail and Yoshika plunges through the cavern, Bren in hand. (Ep.2)

Yoshika raises a shield, as another one of the tendrils is destroyed in a massive explosion. (Ep.2)

A full side view of Perrine's Bren, with Yoshika's own slung over her shoulder as dear friends reunite. (Ep.2)

Perrine holds her Bren, as the Strike Witches realize the iceberg is still on a collision course with the port facilities in Antwerpen. (Ep.2)

Paintball rounds fly through the air as Pierrette fires a training Bren in a mock battle. (Ep.3)

A close-up of the training Bren's business end and muzzle flash. (Ep.3)

A surprised Perrine looks up to see Yoshika creating an enormous shield from a distance, providing a detailed look at the training Bren. (Ep.3)

A stitched shot of all eleven Strike Witches in the bomb bay of a B-17 Flying Fortress, ready to drop over Berlin. (Ep.10)

Perrine fires her Bren, with the Karlsland trio below her, as the operation over Berlin devolves into chaos. (Ep.10)

The 501st, without Yoshika, scramble to intercept the large bomber-type Neuroi headed for Kiel; it appears to be inspired by the Nakajima G10N. (Ep.10)

Rockets from Sanya Litvyak's Fliegerhammer fly past Perrine, Minna, and Eila as Operation Southwind begins. (Ep.11)

Pierrette looks at the final wall-type Neuroi, giving an excellent view of the heart of Berlin. At the far end of the Tiergarten park is the Brandenburg Gate, in front of which Wolf's main body landed, while just outside the walls at the near end is the Technical University of Berlin. The left side of the Zoo Tower can just barely be seen behind the upper-left of the right-hand Neuroi wall, below the river (more obvious in a later version of the shot). (Ep.11)

Perrine with her Bren as Shizuka rushes ahead of the group, recklessly clearing out a formation of Neuroi without backup. (Ep.11)

The witches fly through another of Berlin's abandoned U-Bahn stations, shortly after Gertrud states that they'll switch to the C Line at Stadtmitte station. (Ep.12)

Browning M1918A2

The Browning Automatic Rifle returns as Charlotte Yeager's primary weapon, and is also used by Liberion tank crews, seen when they take refuge inside the Zoo Tower.

Browning M1918A2 - .30-06 Springfield

Charlotte Yeager fires her M1918A2 during the opening battle. (Ep.1)

Shirley and Perrine with their light machine guns, as they race to intercept the iceberg bearing down on Antwerpen's port. (Ep.2)

Charlotte and Francesca desperately attempt to slow the iceberg with their Brownings. Both weapons' bolts visibly cycle in this shot, with the M1918 close to all the way open, while the M1919 is mid-cycle. (Ep.2)

Much later, the 501st JFW prepares to drop from their B-17 in this stitched shot. (Ep.10)

As the bomb bay doors open, Flight Lieutenant Yeager prepares to lead the Strike Witches feet first into hell. (Ep.10)

As the newly-formed Neuroi walls open fire on the B-17 formation, panic starts to set in. (Ep.10)

Yoshika, Charlotte, and the Karlsland trio hover above Wolf, which has landed in front of the Brandenburg Gate. The Reichstag, heavily damaged, can be seen directly beside Yoshika's head. Wolf's form is inspired by Die Glocke, one of the most outlandish of Germany's "Wunderwaffe" concepts, making it (as well as Wolf's alternate "true form") extremely fitting for the final boss over Berlin. (Ep.10)

Francesca and Shirley open fire on the G10N-inspired Neuroi headed for Kiel. (Ep.10)

Charlotte with her BAR, surprised as the bomber-type Neuroi, formed after observing the B-17s over Berlin, also starts releasing its own "bombs". (Ep.10)

The witches prepare for combat as swarms of small-type Neuroi emerge from the walls. (Ep.11)

Francesca and Charlotte watch as the first of the walls is demolished. (Ep.11)

A couple of BARs rest beside their injured owners inside the Zoo Tower. (Ep.11)

Another pair of Liberion tankers with their M1918A2s inside the flak tower. (Ep.11)

With the ring of walls replaced by an enclosed dome, the Strike Witches discuss plans for how to get inside, having received a distress call over the wireless confirming General Patton, Yoshika, and the rest of the tank force has taken shelter inside the flak tower. (Ep.11)

With their way forward through the underground blocked by a collapsed tunnel, Charlotte and Francesca discover a door to a parallel passageway. (Ep.12)

Another Liberion tanker sits with his BAR on the left, as the Karlsland tanker on the right tells Yoshika that his comrade who went to the roof has yet to return. This is the same soldier seen in the MP 40 section above, though his SMG is evidently just off-screen in this shot. (Ep.12)

Charlotte performs some impressive manoeuvres while firing her BAR at more swarms of Neuroi. (Ep.12)

A fantastic shot of Trude and Shirley laying down fire with their MGs; the BAR's bolt is again animated here. (Ep.12)

Browning M1919A6

As always, Francesca Lucchini uses a Browning M1919A6, fitted with a custom-mounted detachable ammo box.

Browning M1919A6 - .30-06 Springfield

Francesca Lucchini fires her M1919A6 in the opening credits. (OP)

A detailed look at the M1919 as Francesca chases a Neuroi in the opening battle. (Ep.1)

A smiling Francesca reunites with old friends, giving a close-up look at the front of the Browning's receiver. (Ep.2)

The Strike Witches form up to chase down the fleeing iceberg Neuroi. (Ep.2)

Gertrud, Erica, Charlotte, and Francesca fire into the iceberg above the port in Antwerpen, to no effect. (Ep.2)

Lynette, Francesca, and Charlotte are surprised when one part of a Neuroi that split into three sections self-destructs in front of them, after its core in a different section was destroyed. (Ep.3)

Francesca zooms ahead of the rest of the group, giving an excellent look at the custom ammo box mount. The darker-coloured "shelf" is permanently attached to the gun, with a hinged tab on the outer side that holds the lighter-coloured removable ammo box in place. (Ep.4)

A side view of the Browning, as well as Charlotte's brand new P-51H Mustang striker, which Francesca has borrowed without permission. (Ep.4)

Francesca opens fire on the Neuroi with her M1919A6. The small tab that holds the ammo box in on the inner side can be seen here, opposite the hinged tab on the outer side. (Ep.4)

Unable to handle the much higher performance of the P-51H, Francesca starts to lose control of the striker. (Ep.4)

Blasted by Neuroi beams, Francesca's shield fails and she loses her M1919, providing a rare look at the underside of the gun. (Ep.4)

Dropping from a B-17, the Strike Witches pursue Wolf, which has lost its protective cloud cover and is now fleeing towards the centre of Berlin. (Ep.10)

A detailed look at the M1919A6 as Francesca, part of the backup unit, complains she wants more to do than just be on standby. (Ep.10)

Browning in hand, Francesca and the other witches move to intercept the G10N-inspired Neuroi near Kiel. (Ep.10)

Francesca and Eila look concerned, as the group learns that Yoshika snuck herself into the tank group and is now trapped inside the dome. (Ep.11)

Charlotte cautions Francesca to be careful inside the narrow tunnels of the U-Bahn, with the latter looking rather unhappy with the situation. (Ep.12)

Muzzle flash and Neuroi beams provide fantastic lighting and shadow, as Pilot Officer Lucchini fires her M1919A6. (Ep.12)

A close-up of the Browning's ammo box, notably the hinged tab keeping it in place, as Francesca and the rest of the 501st attempt to take down Wolf's true form. (Ep.12)

MG 42

The witch variant of the MG 42, fitted with Patronentrommel 34 drum mags, remains the standard weapon of Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke, Gertrud Barkhorn, Erica Hartmann, and Eila Juutilainen. In addition, Charlotte Yeager briefly borrows Minna's MG 42, after entering a battle unarmed. With Mio Sakamoto having officially left the unit, Gertrud has been promoted to the rank of Squadron Leader.

MG 42 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

MG 34 with Patronentrommel 34 for reference - 7.92x57mm Mauser

Gertrud Barkhorn dual wielding MG 42s during the battle with the iceberg, with Minna off to the left. (Ep.2)

Eila Juutilainen holds her MG 42 as her and Sanya Litvyak rejoin the Strike Witches. (Ep.2)

Erica Hartmann zooms in from above to finish off the iceberg Neuroi with her MG 42. (Ep.2)

Trude proudly holds her MG 42s after blasting an entire row of targets at the firing range, as Yoshika and Lynette give Shizuka a tour of the new Den Helder base. (Ep.3)

Some wonderful shot composition, as Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke opens fire on the main section of the Neuroi that split into three pieces. According to a combat report Minna is seen filling out in the following episode, this battle takes place on November 9, 1945. (Ep.3)

Excellent detail on Gertrud's MG 42s, as some of the witches attempt to intercept an extremely fast Neuroi inspired by the English Electric Lightning. (Ep.4)

Erica carrying three MG 42s, as she holds onto Gertrud's pair while the latter rushes to save Francesca and Charlotte. This exchange doesn't actually happen on screen, and Erica is only visible with all three guns in two brief shots, making this very good attention to continuity. (Ep.4)

Borrowing Minna's MG 42, Charlotte chases down the Lightning-inspired Neuroi, furious at its attempt to kill Francesca. (Ep.4)

Shirley's new P-51H has no trouble catching up to the Neuroi, which she destroys with a long burst from the MG 42. (Ep.4)

Erica barely dodges getting hit by an aggressive new Neuroi type during a scouting mission to Kiel. Note the drop tanks on her Bf 109 striker. (Ep.6)

After getting herself even more in shape and losing as much excess weight as possible, Gertrud engages the same Neuroi on more even terms. (Ep.6)

Trude continues her duel with the Neuroi, which appears to be inspired by a combination of the Sukhoi Su-27 family and the Su-47. In addition to her own body, Gertrud also worked with Charlotte to improve her Fw 190 striker, including stripping the paint and grinding the rivets flush. (Ep.6)

Eila with her MG 42 after barely dodging a surprise attack over Kiel, which has been covered by a thick blanket of fog. (Ep.8)

Wearing a blindfold, Eila fires her MG 42 as the group trains to fight in the fog over Kiel. (Ep.8)

Sensing an incoming attack with her precognition, despite no indication of a threat from Sanya's radar, Eila blindly fires her MG 42 into the fog. (Ep.8)

Eila dodges incoming beams as they're forced to retreat, unable to fire back without risking shooting each other. (Ep.8)

Erica and Trude battle another Sukhoi Neuroi near Berlin, giving Minna time to take out the Neuroi launch site at the top of Wolf's protective cloud. (Ep.9)

A view down the sights of Minna's MG 42, as she prepares to take out a Neuroi inspired by the Vergeltungswaffe 2 rocket; several of these had been launched towards Kiel in the previous days. (Ep.9)

Realizing the game is up, Wolf attempts to launch all of its remaining V 2 rockets simultaneously, forcing Minna, low on fuel, to attempt to take them out alone. This is also an excellent look at the experimental Me 163 Komet rocket-powered striker. (Ep.9)

Minna holds the trigger down, desperately trying to finish off all the rockets before they can escape. (Ep.9)

Shell casings rain down as Erica and Minna fire on the bomber-type Neuroi heading for Kiel. (Ep.10)

Minna and Gertrud fire their MG 42s as more small-types spew out of Wolf. (Ep.11)

With the situation getting weirder and more chaotic by the minute, Trude and Minna continue to fire their MGs. (Ep.12)

Eila panics, as Minna gets close with Sanya. (Ep.12)

Type 99-2 Model 2 Kai

The fictional witch variant of the Type 99, the Type 99-2 Model 2 Kai, is used by Yoshika Miyafuji and Shizuka Hattori. For the rather lengthy technical explanation of the witches' Type 99-2 Model 2 Kai variant, see its first season entry.

Type 99 Mark 1 in pintle mount configuration - 20x72mmRB

Type 99-2 Model 2 Kai design artwork - 13.2x99mm Hotchkiss

Yoshika gives Shizuka a helping hand through an obstacle course, both of them carrying training Type 99s. (Ep.3)

Unable to get a shot in, Shizuka evades fire from Perrine during a mock battle. (Ep.3)

Shizuka fires a long burst of paintballs from her training Type 99, knocking Perrine out of the match. Note the orange shell casing, matching the rifle. (Ep.3)

Due to Shizuka's inexperience and Yoshika's problems controlling her magic, they decide to combine their strengths. Although difficult to see in this shot, Shizuka is pulling the Type 99's sling over her shoulder with her left hand. (Ep.3)

With Yoshika providing only her powerful shield (her striker engines aren't running), Shizuka can concentrate on flying and shooting. (Ep.3)

"If Miyafuji-san protects me, nothing can scare me!" (Ep.3)

Low over the treetops, Shizuka shreds the Neuroi's core with her Type 99. (Ep.3)

Shizuka arrives to help Gertrud as Yoshika provides cover, after Erica was shot down. The two Fuso witches' N1K strikers are equipped with drop tanks here. (Ep.6)

A relatively rare example of a witch actually shouldering the Type 99, as opposed to tucking it under their arm, as Shizuka attempts to follow the blindingly fast movements of Gertrud's duel with the Sukhoi Neuroi. (Ep.6)

The Fuso witches desperately attempt to cover Trude with their shields, the latter so dejected by Erica's supposed death that she's refusing to raise her own. (Ep.6)

Wearing blindfolds as they train to fight in the thick fog over Kiel, Shizuka and Yoshika fire at a target balloon. (Ep.8)

Sanya leads Yoshika and Shizuka in taking down a Neuroi in the fog, however it quickly becomes apparent this Neuroi is a "drone" and not a "controller", and thus simply regenerates after being destroyed. (Ep.8)

Illuminated by muzzle flash and rockets, the trio fires on the Neuroi responsible for the fog. (Ep.8)

Yoshika gives Shizuka some encouragement, as the 501st prepare themselves to drop from their B-17. (Ep.10)

Over Yoshika's enormous shield, Shizuka holds her Type 99 while defending the B-17 formation. (Ep.10)

Yoshika fires her machine gun over Berlin, as hoards of Neuroi swarm the bombers. (Ep.10)

With General Patton ordering Yoshika's magic reserve be saved for the next operation, Shizuka covers their retreat. (Ep.10)

Now separated from the rest of the Strike Witches, Shizuka faces a new bomber-type Neuroi alone. A larger version of the same type would later attack Kiel. (Ep.10)

Shizuka fires at the smaller pieces being dropped by the Neuroi, quickly discovering they explode. (Ep.10)

After defeating the Neuroi by herself, an exhausted Shizuka falls through the sky until being caught by an impressed Charlotte, in this stitched shot. (Ep.10)

Yoshika watches Shizuka fight, attempting to warn her of the incoming dome being formed over Berlin. (Ep.11)

A close shot of the Type 99's receiver, as Shizuka desperately attempts to protect Yoshika. (Ep.12)

Taking out Neuroi after Neuroi, Shizuka pushes herself to her limits, however... (Ep.12)

...there's only so much one witch can do. (Ep.12)

Launchers & Other

Fliegerhammer

Night witch Aleksandra Litvyak's weapon of choice remains the Fliegerhammer rocket launcher, designed by Erica's twin sister Ursula Hartmann. The Fliegerhammer was inspired by (both in-universe and out) the Fliegerfaust, while its boxy shape is reminiscent of the M202 FLASH.

Replica Fliegerfaust B with 9-rocket clip - 20mm

M202 FLASH - 66mm

Rockets fly from Sanya Litvyak's Fliegerhammer in the opening credits. (OP)

Alongside the rest of the Strike Witches, Sanya attempts to stop the iceberg in Antwerpen. The large building with a tower to the right is the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal (Cathedral of Our Lady). (Ep.2)

Aleksandra's antenna turns from red to green, as the Lightning-inspired Neuroi quickly leaves her detection range. (Ep.4)

Sanya with her launcher, as the witches respond to a scramble alarm. (Ep.7)

Putting her foresight to good use, Eila quickly pulls Sanya out of harm's way; if one watches closely, Eila actually tosses Sanya in front of herself, prioritizing her safety. (Ep.8)

Sanya leads Eila, Yoshika, and Shizuka through their blindfolded formation flying and shooting drills. (Ep.8)

Holding a map of the area around Kiel, Sanya crosses off grid squares as they complete their search. Note her excellent trigger discipline, something depicted consistently in the series. (Ep.8)

After Eila gives their position away by firing at an enemy Sanya can't detect, Sanya raises her shield. (Ep.8)

Thoroughly displeased, Aleksandra orders the group back to base. (Ep.8)

Sortieing again, this time without Eila, the trio turns to see the phantom Neuroi emerge from the fog. (Ep.8)

Sanya realizes far, far too late that the Neuroi's skeletal design made it undetectable to her radar magic, and that Eila was right about a second Neuroi all along. (Ep.8)

Unable to tell where the Neuroi is, Sanya puts her full trust in Eila, and fires a rocket at the sound of her voice. (Ep.8)

Back-to-back, Sanya and Eila fight in the stormy skies over Berlin. (Ep.10)

A volley of four rockets, followed immediately by the other five, is fired at the G10N Neuroi over the Kiel airbase. (Ep.10)

The Fliegerhammer lives up to its name, wiping out dozens of Neuroi as Operation Southwind begins. (Ep.11)

After the dome forms over central Berlin, Sanya fires a pair of rockets as a test, doing no appreciable damage. (Ep.11)

Sanya uses her radio detection magic to boost her comm signal and reach their forces above ground, as the Strike Witches travel through the U-Bahn. (Ep.12)

Aleksandra and Eila look on in disbelief after the group discovers Wolf's true form. (Ep.12)

Helmet Gun

The genius and eccentric Ursula Hartmann returns with more of her inventions, this time including an incredibly obscure firearm design: A helmet-mounted gun. Specifically, this was a very real patent filed by an American inventor by the name of Albert Bacon Pratt in the 1910s.

Patent drawing for Albert Bacon Pratt's helmet gun.

"The helmet gun. It's a helmet, with a gun on it." (Ep.9)

Still wearing her helmet gun, Ursula then shows off her midair sound amplifier; this combo of earpieces and goggles is inspired by a real world German design from WWI. Before the advent of radar, much larger and far more absurd-looking acoustic locators were also used in WWII. (Ep.9)

Panzerfaust 250

The Panzerfaust 250 appears as another of Ursula's creations. The Panzerfaust 250 was to be a major evolution of the Panzerfaust series, introducing a reusable tube and pistol grip assembly, but in our reality while the plans were completed, none were built before the war's end. The design was seized by the Soviets, who used it to develop the RPG-2, which then became the ubiquitous RPG-7.

Panzerfaust 250 concept drawing.

Still wearing her previous gadgets, Ursula pulls out a Panzerfaust 250, referring to it by name. (Ep.9)

Erica complains Ursula brought more weird stuff, though Gertrud disagrees, seeing promise in the PzF 250. This shot also gives a glimpse of the pistol grip assembly. (Ep.9)

A large explosion draws everyone's attention, as a V 2 rocket Neuroi narrowly misses General Patton's tank column. Rocketry is a recurring theme in this episode, featuring the PzF 250, V 2, Me 163, and a mention of the Strike Witches' use of rocket boosters in the second season. (Ep.9)

Mio and Ursula in Kiel, as Ursula's gear waits to be loaded into a B-17. Two Panzerfaust 250s lean against a crate, with two helmet guns above them, one acoustic locator in front of their warheads, and next to that are two Hafthohlladung magnetic anti-tank mines/grenades. In front of Ursula's feet sits a Panzerwurfmine fin-stabilized anti-tank grenade, with another on the crate near her head, to the right of four Stielhandgranate 24 grenades; nine stick grenades are visible in total. Below the PzF 250s sit another pair of devices. (Ep.11)

506th Joint Fighter Wing, Noble Witches cameo

The Noble Witches make another cameo, and as with Operation Victory Arrow it's again as a formation of contrails in the sky; unlike their previous cameos, however, this time the entire 506th appears, making this the first animated appearance of B-unit. Based in Dijon, B-unit is comprised of four Liberion witches: Geena Preddy (M2 Aircraft), Marian Carl (M1919A6), Jennifer DeBlanc (HS.404), and Carla Luksic (M2 Watercooled).

Shizuka watches the 506th JFW fly nearby, as both squadrons prepare for Operation Southwind. The Brave Witches and Ardor Witches are also involved, fighting at their respective frontlines. (Ep.11)

Vehicle-Mounted & Stationary Weapons

MG 17

In the opening scenes of the season, during the fall of Karlsland in 1940, Bf 109 G-2 fighters are seen attempting to take down a Neuroi; the Bf 109s are armed with a pair of MG 17s above the engine.

MG 17 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

A trio of Bf 109s move to intercept a Neuroi in 1940, the muzzles of the MG 17s clearly visible protruding from the cowling of the closest fighter. (Ep.1)

Flying through the debris of the first 109, the second moves to fire, left side MG 17 visible. (Ep.1)

The same Bf 109 fires its weapons as it passes over the Neuroi. (Ep.1)

MG 151/20

The Bf 109s are also equipped with a single MG 151/20, mounted through the propeller hub. The Neuroi invasion of Berlin is established as taking place on June 5, 1940. In the real world, this is the same date Germany initiated the second phase of its invasion of France, Fall Rot; this was two days after the end of the British evacuation at Dunkirk, and one day after Winston Churchill's famous "We shall fight on the beaches" speech. Within the World Witches universe, that evacuation would take place a year later, in June, 1941, as seen in a flashback in the first season, as well as the Erica Hartmann 1941 manga.

MG 151/20 - 20x82mm

A close look at the third Bf 109 G-2's nose, notably the firing port for the MG 151 in the spinner. (Ep.1)

Tracers fly as the fighter lands more hits on the Neuroi, to little effect. (Ep.1)

Another front view of the Bf 109, as it attempts to outmanoeuvre the Neuroi. (Ep.1)

Browning M2 Aircraft

B-17G Flying Fortress bombers make recurring appearances throughout the season, most notably during a raid over Berlin, in which the Strike Witches deploy from the bomb bay of one of the B-17s. Bristling with defensive armament, B-17Gs are equipped with a total of thirteen Browning M2 Aircraft machine guns, five in flexible configuration and eight fixed in turrets.

The B-17s that take part in the raid on Wolf are also equipped with fuel-air bombs, to dissipate Wolf's protective cloud. In reality, fuel-air explosives were initially developed by Germany during WWII, under the project name Hexenkessel, which rather fittingly translates to "witch's cauldron". This type of weapon did not see notable combat use until being further developed by the United States during the Vietnam War, and the type of bomb seen here is modelled after the BLU-72, a type of American fuel-air bomb that dates to the late 1960s; while highly anachronistic in reality, it appears that within this universe the technology was developed much faster, likely as a result of collaboration between Karlsland and Liberion.

Browning M2 Aircraft, flexible - .50 BMG

Browning M2 Aircraft, fixed - .50 BMG

Pierrette escorting the flight of B-17s in the fog over Kiel, as they prepare to carpet bomb the city. The forward dorsal turret, operated by the flight engineer, features a pair of fixed M2 Aircraft; the radio operator's dorsal flexible M2 is absent, something consistent on the B-17 model in the show. (Ep.8)

Gertrud and Erica with the B-17s as the fog starts to clear, just in time to allow for precision bombing of Neuroi positions, preventing damage to the valuable port facilities. The asymmetrically-mounted pair of flexible M2s in the nose can be seen here; both are operated by the navigator. (Ep.8)

Another large flight of Flying Fortresses passes over the 501st JFW base in Den Helder. The B-17G's chin turret, operated by the bombardier, and ventral ball turret are each fitted with a pair of fixed M2 Aircraft machine guns. (Ep.10)

The massive group of B-17s approaches the outskirts of Berlin. (Ep.10)

Wolf's protective cloud ominously arcs lightning, as the bombers fly overhead. The B-17's tail turret uses a pair of fixed M2 Aircraft. (Ep.10)

The B-17Gs drop their payload of fuel-air bombs, modelled after the BLU-72, though being notably smaller. (Ep.10)

A burning B-17 plummets past Gertrud and Minna, as the Neuroi react to the bomber raid. (Ep.10)

Several more fall out of the sky, as Shizuka and Yoshika desperately attempt to protect the formation. A newspaper covering this raid is dated January 28, 1946, putting the raid itself a few days before that. (Ep.10)

A lone B-17 being loaded with cargo destined for Britannia, including Ursula's gear, at the airfield in Kiel. (Ep.11)

After receiving a message that Patton's forces, including Yoshika, are trapped in a dome, Mio orders the pilot to change course and head for Berlin, arriving to find Shizuka hovering alone in her damaged striker. (Ep.12)

Shizuka's battle-damaged Shiden Kai sits in the rear of Mio and Ursula's B-17, giving an excellent inside view of the two flexible M2 Aircraft in the waist gunner positions. (Ep.12)

With only one fuel-air bomb remaining, Shizuka volunteers to take Yoshika's J7W Shinden striker and effectively ride the bomb to its target, shooting it to detonate it at the correct altitude. This also provides a good look at the BLU-72 style bomb, as well as an external view of the waist gunners' M2s. (Ep.12)