The Blue Tracer was a specially designed multi-use vehicle used by William "Wild Bill" Dunn. It could function at high speeds for long distances with great agility on land, under water, or in the air, while greatly out-performing conventional vehicles of all types.
History
Quality Universe
The Blue Tracer was invented and assembled on a battlefield in Ethiopia, over the course of many months, and finished in 1941, by American engineer William "Wild Bill" Dunn and his Australian colleague "Boomerang" Jones. They cobbled it together out of captured and abandoned Axis military equipment. For the duration of the Second World War, the Blue Tracer and its crew operated independently of the regular Allied military units, and achieved several notable victories against the Axis forces.
Earth 10
In Earth 10 continuity, the Blue Tracer was reimagined to be the mobile base and rapid transport of The Freedom Fighters.[1] It had very different capabilities, weapons, and appearance from the original. This Blue Tracer was operated, and repaired when necessary, by a man called Cache, about whom nearly nothing is known. This Blue Tracer was ripped apart by the Cyborg Overman, forcing Cache and the Freedom Fighters to abandon it.[2]
Capabilities
Quality Universe
- It rolls on traction plates and wheels, on land.
- It has retractable wings, for high-speed flight.
- It is fully submersible, and can either bottom-crawl or swim, under or on the surface.
- It can bore thru solid volcanic rock.
Earth 10
- It flies, hovers, and submerges.[3]
- It has fixed wings and rocket engines, and is extremely fast.[4]
- It has a medical bay.[5]
Weapons
Quality Universe
- Two .50-cal. machine guns and one anti-aircraft cannon mounted in the nose
- One topside .40-cal. machine gun mounted amidships
- Internal bomb racks
Earth 10
- No visible weapons
Onboard Equipment
Quality Universe
- Radio controlled.
- "million horse-power engine"
- Shell proof Duralium armor
Earth 10
- Advanced electronic espionage equipment: From aboard the Blue Tracer, Cache could monitor a wide range of Nazi communications and computer systems.[6]
- Stealth technology
Notes
- A detailed blueprint of this unique vehicle appears on the 6th page of the 2nd story of Military Comics #4. This is the first and last mention of the vessel's "Duralium Armor"; we are not told what "Duralium" is or where Dunn obtained it.
- At first, Dunn kept the Blue Tracer in a hidden hangar, built into a hillside in Ethiopia.[7]
See Also
- Appearances of Blue Tracer
- Vehicle Gallery: Blue Tracer
- Catalogued images related to Blue Tracer
Links and References