The X-Men skycraft is a fictional aircraft featured in the X-Men family of comic book titles published by Marvel Comics. It was the primary mode of transportation for the superhero team the X-Men and was featured prominently during issues published in the late 1970s up until 1980 in classic Chris Claremont/John Byrne storylines such as "The Phoenix Saga" and "The Dark Phoenix Saga".
The X-Men used the skycraft to pursue their missing teammate Jean Grey, who had been abducted and brainwashed by Mastermind - a former member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and colleague of the Hellfire Club. Piloted by team leader Cyclops, the skycraft was concealed beneath the reservoir in Central Park in New York City, allowing the group the opportunity to stage a rescue operation.
What none of them realized however, is that the woman whom they thought was Jean Grey was in reality a cosmic entity known as the Phoenix Force. The Phoenix Force had assumed Jean's identity and served on the team for several weeks under the code name Phoenix. Following their encounter with the Hellfire Club, the mental manipulation of Mastermind, combined with the unstable emotional state of the Phoenix Force caused her to embrace her darker passions and she became Dark Phoenix. The X-Men brought her back on board the skycraft believing they had saved her. Dark Phoenix levitated before them however, declaring that she was "power incarnate" and demonstrated this ability by destroying the skycraft. Thanks to the timely arrival of former teammate Beast, the X-Men survived, but the skycraft was beyond saving. (UXM 135)
Other aircraft[]
The X-Men have utilized a wide variety of aircraft over the years, as did their various spin-off teams such as the New Mutants, X-Factor and X-Force.
- X-Men Stratojet - Used after the formation of the second team; destroyed by Count Nefaria.
- X-Men SR-71 Blackbird - Their primary aircraft; Introduced in Uncanny X-Men #104
- X-Men X-wing - Used during the time when the X-Men were based out of San Francisco.
- Ship - Former sentient vessel used by Apocalypse, X-Factor and X-Force.