I remember watching this show back in 1997-98. Those were the days when I was in School, studying 7th standard and usually used to watch Cartoon network, Cricket, WWF(now WWE) and Stuff like that. Well I guess, every kid would have done that at that age.
And when talking about Cartoon network, there some some shows I love watching. For the whole the the Different Genres of shows are tele-casted on Cartoon Network. the morning Comes up with Young Cartoon or baby Cartoon like Tom and Jerry Kids, then AF comes up with Comic Types like Road Runner, bugs bunny. Then Evening with Action Shows like SWAT kats & Ninja Robots and Night with mixed shows like Sylvester-Tweety, Tom and Jerry and Popeye.
But out of all these, Honestly, only two of them touched my heart. For Comedy - Its the Sylvester and Tweety. And Action - its the "SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron". I don't remember the episodes but I still remember the show and its details, especially their Jet and weapons.
When Aired? -
This Show was Aired on Cartoon Network at around 3:30 or 4 pm daily in India(i am not sure Exactly). And its a 30 minute show, Monday to Saturday.
I was so fan of this Show that, I come running form school Daily to watch this show on TV. The Craziest thing I have did for this Show is - At most of times daily, my mom does't return back home by 4pm but I reach back early.
So since the door is locked but the watch the show so hard, I open up the window, put the TV towards the Window with the help of a strong Stick, turn it on and watch it from outside the house!(those days we had old CRT TV which had no Remote Control).
Whats the Show? -
The show is based on cats and happens on the world or City full of Cats(fictional). But I still do not know why they are called Kats.
The Show is all about events happening in a cats dominated city "Megakat" and the Two brothers named "T-Bone" and "Razor"(full named Chance "T-Bone" Furlong and Jake "Razor" Clawson) who are former Enforcers. They manufacture their own advanced fighter jet Plane "TurboKat" built from discarded Military jet parts form salvage yard and live under underground hanger below the Yard.
At Every Episode, the brothers and their Jet deal with taking out enemies Attacking the City. They Actually help of the Magakat Enforcers and Air-force team. But the Fact is, most of the Megakat Enforcers team hate them except few.
The Cats aka Kats -
Both The Brothers "T-Bone" and "Razor" are well trained in Martian Arts. They would have learnt it when they were working as Enforcers to protect the city.
T-Bone is Elder one and takes care of Flying the Jet. And Razor is the younger one who takes care of the Weapon and Radar system. Both have very good mutual Understand and lots of trust and I love that.
About TurboKat and their weapons -
The thing I love the most with this show is the Super Advanced Fighter Jet Plane code named'TurboKat".
The Specification of TurboKat is Awesome and I love it. Here it is -
The jet has 2 primary Afterburners and 1 Auxiliary Afterburner for VTOL. During VTOL operation the two primary Afterburner turn back with front Exhaust Thrusters and combine with one Auxiliary Afterburner for VTOL and do the Take off and landing. And During normal fight, the jet uses all three Engines to fly.
The main Wings can extended for Sub-Sonic Speed and Retracted for Super Sonic speeds. This design is Actually inspired from "Grumman F-14 Tomcat".
Speeds - The jet has the Ability to reach to the Speeds of Mach 5+(season 1) and Mach 8+(season 2). the Season 2 has jet installed with Additional booster jets for additional 3 mach Speeds. The Plane actually has the ability to reach the speed of heat.
Range - 1000 miles which is possible with its Maga Laser Radars.
Weapons - The plane has various types of Weapons like Cement Launcher, Net Launcher and various other Missiles. I don't remember the names.
The additional weapons the turbokat as well as the Brothers have are -
TurboMole - a subterranean vehicle used to drill underground. it also has various other guns and missiles.
HoverKat - Their Specialized Hover Craft. The Hover Craft sometimes also turn back into a Submarine.
Thunder Truck - their Modified Tow Truck. They usually use to Retrieve parts from Salvage yard.
Cyclotron - motorcycle built into the jet's seating, deployed from the bomb bay of the Turbokat like a missile. One of the brothers use this bike for special close combat purpose while the other brother is still on the Flight.
Wrist Weapons - This is the thing I love the most. This Wrist equipment has weapons like Mini Missiles, Net Throwers, Hanging Rope and remote Control for The operating their jet without being inside the Jet(Making the turbokat an UCAV).
Waist Jet Pack - Both the brother wear it and use it for flying themselves when they are out of their Jet Plane.
Their Hanger -
Their Hanger is Located/build under the Military salvage yard. They have an Runway underground and use the Ski-jump method to take off. I have no idea how they land their jet back to the hanger. I guess they probably use the VTOL.
The jet stands on rotating platform in the bunker, hence not requiring an Taxi-way to turn their plane around.
Not only this, their hanger has special thing like - Advanced Communication system, weapons training and Air/space Training section which includes an "Human Centrifuge".
The Episode I loved -
Well I basically don't remember any episode in Full. There are a lot of them and most of them Similar where the Kats take out their jet to fight against the Enemy Jets and other monsters which threaten the City. The enemy also have their special Vehicles like Jets and Trucks.
But there is one Episode which I remember where The SWAT Kats Travel to an Replica city of Megakat and there they meet the another team of SWAT kats labeled "Skeleton" on their Air Craft Nose and they fight against each other.
I loved that particular Episode, because since both the side have almost the same Jets and Capabilities and the Fight was equal and hence the eagerness of "Who win Win" was on the high.!
Why I like this Show -
Well Basically I love Stuff like Special Force, Advanced Military, Tactical Units, Air Force, Navy, Air Craft Carriers, weapon techs and so on. And this Show was very Tactical that with Advanced Fictonal Jets and weapons. And during those day I was so Crazy about these planes and Weapons that I used make Paper model of these things.
And I have a love on these even today!
The Sad Part -
The Sad part was, the Show only lasted for 2 season, just between 93 to 95(97 to 99 in India). And after that their was no SWAT Kats.
My Questions to all the producers and directors out there at Hollywood is - When you guys can make movie like "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "Scooby Doo" and "flintstone". Even the part of Transformers movie is inspired from "Ninja Robots", then Why not the SWAT Kats!
But as of 2015, talks are on to revive the show/serial and even there are talks to make an 70 minute movie based on the Series. Hope this happens soon.
VERDICT -
Overall, This is one Action Show which I loved to Watch on Cartoon Network. I dream of the "TurboKat" even today. I hope companies like Columbia Pictures or Hasbro produces a movie based on SWATkats.
