Hydra
The Hydra is a military jet in GTA San Andreas with hover and plane modes and homing missiles. Steal it in Vertical Bird and it spawns at Verdant Meadows.
Key facts
- Class
- Aircraft
- Type
- Military jet with hover mode
- Weapons
- Homing missiles
- Unlocked by
- The mission Vertical Bird
The Hydra is the military jet of GTA San Andreas. IGN calls it one of the most useful vehicles in the whole game: it carries a homing missile launcher, has nitro boosters at the back and can switch between two flight modes. Its best vehicles guide goes further and calls it unstoppable.
How to get it
CJ first steals a Hydra for Mike Toreno in Vertical Bird. IGN’s walkthrough has him sneak aboard an aircraft carrier at the Easter Basin Naval Base, disable the SAM sites and take off. Three enemy jets follow, then four spy ships near the Sherman Dam must be destroyed, which IGN says is easier in hover mode. Landing the jet in the Verdant Meadows hangar pays $50,000.
From then on a Hydra spawns at the Verdant Meadows Airstrip, in the hangar to the left of the Stuntplane. IGN’s Hydra page also mentions End of the Line, so finish the story if it does not appear. IGN lists the Easter Basin Naval Station and Area 69 as other places to find one.
How to fly it
The Hydra takes off like a helicopter. It starts in hover mode with its thrusters pointing down, which IGN says is useful for take off, landing and lining up targets. In this mode you rise with X, RT or W and descend with Square, LT or S, depending on your platform.
To switch to plane mode, raise the landing gear with the right stick (NUM 2 on PC), then push the right stick forward (NUM 8). The thrusters swing back and the jet flies like a normal plane. IGN warns that the Hydra is one of the fastest planes in the game, so climb to a safe height before you switch, or you may fly straight into the canyons around Verdant Meadows.
Related vehicles
The Hunter and the Jetpack also spawn at Verdant Meadows once unlocked. Area 69 is home to the Rhino tank.
Videos
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