Gawain Knightmare

Constructed under the auspices of Prince Schneizel El Britannia, the IFX-V301 Gawain is a highly unusual Knightmare Frame. Larger and heavier than practically every Knightmare produced up to that point, the Gawain features many experimental technologies, most of which are incomplete at the time of its first deployment. Instead of the ejection block cockpit standard to Britannian Knightmares, the Gawain features a two-seater cockpit, though only one pilot was needed to operate the machine. As a result of its unorthodox design, it remains unknown if the Gawain even features such standard Knightmare technologies as the factsphere sensor camera. What it does include is the advanced tactical computer called the Druid system, the flight-capable Float system, and the powerful but uncontrollable hadron cannons. Initially, Schneizel plans on using the Gawain's Druid system to analyze the mysterious ruins found on Kaminejima Island, but his plans are disrupted when Zero and Kallen Stadtfeld of the Order of the Black Knights steal the Gawain in order to escape from the Britannians.

After returning to base, Zero has the Order's resident scientist Rakshata Chawla install a Gefjun Disturber, which regulates the hadron cannons' power as well as providing the Gawain with a degree of stealth. The Gawain becomes Zero's personal Knightmare, co-piloted by his partner C.C., the only Black Knight to know Zero's true identity as Lelouch Lamperouge. During the Black Rebellion, Lelouch comes under fire from Jeremiah Gottwald, enhanced by Britannia's Code R project and piloting the experimental Siegfried. In order to deal with the threat and allow Lelouch to rescue his abducted sister, C.C. pilots the Gawain solo and grapples with the Siegfried, pushing both machines to the bottom of the ocean. Over a year later, the Black Knights recover the ruined Gawain, and Rakshata uses whatever components she can recover to build the Black Knights' airship Ikaruga, as well as a new knightmare for Zero, the Shinkirou.