Jumbo Barrel

The Jumbo Barrel, also known as the Funky Barrel and the barrel plane is a special airplane-shaped Barrel owned by Funky Kong, which first appears in Donkey Kong Country.

Donkey Kong Country
In Donkey Kong Country, if Donkey and Diddy Kong pay a visit to one of the six Funky's Flights on Donkey Kong Island, Funky will let them ride in his Jumbo Barrel to any area of the island that they've already visited, free of charge. As a means to prevent level-skipping, the Jumbo Barrel is unable to travel to any unvisited areas. Regardless, the Jumbo Barrel serves as the safer alternative to fighting bosses for traveling between the various areas of the island.

In the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country, the Jumbo Barrel can be found at Funky's Fishing. Once the Kongs have been there at least once, they can call Funky at any point on the map and have him pick them up in the Jumbo Barrel.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, the Jumbo Barrel is replaced with the Biplane Barrel. Although it serves the same purpose as the Jumbo Barrel, rides are only free once at each Funky's Flights II location. Afterwards, Funky will charge two Banana Coins per ride.

Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle
In the 1995 novel Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle, Diddy Kong is given a ride in Funky Kong's barrel plane, which is described as a "custom-built flying machine [resembling] an oversized barrel that had sprouted wings and a tail". In this appearance, Funky Kong uses the barrel plane for his business of transporting people from place to place on Donkey Kong Island. Diddy Kong is initially afraid of joining Funky for a ride, due to Funky's enjoyment in performing loops and dangerous tricks in the air. While in the plane, Diddy Kong spots smoke rising from Big Ape City, which was thought to have been completely abandoned. After Funky Kong returns Diddy Kong to the ground, a beep from the cockpit alerts Funky Kong that someone else needs a flight, so he hastily leaves, accidentally leaving behind his walkie talkie. Contacting him, Donkey Kong hears that Funky Kong had been attacked by some flying pigs while flying over Big Ape City. Donkey, Diddy and Cranky Kong decide to travel there to rescue him.

After reaching the city, the Kongs hear that Funky Kong has been kept in a cell in the Kremlings' factory, as they thought he was a spy sent in a plane. Donkey Kong find him and breaks him out, and Funky Kong leads them to a cargo room where his damaged plane is being kept. After inspecting the barrel plane, Funky says that he requires a new water pump, which Diddy Kong retrieves from the factory's store room. After Funky repairs the barrel plane, they escape through a hole in the factory wall, although they are swarmed by more flying pigs. Funky Kong asks the Kongs to pour the barrel plane's entire supply of banana shakes over the pigs, causing their wings to become sticky. Later, Funky Kong skilfully maneuvers the plane in order to dodge the rockets launched from King K. Rool's zeppelin. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong them decide to jump from the plane, in order to land on the zeppelin. They then proceed to plant it with time-delayed TNT Barrels, and they safely escape from Big Ape City together in the plane, returning to their treehouse.

Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24
The Kongs also use the Jumbo Barrel for their journey from their jungle to the United States of America in the Club Nintendo comic Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24. Donkey, Diddy, Dixie, Kiddy and Cranky all use it at the same time, so the Barrel is cramped and the Kongs are not enjoying their ride; only Donkey Kong stays calm and confident.

Super Mario-Kun
In issue 14 of Super Mario-Kun, Funky Kong lets Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Mario and Yoshi ride the plane. The plane's flight goes awry, however, turning the plane upside-down and dumping the four into the ocean.

Trivia

 * Its appearance and name are most likely taken from the real world Jumbo Jet.