Doctor Robotnik’s Flame Craft (Angel Island Zone Act 1)

The first showing of Fire Breath is halfway through Act 1 of Angel Island Zone, where it burns up the entire level. At the end, you actually fight the machine. It has a flamethrower and bomb launchers, though it only uses the latter if you are playing as Knuckles. If you have the Fire Shield, just go below it and deck it. If not, wait until it comes down, then hit it a few times. Watch out for when it shoots a flame, when it comes down, and when the three missiles shoot off. After six hits, the sub-boss is destroyed.