Year: 2020

Home Guard Thornycroft Bison

The Bison was an extemporised armoured fighting vehicle frequently characterised as a mobile pillbox. Bisons were produced in Britain during the invasion crisis of 1940-1941. Based on a number of different lorry chassis, it featured a fighting compartment protected by a layer of concrete. Bisons were used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) to protect aerodromes and by the Home Guard. They acquired the generic name “Bison” from their main manufacturer.

This Home Guard Thornycroft Bison was on display at Bovington.

It’s a good illustration of the desperate state of the defence of the United Kingsom in 1940. Take a lorry and add some concrete to turn it into an armoured vehicle. They were really no more than mobile pillboxes.

I have been thinking about converting a lorry for my Home Guard forces.

Imperial Guard Baneblade

This Imperial Guard Baneblade was on display at Warhammer World in early 2020.

Imperial Guard Baneblade

Another view of this Baneblade from the 2009 ForgeWorld Open Day.

Imperial Guard Baneblade on display at Warhammer World.
Imperial Guard Baneblade on display at Warhammer World.

The Baneblade is the primary super-heavy tank of the Astra Militarum, and one of the largest and oldest armoured fighting vehicles in the service of the Imperial armed forces. The tank is a venerated Standard Template Construct (STC) design, with ten people needed to fully crew one. It is also one of the oldest STC designs in existence. They are often used as command vehicles by Imperial Guard commanders.

Imperial Guard Baneblade Miniatures Gallery.

 

Short Belfast

The Short Belfast is a heavy lift turboprop freighter that was built by British manufacturer Short Brothers at Belfast. Only 10 aircraft were constructed, all of which entered service with the Royal Air Force.

Short Belfast

There are two left, one in Cairns Australia and the other at RAF Cosford.

Upon its entry into service, the Belfast held the distinction of becoming the largest aircraft that the British military had ever operated up to that time.

Short Belfast

Forge World Macharius Omega

The Macharius Omega is a variant of the Macharius Heavy Tank used by the Imperial Guard. The Macharius Omega differs from the standard Macharius tank and its other variants due to its unique main weapon. The Macharius Omega is a war-machine built with a single purpose, the battlefield deployment of the Omega Pattern Plasma Blastgun.

This is the Forge World Macharius Omega on display at Warhammer World.

Forge World Macharius Omega
Forge World Macharius Omega at Warhammer World

This weapon is a variant of the common Ryza Pattern Plasma Blastgun commonly deployed on the Stormblade super-heavy tank. The Omega Pattern is smaller and lighter than the Ryza Pattern, as it uses a compact generator and smaller force crucible allowing it to be mounted on smaller armoured hulls, such as the Macharius. The downside of this version of the Plasma Blastgun is that it is less stable and generates considerably more heat than the Ryza Pattern, but fortunately it is also much easier to manufacture.

While the sins of innovation and initiative are frowned upon by the Adeptus Mechanicus, new patterns and designs of weapons and armoured vehicles are still created. The Macharius Omega is one such vehicle, created with a single focus, that of the battlefield deployment of the Omega Pattern Plasma Blastgun. The STC for this weapon was originally discovered by Explorator-Magus Hum’nal in late M39, but a Mechanicus schism over the purity and completeness of its template delayed the testing and eventual deployment of the Omega pattern weapon for centuries.

Forge World Macharius Omega at Warhammer World
Forge World Macharius Omega at Warhammer World

Space Marine Hunter

As the main surface-to-air tank, the Hunter scours the the skies of enemy bombers and fighter craft with its skyspear missile launcher.

This Hunter was on display at Warhammer World.

The primary weapon of the Space Marine Stalker is the skyspear missile launcher. There are also options to include re-inforced armour on the sides of the tank, as well as pneumatic pins along the base.

Forge World Chaos Brass Scorpion of Khorne

The Brass Scorpion is a Daemon manifesting as a machine, these formidable daemon engines of the Blood God Khorne wreak havoc upon the battlefield.

The superb Forge World version of the Brass Scorpion on display at Warhammer World in a diorama.

This is one of my all time favourite models from Forge World.

Brass Scorpion Miniatures Gallery

T’au at Warhammer World

There were lots of T’au models on display at Warhammer World, including a massive diorama featuring the T’au fighting Titans and Knights.

In the display cabinets were various models. including this Battlesuit Commander Shas’o R’alai with Drones.

The Shas’vre assigned to pilot the XV-9 Battlesuit armour are combat veterans, each a survivor of the deadliest battles against the Greater Good’s most savage foes. The Fire Caste of Ke’lshan has mastered the use of the XV-9, and within this cadre of solemn and determined warriors Shas’o R’alai is a paragon amongst veterans; his skills have been rewarded with the most advanced weapons and equipment produced by the Earth Caste.

XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit and behind it a KV128 Stormsurge.

A huge, deadly and nigh-undetectable weapon of impressive killing capacity, the XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit is a formidable display of T’au war technology. Piloted by a single, hand-picked T’au warrior, a lone Ghostkeel is capable of appearing from seemingly nowhere, unleashing a storm of incredible firepower with its fusion collider and disappearing into the mayhem and confusion of battle. This battlesuit bristles with a vast array of advanced countermeasures, making it invisible to enemy sensors – weapons simply refuse to lock-on and the few that manage to loose off a shot are baffled by a spectacular display of flares and electronic countermeasures.

As seen already on the blog there was also a Devilfish Troop Carrier.

More photographs of the T’au.

Sikorsky MH-53J Pave Low III

Sikorsky MH-53J Pave Low III

This Sikorsky MH-53J Pave Low III was on display in the Cold War Exhibition at RAF Cosford.

The MH-53J Pave Low III helicopter was the largest, most powerful and technologically advanced transport helicopter in the US Air Force inventory. The terrain-following and terrain-avoidance radar, forward looking infrared sensor, inertial navigation system with Global Positioning System, along with a projected map display enable the crew to follow terrain contours and avoid obstacles, making low-level penetration possible.

Sikorsky MH-53J Pave Low III

The MH-53J’s main mission was to drop off, supply, and pick up special forces behind enemy lines. It also can engage in combat search and rescue missions. Low-level penetration was made possible by a state-of-the-art terrain following radar, as well as infrared sensors that allow the helicopter to operate in bad weather. It was equipped with armor plating.