Category: aeronautica imperialis

Painting the Aeronautica Imperialis Thunderbolt Fighters

The Thunderbolt is the mainstay weapon system of Imperial Navy fighter wings and is a rugged, well-armed and armoured heavy fighter with all-around capabilities, a good maximum speed and above-average maneuverability, powerful nose-mounted weapons and hard points located on the wings for missile or bomb load-outs. The Thunderbolt’s primary combat role is as an air superiority fighter. It seeks out and engages enemy aircraft in dogfights or hunts enemy bombers to establish air superiority.

There are two of these in the Wings of Vengeance boxed set. Having constructed the two fighters, I gave them a white undercoat.

I armed both my Thunderbolts with Skystrike missiles.

I did start to think about what paint scheme I should use for my Thunderbolt fighters. I wanted a dark top, and a light underneath. I did really want a light blue underside and a dark blue topside. Continue reading “Painting the Aeronautica Imperialis Thunderbolt Fighters”

Undercoating the Aeronautica Imperialis Marauder Bombers

The Marauder Bomber is the workhorse of the Imperial Navy. Capable of both atmospheric and void operations, it is used as an attack craft in fleet actions as well as fulfilling a tactical role, supporting ground offensives by bombing enemy troop concentrations and support positions. Such tactical bombing missions are often launched prior to, and in support of, Imperial Guard offensives.

There are two of these in the Wings of Vengeance boxed set. This is the painted version on the GW website.

Having constructed the two models.

I gave the models an undercoat of white paint.

I diverged from the instructions when cosntructing the models, and added the weapon loads whilst the wings were separate. I went for a full weapon load. What I was concerned about was the stuck weapons falling off or being knocked as I added further weapon loads. In the end sticking them down went very smoothly.

See the workbench feature on the Aeronautica Imperialis Marauder Bombers.

Building the Aeronautica Imperialis Thunderbolt Fighters

The Thunderbolt is the mainstay weapon system of Imperial Navy fighter wings and is a rugged, well-armed and armoured heavy fighter with all-around capabilities, a good maximum speed and above-average maneuverability, powerful nose-mounted weapons and hard points located on the wings for missile or bomb load-outs. The Thunderbolt’s primary combat role is as an air superiority fighter. It seeks out and engages enemy aircraft in dogfights or hunts enemy bombers to establish air superiority.

There are two of these in the Wings of Vengeance boxed set. This is the painted version on the GW website.

Here is the sprue for the models. As you can see both Thunderbolts are on the same sprue.

These models, like other Aeronatical Imperialis models, have a fair few parts, but they are easily constructed. I like the fact that the wings are one piece, rather that sticking two pieces, the top and bottom together (as you would normally do with an Airfix style kit). It does show how far plastic kits have come in the last few decades, but also from a design perspective, realising (especially with SF models that they don’t necessarily need to reflect an actual prototype).

One of the challenging aspects of this kit is the engine cowlings and exhausts, but once you have done a dry run, they are relatively simple to put into place.

The next stage will be a white undercoat.

See the workbench feature on the Aeronautica Imperialis Thunderbolt Fighters.

Painting the the Aeronautica Imperialis Air Waaagh! Fighta Bommerz

I decided to build the Ork Fighta Bommerz from the Aeronautica Imperialis boxed set.

There are two different versions on the single sprue and though there looks like lots of parts, they are quite simple to put together. The number of parts is about the number of weapon choices you can have. There are two versions of noses, fuselage, wings and tails,  included in the model. So in theory you can mix and match if you get more kits later.

I gave the models a white undercoat, using a spray on both sides. These are really nice models, lots of detail.

The next stage was the base coat. I decided that I wanted an orange scheme for the planes so I went with Averland Sunset.

This shows I painted the models, I held one wing painted the rest of the model. The let it dry and then finished off the basecoat. I was pleased with the coverage of this base paint. Continue reading “Painting the the Aeronautica Imperialis Air Waaagh! Fighta Bommerz”

Constructing the Aeronautica Imperialis Marauder Bombers

The Marauder Bomber is the workhorse of the Imperial Navy. Capable of both atmospheric and void operations, it is used as an attack craft in fleet actions as well as fulfilling a tactical role, supporting ground offensives by bombing enemy troop concentrations and support positions. Such tactical bombing missions are often launched prior to, and in support of, Imperial Guard offensives.

There are two of these in the Wings of Vengeance boxed set. This is the painted version on the GW website.

Aeronautica Imperialis Marauder Bomber

The models are made from two sprues, making two bombers in all.

There appeared to be a large number of parts for this large aircraft. This initially put me off slightly, so one of the reasons I didn’t make it first. However decided I better crack on and got going. The first stage is getting the main fuselage and cockpit together. These models are well designed and went together very easily.

The wings and embedded engines contain quite a few parts, though the main wing is a single part.

I added the fore and rear parts to the fuselage. I added the dorsal turret, which looks like it could quite easily shoot the plane’s tail off!

I diverged from the instructions and added the weapon loads whilst the wings were separate. I went for a full weapon load. What I was concerned about was the stuck weapons falling off or being knocked as I added further weapon loads. In the end sticking them down went very smoothly.

I am not thinking about WYSWIG with these models, as they restricts how you can use them in games, and I am not going to go out and buy lots of models to represent different variants.

Here is the almost completed model, the tail  has been added, as has the front and real turrets.

The next stage was to glue the wings to the main fuselage, so here is the completed aircraft.

I do think these planes should be larger, here is one next to a Thunderbolt Fighter. The size was of course a consequence of it being originally a Forge World resin kit of Warhammer 40K. I think there are opportunities here to release a bigger bomber and other aircraft. These could come from the Warhammer studio, but why not from Forge World?

The next stage will be a white undercoat.

See the workbench feature on the Aeronautica Imperialis Marauder Bombers.

Building the Aeronautica Imperialis Air Waaagh! Dakkajets

Having recently purchased the Wings of Vengeance boxed set I was expecting that it might take a little time for the models to be built and painted. I am a bit slow when it comes to modelling, mainly in finding the time. So finding some room and time I decided to build the Ork Fighta Bommerz from the Aeronautica Imperialis boxed set. Having made good progress with those I started on the Dakkajets.

Among the smallest and most numerous of Ork aircraft, the Dakkajet is built for speed and firepower, capable of unleashing devastating hails of buffets from its arsenal of quad big shootas.

There are three of these in the Wings of Vengeance boxed set. This is the painted version on the GW website.

In the retail box you get six of the little planes.

Here is the sprue for the models. As you can see all three are on the one sprue.

I started to put all three of them together.

Undercoating the the Aeronautica Imperialis Air Waaagh! Fighta Bommerz

Having recently purchased the Wings of Vengeance boxed set I was expecting that it might take a little time for the models to be built and painted. I am a bit slow when it comes to modelling, mainly in finding the time. So finding some room and time I decided to build the Ork Fighta Bommerz from the Aeronautica Imperialis boxed set.

There are two different versions on the single sprue and though there looks like lots of parts, they are quite simple to put together. The number of parts is about the number of weapon choices you can have. There are two versions of noses, fuselage, wings and tails,  included in the model. So in theory you can mix and match if you get more kits later.

I gave the models a white undercoat, using a spray on both sides. These are really nice models, lots of detail.

I armed this one with big bombs and some rokkits.

The other Fighta Bommer.

This one is armed with rokkits and big shootaz, as well as a couple of bombs.

Though I supposed I should have armed the planes according to a stats card, I decided early on that I wouldn’t use WYSIWYG on these models, so that you can use them as whichever Fighta Bommer variant you want to play with.

The next stage will  be the base coat.

See the workbench feature on the Aeronautica Imperialis Air Waaagh! Fighta Bommerz.

Pre-ordered the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers

Typically seconded to the Astra Militarum, Valkyrie Assault Carriers deliver troops directly to the front, hovering in place to provide fire support, before blasting off to take on enemy aircraft. Versatile weapon hard points allow them to be kitted out to take on a wide range of ground targets and aircraft.

Out of all the new imminent releases for the next phase of Aeronautica Imperialis releases for Skies of Fire the one that I liked the most was the Valkyrie. So much so that I did something I rarely do, and pre-ordered the boxed set of the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers.

The set includes:

      • 4 plastic Astra Militarum Valkyrie Assault Carrier miniatures (can also be built as Vendetta Assault Carriers)
      • 4 Aeronautica Imperialis bases (each base designates the model’s front, rear and side arcs, has speed and altitude dials as well as a clear stand to connect the aircraft to the base)
      • 1 Valkyrie Squadron transfer sheet

Aeronautica Imperialis: Valkyrie Assault Carriers

The box comes with two sprue and there are two Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers on each sprue.

Looking forward to building these.

As I said on Twitter I do wonder if we will ever see tanks and infantry in this scale for Adeptus Titanicus? Well this Valkyrie does show what is possible.

 

Building the Aeronautica Imperialis Air Waaagh! Fighta Bommerz

Having recently purchased the Wings of Vengeance boxed set I was expecting that it might take a little time for the models to be built and painted. I am a bit slow when it comes to modelling, mainly in finding the time. So finding some room and time I decided to build a couple of the models from the Aeronautica Imperialis boxed set. I had a choice of four different aircraft, and it was quite difficult to choose which to do, initially torn between the Fighta Bommer and the Thunderbolts, I decided, let’s for the Orks first.

There are two of these Fighta Bommers in the Wings of Vengeance boxed set. This is the painted version on the GW website.

Laden with heavy armour and an even heavier payload of guns, rokkits and bombs, the Fighta Bommer is built with a single principle in mind – might makes right! This flexible aircraft does exactly what its name implies, serving as both an attack fighter and a bomber. It is equipped with quad big shootas, turret big shootas, and an ever-handy tail gun with which to defend itself against enemy fighters.

Here is the sprue for the two models.

There are two different versions on the single sprue. The boxed set has instructions for all four aircraft (as might be expected) and though there looks like lots of parts, they are quite simple to put together. The number of parts is about the number of weapon choices you can have.

The initial stage is the nose and forward weapons. There are two versions included in the model. So in theory you can mix and match if you get more kits later. The nose is then added to the fuselage and the main engine added to the rear.

There are also two tail variants, adding the number of options you can have to create different versions of the same jet (very Orky). In theory I should have added the wings to the model before adding the armament, but in the end I decided to add the bombs, rockets and big shootaz to the wings before sticking them to the fuselage.

Here are the completed models prior to undercoating.

Considering their size, these are really detailed models and are reminiscent of their larger Forge World 40K cousins.

I gave the models a white undercoat, using a spray on both sides.

The next stage will  be the base coat.

I am still decided which colour they should be, thinking orange!

Skies of Fire

Well on Sunday over on the Warhammer Community site, there has been the official preview of the new Aeronautia Imperialis boxed set, Skies of Fire.

You’ll get absolutely everything you need to fly your first sorties, including a set of five aircraft for each side, a game mat and rulebook, dice, reference sheets, tokens and a transfer sheet. The T’au force includes three Barracudas and two Tiger Sharks, each with a wide array of weapon options. The Imperium’s forces consist of two Valkyrie Assault Carriers, which can alternatively be built as Vendettas, plus three Lightning Strike Fighters, one of which can be built as a Lightning Fighter.

I mentioned in an earlier blog post that I had taken the leap and purchased the Wings of Vengeance boxed set.

After hearing that it had gone direct only and was to be superseded by a new boxed set featuring the Tau, I decided I had better buy it now before it was gone.

It’s not that I don’t like the new boxed set, much more that I prefer the Imperial and Ork models in the Wings of Vengeance boxed set. So much so (and quite unlike me) I have already started putting the models together…

These are lovely models, so I was interested to see what we would get in the Tau boxed set. Obviously there would be Tau, but I was intrigued who their opponents would be. Not looking at the rumours I did wonder if it would be a Xenos race, so was pleasantly surprised to see that it was the Imperial Navy.

I wasn’t anticipating that we would see the Valkyrie.

They look great.

I don’t think I will buy the boxed set, but I do think I might get a box of the Valkyrie Assault Carriers. As I said on Twitter I do wonder if we will ever see tanks and infantry in this scale for Adeptus Titanicus? Well this Valkyrie does show what is possible.

I am not a great fan of the Lightning Strike Fighters so happy to let them pass. As for the Tau, well they look like nice models, but not for me.