Grot Bommers

Was given some reinforcements for Aeronautica Imperialis, in the shape of some Grot Bommers as a present, which was nice.

The diminutive Gretchin have long been enthusiastic supporters of Ork aviation, whether gleefully pushing bombs out of open bays, crawling into tight spots to fix engines, or acting as spotters and even gunners on ork planes. It doesn’t take long before they become obsessed with flying just like their bigger kin, begging for their own turn on the control stick. Some enterprising Ork meks decided this arrangement could be mutually beneficial, and created guided missiles that could be flown like a tiny, gretchin-sized airplane. Fitted with a short-burn rocket engine and stuffed with unstable explosives, some rabid grots are happy to climb aboard just for the (short-lived) thrill of speed and freedom. They’re loaded into the wings of specially-fitted Grot Bommers, and launched in support of the Air Waaagh!

I did say in a post last year that these would be my next purchase for Aeronautica Imperialis would be these planes.

The obvious answer for me is a pair of Grot Bommerz. I do like the concept of these, though I am not a big fan of the actual models, but Orks is Orks, so they are next on my shopping list.

Here are the sprues, there are three (well two and a half) sprues in the box.

This sprue has the engines, the tails and the cockpits. This sprue is identical the Eavy Bommers sprue.

This sprue has the wings and the main fuselage.

The (half) sprue had the Grot Bombs.

I followed the instructions which are very clear and straightforward.

Lots of lovely detail for such tiny models.

I like the different engines and cockpits used, very Orky in appearance.

Have made more progress on the models.

The main wings and engines are now complete. The engines were relatively easy to construct and fix to the main fuselage.

I have also added the tail section and the dorsal gunners. The dorsal gunners were a little fiddly.

They are nice big models which will look very imposing against the Imperial Navy.

I was able to finish making the models. I added the tail pieces.

These are slightly different to the tails on the Eavy Bommers.

So feeling quite pleased with the finished models.

I looked over the sprue to find some  parts I hadn’t used. Now there were the tail pieces, but I also had four of these parts left over. I had no idea what they were.

 

I checked the instructions and I realised that these were part of the dorsal gunners that I hadn’t used. So I had to remove the dorsal guns, glue in the part and then restick them to the bommers.

I also constructed the Grot Bombs, both the underwing ones and the flying models.

I decided that I would paint all of these separately rather than fix them to the wings.

Having finished construction of my Grot Bommers I gave the planes, the Grot Bombs and the flying Grot Bombs a white undercoat.

I sprayed the bottom half first and then left that to dry before then spraying the top half.

I do like the undercarriage of the model which looks very Orky, but reminds me of the Antonov An-225 Mriya or the Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant. I suspect this was intentional on the part of the designers.

Spraying the Grot Bombs was a little more challenging as the force of the spray blew them about on my painting box. However I managed to get them all done in the end.

The next stage is the base coat.

For painting I will probably follow a similar process I used on my other Ork aircraft. Though I think yellow or orange might be the way to go as with these models that I saw at Warhammer World.

Having built and painted the models I have actually grown to like them. I like the amount of detail and they certainly are big models compared to the other (tiny) planes I have now in my collection.

This is one of the models.

Here is the other one.

The next stage was a basecoat.

I used the Blood Angels Red contrast paint.

As is usual with my painting there are still some white patches…

I did quite a thick coat, though reading round the use of contrast paints, two or more thinner coats would have been better. Something to do in the future with future models and contrast paints. I am even tempted to repaint my Adeptus Astartes flyers.

After touching up bits of the model that I had missed, I then gave the models a drybrush of Astorath Red dry paint to bring out the highlights and this actually toned down some of the dark patches I had by using the contrast paint.

More photographs of the Grot Bommers.

The second of the two Grot Bommers.

Next stage will be adding the detailing before washing the model.