The Squats are back!

In a double bluff April Fool, Games Workshop have confirmed that the Squats are coming back to Warhammer 40000.

Squat

It has come to our attention that yesterday’s stunning reveal of the next Warhammer 40,000 faction fell on an unfortunate date. This was an honest mistake that absolutely anyone could have made. To make it up to you, we have a rather special announcement.

They’re real.

Humanity’s long-lost cousins actually are making their return to the 41st Millennium as a full Warhammer 40,000 faction.

The Leagues of Votann are a new faction in Warhammer 40,000 and are by any other name Squats.

Although their civilisation shares common roots with Humanity, the Leagues of Votann have an uneasy relationship with the Imperium of Man. Unlike their superstitious Human cousins, the Leagues emerged from the Age of Strife with far more of their ancient technology intact, including some infamous advances the Imperium would consider extremely heretical.

So expecting to see some powerful and reliable weaponry. We also know that Squats used Rhino transports as well.

Will we see bikes and trikes? These when they were originally released did divide opinion.

What about the Iron Eagle Gyrocopters which function as a fighter-bombers and Overlord Armoured Airships for Aeronautica Imperialis? I can see that at some point we might see models for the Leagues of Votann.

Unlike most other Imperial armies, the Squats don’t build Titans. Instead, the Engineering Guild provides the army with a variety of Praetorian Super Heavy War Engines. Will we see these in Adeptus Titanicus. These would be ideal opposition for Imperial Titans, but I think this is probably a no. We’ve not see Ork Gargants, or Eldar Titans, so unlikely we would see Squat engines of war.

 Will Forge World make bigger versions for Warhammer 40,000? Well they already make the termite assault drills, which can be used by Squats. As for the aircraft, maybe, as for the Praetorian Super Heavy War Engines I would have thought not.

I would like to see for Adeptus Titanicus or Warhammer 40,000 the Squat Land Trains, these would be fun models, even if they were released more as terrain rather than unit models.

In the meantime here are some photographs of my Warhammer 40,000 Squats from the last century!

These are original Space Dwarfs, which I enjoyed painting in a particular style, which for some reason included pastel colours.

The bases were enhanced with milliput and then holes were made with the end of the paintbrush.

These also demonstrate my early attempts at blending and highlighting.

There was a real mix of weapons on these old models, from las rifles to bolters to power fists.

I loved the power armour on the leader of my little group of Squats and the Heavy Weapons Dwarf was certainly carrying something probably way too big for him.

I wish I had been able to buy more of these at the time of their release. I much preferred the high-SF scheme I went for compared to the space bikers look that the squats eventually evolved into, before disappearing…

And now they’re back!

Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8

The Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 was a British two-seat biplane reconnaissance and bomber aircraft of the First World War designed and produced at the Royal Aircraft Factory. This Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 was on display at RAF London.

This was the most widely used reconnaissance aircraft in the Royal Flying Corps and RAF from 1917, serving with about 21 Squadrons. Its stability meant it lacked manoeuvrability when attacked and casualties remained high.

Nick-named the Harry Tate’ after a music-hall comedian, this stable reconnaissance/artillery spotting aircraft entered limited service in late 1916. 

Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8

This flying replica, in No. 9 Squadron colours, was built in New Zealand by The Vintage Aviator Ltd in 2011, using original R..8 rudder, wing and fuselage parts held by the RAF Museum as patterns. 

Lego DeLorean

Lego are going to release a Lego DeLorean from Back to the Future.

Lego DeLorean

Inspiring fans to fire up their brick building engines, the LEGO Group and Universal Brand Development have revealed a brand new three-in-one reproduction of one of the most iconic vehicles of all time – the Back to the Future DeLorean Time Machine.

Inspired by the DeLorean car seen in the time travelling adventure film franchise from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, the LEGO Back to the Future Time Machine set allows builders to create the car from either the first, second or third film. What’s more, it comes complete with a light-up flux capacitor, a box of plutonium, Marty’s hoverboard and LEGO minifigure versions of Doc Brown and Marty McFly.

You can build one of three versions of the iconic vehicle.

Tempted.

I wonder if it is the same scale as the Lego Volkswagen T2 Camper?

Then (with a little work) you could recreate that scene in the Twin Pines Mall.

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin

The Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin was a British fighter aircraft manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It was used by the Royal Flying Corps and its successor, the Royal Air Force, during the First World War. The Dolphin entered service on the Western Front in early 1918 and proved to be a formidable fighter. The aircraft was not retained in the postwar inventory and was retired shortly after the war.

The Dolphin’s unusual wing arrangement gave its pilot an excellent view. It was heavily armed with up to four guns. Many pilots removed one or both Lewis guns from the top wing. No. 87 Squadron repositioned them on the lower wings outside the aircrew arc to increase the volume of fire when ground strafing.

This Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin was on display at RAF London.

This example is a composite reconstruction with original tail surfaces, fuselage frame parts and nose cowlings from three separate aircraft. Its identity comes from the original Sopwith built rear fuselage section, from an aircraft built in 1918 and probably used by a training unit.

Obi-Wan Kenobi Official Teaser Trailer

Like this, looking forward to this.

I enjoyed both the Book of Boba Fett and the Mandalorian on Disney+.

 

Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2b

This replica Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2b was at RAF London.

Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2b

The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine tractor two-seat biplane designed and developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory. Most of the roughly 3,500 built were constructed under contract by private companies, including established aircraft manufacturers and firms new to aircraft construction.

Early versions entered squadron service with the Royal Flying Corps in 1912 and the type served throughout the First World War. Initially used as a reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber, some examples modified as single-seat night fighters destroyed German airships.

The B.E.2b was a very stable aircraft. On 26 April 1915, 2nd Lt William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse attacked Courtrai Railway Station, Cambrai, Northern France flying B.E.2b No 687. Dropping a 100lb bomb he was fatally wounded by ground fire but managed to fly home, being awarded the first Victoria Cross awarded for an aerial action.

Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2b

The detailed replica at RAF London was mostly built under contract at the former RAF Museum facility at Cardington in 1983-88. It incorporates a few original B.E.2a fittings and the correct original propeller, and carries the markings of the aircraft in which 2nd Lt Rhodes-Moorhouse won his VC.

Painting Big Tiny Planes

I have been working on my Grot Bommers for Aeronautica Imperialis. 

The Grot Bommers are one of my favourite planes from Aeronautica Imperialis. 

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!

Having constructed the models I gave them a white undercoat. This was then followed by a base coat of Blood Angels Red contrast paint.

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.

I am liking progress so far.

Avro 504K

The first 504 arrived in 1913. They were the basis for five night-fighter squadrons.

The Avro 504 was a First World War biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the war totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in any military capacity during the First World War. More than 10,000 were built from 1913 until production ended in 1932.

The 504 was the first British aeroplane to strafe troops on the ground as well as the first British aircraft to make a bombing raid over Germany.It was also the first Allied aeroplane to be downed by enemy anti-aircraft fire.

This 504K was at RAF London and is restored from two other planes, the wings came a Avro 548A.

The 504K was a training version of the 504 produced in 1918.

Painting Tiny Planes

I did some more painting of my Asuryani Flyers.

These are the Asuryani Flyers (though I think of them as Eldar Flyers) that came with the Wrath of Angels boxed game.

You get three Nightwing fighters, in the Wrath of Angels boxed game, you also get three Phoenix Bombers.

I had given the models a base coat of Ork Flesh contrast paint. After touching up bits of the model that I had missed, I then gave the models a drybrush of a green dry paint to bring out the highlights.

Blériot XXVII

When I visited the RAF London Museum I nearly bypassed the Great War hangar, I didn’t have a huge amount of time and didn’t think I could see everything. In the end I did go into the hangar and I am glad I did. There was a great selection of aircraft on display and I really enjoyed walking around and looking at the planes.

The first of the planes was the Blériot XXVII, built for speed, this streamlined single-seat racing monoplane had a rotary engine and shared many features of other Blériot monoplanes.

The Blériot XXVII on display at RAF London was built in 1911 and later in 1914 it was put into storage.

It was flown again in 1936 and underwent further restoration in 1963 and 1974.