Blood Angels Legion Thunderhawk

Blood Angles Legion Thunderhawk

The Thunderhawk Gunship was a development of the later Great Crusade, designed to operate in atmosphere and void space as a flexible flying craft. It combines the roles of orbital troop lander, heavy gunship and medium bomber, and proved a highly successful addition to the fleets of the Legiones Astartes, scouring landing zones with its array of heavy weaponry before disgorging a payload of Space Marine infantry onto the battlefield. The Thunderhawk went on to become an icon of Astartes power in the air.

Thunderhawk Miniatures Gallery.

Light Tank M5A1 Stuart Mark VI

The M3 Stuart, officially Light Tank, M3, was an American light tank of World War II. An improved version entered service as M5. It was supplied to British and other Commonwealth forces under lend-lease prior to the entry of the U.S. into the war. 

Light Tank M5A1 Stuart Mark VI

Thereafter, it was used by U.S. and Allied forces until the end of the war.

This Light Tank M5A1 Stuart Mark VI is at the Tank Museum at Bovington.

Light Tank M5A1 Stuart Mark VI

Another photograph of the Light Tank M5A1 Stuart Mark VI from an earlier visit to Bovington.

Orc War Wyvern

Orc War Wyvern

As part of the pre-orders available last weekend, when they were announced I said I love the fact that the Orc Warboss on Wyvern will be coming back, this time as a resin model.

This model isn’t though, Azhag the Slaughterer from 8th Edition.

Azhag the Slaughterer

I did write when Azhag the Slaughterer came out that he might make an ideal Boss for my Feral Orks. As with many ideas, it got no further than just an idea. 

This re-release has made me think again about that idea. 

I might have to get two, one for my Orks, and one for my Orcs.

I do have the original Warhammer Fantasy War Wyvern TA3, but that is both an old model, painted as a fantasy model, but also I have no idea where it is.

TA3 Orc War Wyvern

This is the old Citadel Orc War Wyvern, which is from the Games Workshop archive and was on display at Warhammer World.

TA3 stood for Tony Ackland. Tony was one of the early artists, designers and sculptors for Citadel Miniatures (and Games Workshop).

An early release for Warhammer, I do in fact have one of these, somewhere! I remember having real issues gluing the wings using an epoxy resin glue, which I used back them to stick models together. Even then I then added lots of Milliput to keep them attached to the body. Today I would probably need to pin the wings to the body and use green stuff to fill the gaps.

Games Workshop have recently re-released a newer resin version of a old (but not as old as this one) metal Orc War Wyvern kit for Warhammer: The Old World.

Westland Wessex HC.2

This Westland Wessex HC.2 was on display at RAF Cosford.

This Westland Wessex HC.2 was on display at RAF Cosford. The HC.2 was a RAF Troop carrier for up to 16 troops, the prototype was converted from an HAS1 and an additional 73 were built.

I always had this idea of Westland Wessex helicopters flying about for games set in my world of the Second English Civil War or Team Yankee. For 20mm games there are plenty of choices, both kits and diecast models.

More photographs of the Westland Wessex HC.2.

Legions Imperialis Solar Auxilia Arvus Lighter

The Legions Imperialis Solar Auxilia Arvus Lighter was previewed this week and will be available next week for pre-order.

Affectionately known as the “little pig” among Solar Auxilia aircrews, the Arvus Lighter is a reliable armoured shuttle used for ferrying Lasrifle Sections across the battlefield.

This plastic kit contains eight Arvus Lighter models.

M9A1 Armoured Half-track

This M9A1 armoured half-track was on display at Bovington.

The M9 half-track was a half-track produced by International Harvester in the United States during World War II for lend-lease supply to the Allies. It was designed to provide a similar vehicle to the M2 half-track car.

It had the same body and chassis as the M5 half-track but had the same stowage and radio fit as the M2 half-track. 3500 were produced by the end of World War II.

The M9A1 variant of the M9 matched the improvements made to the M2, M3, and M5, changing to ring mount machine gun mount and three pintle machine gun mounts.

Imperial Fists Kratos Heavy Assault Tank

This Imperial Fists Kratos Heavy Assault Tank was on display at Warhammer World.

Imperial Fists Kratos Heavy Assault Tank
Imperial Fists Kratos Heavy Assault Tank at Warhammer World

The Kratos Heavy Assault Tank is based on an Ancient Terran pattern fielded during the Unification of Old Earth, redesigned after the Emperor’s treaty with the Lords of Mars to serve as the spearhead of the Great Crusade, a line-breaker and foe hammer. This grinding battle tank is all but impervious to enemy fire, and its steady, inexorable advance provides an indomitable core to any assault by the Legiones Astartes, enforced by a barrage of overwhelming firepower.