Painting the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers

I have finished painting my 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.

I had the boxed set of the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers, which I constructed and gave a white undercoat.

The models were then given a basecoat of Ushabti Bone. I wanted a lighter colour, knowing that when I shaded the models it would darken the basecoat.

 

I am not particularly happy about painting camouflage, but decided I would have an attempt on these models, partly to push myself in terms of painting, but also to make them look different to the Imperial Navy and Ork models I had painted. I also quite liked the scheme that was used on the GW models.

Now I am pretty sure they used an airbrush on their models, but I didn’t have an airbrush!

I used a stipple brush and Castellan Green to add the green camouflage. I made my stipple brush by cutting the bristles down on a normal brush to around 3-5mm. I didn’t want marked and clear camouflage, more of a stippled or airbrushed look. Paint is added to the brush and then I try and remove some (not so little as with drybrushing) but enough for coverage.

I quite like the effect and I think when shaded this will tone it down as well.

However I think the green might be a little too dark. As with any small models, they are only a few cm long, these photographs zoom in quite a bit.

I painted the engines with Leadbelcher. I did think about using a different colour, as in black and drybrush grey, also even if I should paint them in Ushabti Bone. However in the end I went with the look that Games Workshop have given their models and painted the engines with a metallic paint. I realise that this isn’t realistic, but we know that realism and practicality isn’t something the Astra Militarum follow all the time.

I painted the cockpit glass using Thunderhawk Blue, Lothern Blue and then some white paint for the glare.

I was trying to achieve the same effect that was on the GW models, well close, but not close enough!

In the end I decided that the Castellan Green was too dark and thought should I try again. I did think about using Warboss Green (which I had on the bench) but I think it was too bright. I looked at paints on the GW website, and decided to try either Nurgling Green or Straken Green. I popped to my local store and bought both paints. However I accidently picked up Nurgling Green Dry paint and not Layer paint. So in the end I went over the Castellan Green areas with Straken Green.

This I think has worked a lot better and certainly more the effect I was hoping to achieve. As I also trimmed my stippling brush I got a neater effect as well.

I painted the weaponry and ordance with Leadbelcher.

The model was then given a light wash of Citadel Shade, Seraphim Sepia.

I gave the metal parts of the Valkyrie with Nuln Oil shade.

Here are the four Valkyrie in a row.

See the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers workbench.

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