Aeronautica Imperialis Tiny Planes at Warhammer World

Aeronautica Imperialis is a game of aerial combat set in the Warhammer 40,00 universe. While ground troops push forward to secure tactical objectives, winged squadrons push forward in the skies to decimate enemy positions and intercept enemy fighters. 

At Warhammer World there are some lovely Aeronautica Imperialis models on display.

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.

Aeronautica Imperialis Marauder Bomber

Sacrificing a portion of its bomb payload in favour of nose-mounted autocannon and an increased complement of Hellstrike Missiles, the Marauder Destroyer specialises in low-level assaults on ground targets.

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.

Imperial Navy Thunderbolt Fighters

As well as the Imperial Navy there were some great looking Air Waagh! Ork flyers as well.

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.

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!

Aeronautica Imperialis Miniatures Gallery

Aeronautica Imperialis Workbench

What next for Aeronautica Imperialis?

Aeronautica Imperialis Logo

I’ve enjoyed painting my Aeronautica Imperialis models and even I am impressed that I have managed to build, undercoat and paint them in a relatively short timeframe. I did my Valkyrie Assault Carrier in a week! I would usually take a few years to paint them (if at all….).

I started to think about which models I would get next, and that got me thinking what we have seen that still needs to be released and also what could be released in the future and what I would like to see in the future as well.

Some of these are obviously core Games Workshop releases, some could be plastic kits and I think others might be Forge World models or upgrades to plastic kits.

Forge World have released some kits for Adeptus Titanicus, such as weapon upgrades, new titans and scenery. I would like to think that they would do something similar for Aeronautica Imperialis.

What I might get next?

So, there are now quite a few released models for Aeronautica Imperialis, Ork, Imperial and now T’au aircraft. I bought Wings of Vengeance, so I already have Ork Dakkajets, Fighta Bommerz as well as Imperial Thunderbolts and Marauders. I also bought a box of Valkyrie Assault Carriers.  I was lucky enough to find a box of Ground Assets recently, so I have those as well.

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.

Aeronautica Imperialis Ork flyers from Warhammer World

If I get those then I might get the Heavy Ork Bommerz as well. Continue reading “What next for Aeronautica Imperialis?”

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”

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.

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!

Took the leap with Aeronautica Imperialis

Aeronautica Imperialis Logo

Take to the Skies! Aeronautica Imperialis is a game of aerial combat set in the Warhammer 40,00 universe. While ground troops push forward to secure tactical objectives, winged squadrons push forward in the skies to decimate enemy positions and intercept enemy fighters. 

Though I think I bought the original Forge World Aeronautica Imperialis rules I don’t think I ever got around to playing an actual game. I certainly painted up a few of the planes though.

I had thought about buying the new game for a while now, but kept putting it off and buying other stuff. When the game first came out I did wonder about the size of the planes and how they compared in size to the Epic models I had already. I know that the new Adeptus Titanicus was “larger” in scale than the original Epic, so I was assuming that these new Aeronautica Imperialis planes would similarly be larger. However I found searching the internet that I couldn’t for sure see a comparison between the old and the new.

So I was pleased on a visit to Warhammer World in January to see the models in “the flesh” and they are significantly bigger than the Epic versions I had in my collection.

These were the Ork Air Waaagh!.

These are the Imperial Navy flyers.

I decided that if I was going to get into the game, I would buy the Wings of Vengeance boxed set. Continue reading “Took the leap with Aeronautica Imperialis”