p049979 Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 So I’ve been reading a lot of the Horus Heresy novels of late and they all talk about the stormbird in one away or another. Seeing as there isn’t any artwork around for them I have collated a list of what I remember from the books and tried to rough out a design. I would like to suggest that we start a thread to design, alter, suggest, plan how we think it should look or would like it to look. I’ve done my one as a starting point. Ill be happy to work on it more and change it, if people would like to make there own ideas though that would be great. I would love to have a load of different designs that everyone it working on. So this is where it stands. Not much to help with scale right now but lets say its probably twice the length of a thunderhawk? Ive tried to keep it sleeker but still 40K. All comments suggestions design ideas welcome. Feel free to take the image and alter it as well! Paint over it cut it up change the shapes whatever. http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb300/p049979/stormbird_01_zps05da6d02.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dswanick Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Seeing as there isn’t any artwork around for them I have collated a list of what I remember from the books and tried to rough out a design. Here's one: http://www.ifelix.net/gamingblog/wp-content/uploads//2012/01/flyer.jpg There's also a gallery including a shops kit-bash Stormbird on the GW website : http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/...lePageMode=true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kol Saresk Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 So that's what the buggers look like. Much more impressive than I imagined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p049979 Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 Yeah I've seen that before, there seems to be some contention about it as a stormbird. I cant remember where but I recall people saying that it wasn’t. I could be wrong though. The main reason I'm not keen is the fact that the novel descriptions paint a very different picture that describes a sleeker and more elegant vehicle than a thunderhawk along with things like swept wings. Apparently the wings also fold and carry munitions with the engines underneath. I cant really get on board with that design, I certainly doesn’t fit any of the writings about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leofric Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 The picture in question dates from the first Adeptus Titanicus (Epic) game and is definitively Rogue trader Era, many years prior to the name 'stormbird' being used. What it shows is a marine dropship with a significantly greater carrying capacity than the Thunderhawk (and more than a little influence of the Marine Dropship from Aliens IMO). I agree that it doesen't jive with the idea that the Thunderhawk is its smaller, less good cousin as it doesn't appear to share any similarities with said aerospace craft. Although as Forgeworld is doing Heresy stuff now, we might actually get more information and eventually a kit of one.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adeptus-Alaska Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 I sure do miss Adepticus Titanicus! but, I miss those bad @$$ RT land speeders even more........memories! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Ragnarok Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 So that's what the buggers look like. Much more impressive than I imagined. Yeah, I'd be more than happy if that was the stormbird just larger. ---------------------------------- I'd doubt that the Stormie would look similar to a Thunderhawk as the descriptions paint it as more elegant and more robust and always characterize the THawk as a STC stamped no frills, but sturdy cost effective design. (kinda like the StormB. is a Tiger Tank and the T.Hawk is a T34). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montuhotep Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 There's also a gallery including a shops kit-bash Stormbird on the GW website : http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/...lePageMode=true Both Titans and flyer were done by Bulldog UK - quite a regular in this place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p049979 Posted September 23, 2012 Author Share Posted September 23, 2012 Well per the book based descriptions it also mentions that they have folding wings as they cant get into the landing bay with them deployed. I guess that’s why a thunderhawk has stubby wings. They mention that they are a more skilled crafted ship so I’m thinking more along the lines of smoother edges. It does mention that they are armoured as well though so I suppose some bulk for that. There isn’t any mention in the books about the ability to carry vehicles but I would guess they can? http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb300/p049979/stormbird_03_zps19368d4a.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kierdale Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 I don't know...that design just looks a little too bird-like. The name needn't be squeezed into the shape (or vis-versa) so much. The Storm Talon isn't particularly talon-shaped, after all. There's also the fact that most Imperial flyers are boxy and bruteish, not sleek and streamlined. Call me an old fogy but I prefer the Adeptus Titanicus one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmercx Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 Well per the book based descriptions it also mentions that they have folding wings as they cant get into the landing bay with them deployed. I guess that’s why a thunderhawk has stubby wings. They mention that they are a more skilled crafted ship so I’m thinking more along the lines of smoother edges. It does mention that they are armoured as well though so I suppose some bulk for that. There isn’t any mention in the books about the ability to carry vehicles but I would guess they can? http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb300/p049979/stormbird_03_zps19368d4a.jpg The problem with this design is that it doesn't fit with any of the other style for space marine armor. Nothing in the current line from land speeders or tanks to storm talons and storm ravens look that aerodynamic. I think you are trying to make it look to much like a modern era jet and not enough like grimdark sci-fi. Think it may work better to start from a thunderhawk frame and work backwards then to use a jet frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahrimanjjb Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 The descriptions in the codex do refer to it as an elegant thing of beauty however, as well as several references to it looking like a bird. I do however prefer the more boxy designs however, just seems more Space Marine-y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p049979 Posted September 23, 2012 Author Share Posted September 23, 2012 So I’ve had a play with the hull shape, I think the key thing that sticks out from the books is that it has a conical front. That pretty much rules out the current thunerhawk frontage. So I’ve tried to combine the basic thunderhawk shape with more sleek atmospheric elements. At this stage keep in mind that much of what makes these things look 40K is all the small details, like having lots of plate lines and vents and stuff, once we get to something that a rough shape then ill look at details. I was also interested in the fact apparently it has feet that can grip or grab when landed or hovering. I guess for stability. Any ideas? I added a couple of small hatches on the side as well for scale. They may need to be smaller / Larger. http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb300/p049979/stormbird_04_zps9c63a929.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yodhrin Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 I like the direction of this new iteration, and it's nice to see someone else who thinks that ancient RT-era drawing isn't even slightly adequate to represent the sleek, predatory aircraft described in the novels. I'm not 100% on this, but I seem to recall one of the books stating that the Stormbird design dated from before Unity, and that it had been in use by the Emperor's armies since well before the Great Crusade - it might be worth taking some design cues from Forgeworld's Avenger Strike Fighter as it's believed to originate from the same period - the shape of the wings perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmercx Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 I like the updated design better as well. It's a little closer to what I would picture in my head (which is a combo of the dropship from aliens, the imperial shuttle from starwars and a thunderhawk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p049979 Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 I like the idea of what you suggested and I had a look at the Avenger Strike Fighter, the books talk about it having swept wings but that can mean a number of things. I have now gone through and reworked the wings as well. I like the style and it still has folding tips. I have also re-worked the tail to give a different feel to the current thunderhawk. I think it still looks more streamlined and hopefully more agile than the thunderhawk. One thing I cant figure out is that both this and the thunderhawk must have vtol but god knows how or from where that comes. http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb300/p049979/stormbird_05_zpsf9238c9a.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Yellow Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb300/p049979/stormbird_05_zpsf9238c9a.jpg This looks much better than the original image you posted. Not quite what I have in my mind but it's close. You could always model anti grav plated underneath the vehicle to cover the whole vtol thing. One consideration that you may or may not have given thought to is exactly what it will carry. I will have to re read my Heresy books for inspiration but I recall a Stormbird being able to carry at least a company, and vehicles too. Cheers LM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p049979 Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 I was thinking something like this for scale. Its suposed to be a fair bit larger than a thunderhawk. Feel free to offer thoughts. I was planning for it to have to compartments. One larger at the front then a 2nd area with 2 ramps back and front. http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb300/p049979/stormbird_06_zps0164076e.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rider-75 Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 I'm sure I saw artwork of Heresy era stuff somewhere with a massive flyer winged in a similar way to the Aquila lander, and bulky in the middle like a THawk. If I could find it I'd post it, but I'm damned if I can... That image to me is what a storm bird looks like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Yellow Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 I'm sure I saw artwork of Heresy era stuff somewhere with a massive flyer winged in a similar way to the Aquila lander, and bulky in the middle like a THawk. If I could find it I'd post it, but I'm damned if I can... That image to me is what a storm bird looks like. Was it this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yodhrin Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 If that is the image, I'd say p049979's design is a pretty solid modernisation of it. As for the VTOL capability, perhaps when you reach the greebling stage of the design, each of the six wing engines could be given a system like the F35(JSF)? Combined with recessed or retractable braking thrusters in the nose to kill forward momentum, that should be enough to give it the sort of VTOL required to deliver troops quickly. The "upper wings" would need to be modified or removed though, so maybe not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Yellow Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Maybe we should draw inspiration from slightly further afield: I'm not saying paint your guys blue and attach strings to them but.... LM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazleuk Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 remember that the stormbirds were the height of terran/martian craftmanship and are described in the early HH novels i believe, the current aircraft stormtalons/ravens/hawks were STC and the thunderhawk is called a stop gap measure in one of the ultramarine HH short stories... nice work though will keep a keen eye on this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karden00 Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Love that second image, p049979! Totally on track, imo. It occurred to me though, that so far all the ideas of the swing wings have them coming up, like a Star Wars Imperial Shuttle. Its been a few months since Ive read the Horus trilogy, but as far as I can remember, it was only mentioned that the wings could swing into a more compact position, and not directly that they swung up. (I might be really wrong on that) Why not try having them swing back, or even forwards instead? Given that these craft seem to be landers, perhaps this approach, with its more aerodynamic nature, would be far more useful in atmospheric conditions, rather than an upward swinging set of (very large) wings. Again, the novels may indeed say explicitly that the wings go up, but I do not remember it that way. Like I said though, Loving that pic Courage and Honor And Logistics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJB2K3 Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 There was once pics in the old Epic books of a imperial drop ship that looked like the Ork landa http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/...dId=prod1110135 And was 2 columns wide. In the book Fulgrim, Fulgrims own personal transport was a sleek eagle shapes drop ship! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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