Mandragol-air

[Firedrake Cordova]

They look really nice (and you're running through them quite quick, aren't you? :))

 

One issue is going to be painting the camo scheme on them. They've got some armour panels, which have camo painted on for my normal Thunderbolts. I'm thinking about painting their noses red to match Jarni's plane, which will tie them together a bit and also make all their noses identical, so I don't have to worry about camo schemes not matching up with the weapons.

The Germans had the "home defence" markings on their aircraft (aka the yellow nose), so squadron identification or similar for that area sounds like a good call. :)

[Arendious]

Ace work there, Mandragola!

 

Red noses sounds like an excellent plan too. Thinking about camo, depending on when in the Rynn's World conflict you're at, most of your planes will have been dispersed to small island airstrips. So your camo might be based on the vegetation of the island each plane/flight is operating from. (Visual camo and some netting probably suffice to fool orks.)

[Mandragola]

Here's a quick photo of my six Thunderbolts, now with their unit markings applied.

 

 

So I've numbered them from 1-6 by just sticking a number on the tail. There aren't many places on a Thunderbolt you can easily fit transfers so this seemed like the best option. The "waist" is kind of a non-option as there's a hatch with a grab handle (or something that looks like one) in the side that would ruin any transfer.

 

The ace wings were a pain, as I knew they would be. I let these dry a bit and then cut the panel lines into them in position, using a brand new blade. Applied a bunch of micro set after that. The left wing has a lumpy thing so I cut the transfer around it and then painted in the missing bits. It should look ok once all set.

 

Overall I'm quite pleased with how these have turned out. The red noses tie them together as a unit with Jarni and look quite aggressive, which is cool for fighters.

 

What do you think?

[Firedrake Cordova]

They look pretty great to me :D

 

What's left?  4 Marauders of various variants?  Then Orks, or is that it?

[Mandragola]

Thanks. Yeah, the Marauders need their transfers and markings. I've been thinking about trying to make the markings reflect the character of the planes in some way. I like how the red noses on the thunderbolts look aggressive. I think that would be less appropriate on the marauder bombers but might be more so for the destroyers, which I see as a bit more gung ho.

 

I've been finding the transfers a bit annoying. They don't seem designed to actually fit on many places on the models. The wings are a pain but at least they can be made to go on the wings, but several of the things don't fit anywhere.

 

I've found the same issue with AT transfers, which I've bought separately at some cost. You get these designs that don't match anything in the colour plates or fit on the titans anywhere. What are you supposed to do with them?

 

So for example on my Thunderbolts I've added the winged imperial navy symbol to the wings but there's actually nothing to say this is appropriate, or whether I should be using the version with or without the wings. I guess I should just accept that this is a nice thing - I'm being given the freedom to decide where to put decals - and not worry about it. But it's a bit odd to have all these things when FW's pictures show their planes largely... plain.

 

So anyway, I'll put some transfers on the marauders and they'll be fine.

 

And then (or perhaps in parallel) it'll be the orks. I'm not really sure what needs to happen next but I think it'll be necessary to build the grot bommer as the eavy bommer at the same time as making my converted flying wing and twin-fighta-bommer. This way I'll be able to hopefully avoid losing any of the tiny bits in the process, as all three will share components. I need to add the three broadside shootas for the eavy bommer, put a ball turret in its nose instead of the quad, and a single turret on top instead of two. I also want to modify the wings so they've got room for bombs instead of grot bombs.

 

Overall the orks are going to feel like a bit of a different project to my Imperial Navy, featuring a lot more conversions.

[Firedrake Cordova]

Thanks. Yeah, the Marauders need their transfers and markings. I've been thinking about trying to make the markings reflect the character of the planes in some way. I like how the red noses on the thunderbolts look aggressive. I think that would be less appropriate on the marauder bombers but might be more so for the destroyers, which I see as a bit more gung ho.

Sounds good to me!

 

I've been finding the transfers a bit annoying. They don't seem designed to actually fit on many places on the models. ... I've found the same issue with AT transfers, which I've bought separately at some cost. You get these designs that don't match anything in the colour plates or fit on the titans anywhere. What are you supposed to do with them?

Hmm ... that doesn't sound good, and I can certainly understand your annoyance/frustration!

 

And then (or perhaps in parallel) it'll be the orks. I'm not really sure what needs to happen next but I think it'll be necessary to build the grot bommer as the eavy bommer at the same time as making my converted flying wing and twin-fighta-bommer. This way I'll be able to hopefully avoid losing any of the tiny bits in the process, as all three will share components. I need to add the three broadside shootas for the eavy bommer, put a ball turret in its nose instead of the quad, and a single turret on top instead of two. I also want to modify the wings so they've got room for bombs instead of grot bombs.

Pics or it didn't happen! (yeah, I know it's not done yet...)

Edited April 27, 2020 by Firedrake Cordova

[Mandragola]

Pics? Ok.

 

Here are the bits for the bommer’s top turret.

 

Chopping up a gun from the ball turret to get the round thingy for the side of the top turret.

 

 

 

The assembled turret… which I think I’ll change slightly. I see the grot is looking down a scope, so I’ll angle the guns down so they’re pointed the same way it is.

 

 

I’ve started sticking shootas on the sides of my bommer’s hull. These will need a bit of surround detail. I’m drilling holes for them rather than just sticking the barrels on the surface as I think that will be stronger. And I’ve also got the bommer’s second ball turret to fit in the nose.

 

 

 

So that’s a bit of progress. I need to find a couple more shootas (spares from these fighta bommers I’ve cut up will probably do) and then it’ll be time to chop away at the wings. Then lots of work with GS to fill holes and make it all look vaguely intentional. The bit for the turret to sit in will be a bit of a challenge I think, as it’s designed for the two turrets on the grot bommer.

Edited April 27, 2020 by Mandragola

[Mandragola]

I have to say, I look at the pictures above and wonder what I’m doing. I could just buy some Eavy bombers! That would be so much easier than this nonsense. Oh well, it seems sort of fun to do, and I don’t have enough Grot bombs for three bommer az, so it vaguely makes sense.

[Firedrake Cordova]

Pics? Ok.

Sorry if it wasn't obvious (it's a common phrase at work...), but it was just an encouragement for images of the model when you get it done, as cool conversions are always great to look at. :D  If you want to do a project log, though... :)

 

I have to say, I look at the pictures above and wonder what I’m doing. I could just buy some Eavy bombers! That would be so much easier than this nonsense. Oh well, it seems sort of fun to do, and I don’t have enough Grot bombs for three bommer az, so it vaguely makes sense.

Yes, but they'll be your eavy bommers, and no-one else's will look like them. :D

[MithrilForge]

Really nice work here, an enjoyable read through it was 

I love the red nose fighters and the Ace, they really pop all together and look very cohesive. 

I do like your idea of a flying wing Kinda like the WW2 German Ho 229 

Look forward to seeing the end results of this project.

 

Cheers, Mithril

[Mandragola]

I've got some progress to report.

 

First, I grabbed a Skies of Fire box set. All assembled and I've painted my first barracuda:

 

 

 

Meanwhile, work slowly continues on my Orks. My Eavy Bommer is now fully constructed, awaiting only some big bombz under the wings before painting (one day...).

 

 

Quite a lot of surgery has been happening to ork planes, to swap weapons around. So the double- hull grot bommer had its wing shootas removed:

 

 

...and stuck on the underside of my flying wing dakkajet.

 

 

This is now nearing completion too. A bit more detailing is needed though.

 

 

Meanwhile, all the holes I've patched in the Eavy Bommer's wings are where I removed the hatches and stuff for the grot bombs, which will be added to the double-hull plane... eventually.

 

Here's a WIP shot under the Eavy Bommer's wings. The holes ended up with 3 layers of plasticard in - one in the middle to roughly fill the gap and then a layer of panels either side. The broadside guns are shootas I looted from various places, and I cut some tube into thin slices for the portholes.

 

 

Filling the big holes in the top where the waist turrets were was quite tricky. I roughly filled the interior with some struts to hold the new turret I made, then bent some plasticard into the shapes of the missing bits of hull. Quite a lot of liquid GS went into filling the gaps.

 

 

Finally, one of my Lightnings has had a bit of an accident. 

 

 

I don't really rate lightnings at all in AI. I've made one to be the ace, one with a pair of lascannons as a cheap (but not cheap enough) roster filler and this one will be painted in the colours of one of the traitor Legios. I think I'll go with Sons of Horus as I've got some suitable transfers from the Warbringer itself.

Edited June 26, 2020 by Mandragola

[Firedrake Cordova]

Unsanctioned use of Imperial assets, report to Adeptus Munitorum. :lol:

 

Seriously, looking great :)  Which type of titan is it that's doing the stomping?

[Mandragola]

It's a Warbringer, or at least the skeleton of one. More pics of it here: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/353158-mandragola%E2%80%99s-legio-astorum/page-21

 

To be fair, I think that shooting down a traitor aircraft is entirely sanctioned. But anyone who disagrees is welcome to address their complaint to the Legio Astorum.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The kitbashing is masterfully done.

[Mendi Warrior]

I second that opinion, wonderful conversions, very nice work 

[MithrilForge]

Loving the Flying wing 

 

Mithril

[Reyner]

How did you paint the barracuda? Really nice grey camo (mine will be dark red and grey for O'Shovah and the Enclaves!)

[Fajita Fan]

The double hull plane makes me want something like a P38 but I already assembled and primed all 6 of my dakka jets.  I'm never even gonna use all 6 in a game 

Edited July 1, 2020 by Fajita Fan

[Mandragola]

The double hull plane makes me want something like a P38 but I already assembled and primed all 6 of my dakka jets.  I'm never even gonna use all 6 in a game 

 

Thanks. It's actually a pair of fighta bommerz, not dakkajets. My next project is going to be turning a little bit of a lightning into a dakka jet, if I can. When I say "next"... well it's there in the queue behind quite a lot else.

 

How did you paint the barracuda? Really nice grey camo (mine will be dark red and grey for O'Shovah and the Enclaves!)

 

This is mostly space wolf colours. I sprayed grey seer then used Fenrisian grey for the light bits and the fang for the dark bits. I then painted the whole thing gryph charger grey and drybrushed Fenrisian grey again.

 

Then a few white areas and some black templar on the engines and stuff. It's a pretty quick scheme.

Edited July 2, 2020 by Mandragola

[Fajita Fan]

I was going to do a cut down fightabomba middle hull with two Dakkajet bodies as the engines/tail booms. Would that have been too small? I never quite mocked it and just got them assembled/sprayed. 

[duz_]

Impressive work :tu:

 

Poor little lightening though :(

 

Did the titan stomp on it mid air or post crash?

[Mandragola]

Post-crash, I think. The Warbringer has a couple of hydra turrets on it, so I think it might could shoot down a plane. It's not the most agile thing though, so I don't rate its chances of roundhouse kicking a supersonic fighter.

 

I'd like to draw your attention to the fact that the lightning (though arguably blameless itself) is being piloted by a filthy traitor Legionary. Having a titan stamp on it is appropriate and proportionate to the offence.

[Fulgrim]

Love the planes being shown here, especially the thunerdobolts above!

If i could highjack the post for a minute...?
Getting only started with AI myself, i find it very enjoyable to paint...
I have in my collection the wings of vengeance starter along with a few separate boxes. I've been enjoying painting imperial assets alot, and playing a few low point games. I've been enjoying painting  those planes to the point i'm thinking about getting more, but then i'd like to be able to justify that there's a reason to get them to play them aswell...

Will i at any point (assuming a high point game) need more than 2 marauders of a given type or 6 thunder bolts?
As for the ork side, is there a point in having more than 9 dakkajets and 6 fightabomerz in my collection?

Edited July 9, 2020 by Fulgrim

[Mandragola]

I don't know the answer to that. I basically got into AI during lockdown so I haven't played.

 

I think 6 TBs is probably enough. I could see a possible case for having 4 (or possibly even 6) marauder bombers for a bombing mission or the new canyon attack run scenario. It sounds like you've probably got enough ork stuff.

 

There are new planes you can have though. Valkyries and Lightnings are out for the Imperials and the Orks have their big bommers. Maybe a box of valkyries and another of grot bombers would serve you well.

[Firedrake Cordova]

Will i at any point (assuming a high point game) need more than 2 marauders of a given type or 6 thunder bolts?

As for the ork side, is there a point in having more than 9 dakkajets and 6 fightabomerz in my collection?

I think the answer depends upon how you want to use them (roles-wise), and how you feel about WYSIWYG (which isn't a requirement). 

 

For example, 6 Thunderbolts of various patterns is approximately 150 points, which alone should give you enough fighters for a large-ish dog-fight game.  Where "I might want more models" comes in is if you want to equip them for various roles, but also want to keep to the spirit of WYSIWYG - maybe you want to use a couple of Thunderbolts in a ground-attack role with wing bombs for bombing missions, and don't want to surprise your opponent by announcing you're commencing a bombing run with a model that either has no ordnance, or only air-to-air missiles, on the model.