My army seem to be filling up with Marine versions of IG vehicles, I say filling, I haven't finished anything yet.
I like the Thunderbolt, but it doesn't really fit Marine tactics, so instead I'm thinking of something with the same characteristics at the Lightning

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/lightninga.htm

-Similar size to the FW model
-Slightly forward facing wings similar to most Imperial aircraft
-Smaller wings near the cockpit (canards) similar to the design of the T'Hawk

Anyone who remmebers Space Above and Beyond may be getting some memories of an obvious inspiration

http://www.becodaficcao.hpg.ig.com.br/imag...mmerhead002.jpg

Brief doodle of idea so far

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Still to go, a tail and lots of detailing - mainly the layered plates of all Marine vehicles

Excellent idea and really good design so far, will be watching this log with intent....Yoinking intent.

Revised the design a bit to make it look a bit more like it could fly, still no tail or engines



Made 1 1/2 wings and started on the fuselage to work out how big it will be, may get round to putting up some photos later

looks a bit like a boxy Eldar nightwing to me so far, I always thought Marine flyers would be more akin to small flying coffins (the T-hawk is just a 30 marine bodybag afterall) they would be guships like the vulture/valkire but with higher tech weaponry for close in support. Bear in mind the lightning raid style of Marine warfare, too few in a chapter to re-enact the battle of Britain everytime they assault a world. Just my 2-pence for the record.

For the moment I'm working on the idea that current Imperial navy flyers were development of the preheresy designs available to Marines. As a result they should be reconisable as predecesors to the current ones, but as a result of the degrading tech of the Imperium they should be a bit sleeker, and more Mariney

I avoided the Gunship idea as I though the Marines would be happier with a fast moving fighter. If I can come up with something suitable I'll try and do a design for the Vulture and Valk

Must learn to use Sketchup, but anyway a 3D (attempt) drawing giving a better idea of the proportions and an idea for intakes and engine locations

Looking great so far, can't wait to see a mock up of that!

Looking good so far but it might benefit from some of the elements of the Thunderhawks thrown in or even the Thunderbolt, like turbines or overlapping plates like on the Rhino.

I agree. In it's current state, it looks a little "eldarish" and I feel that being marine, it needs a little more "blockishness". Still feel however that to see this made up would look cool!

The drawing is still the lowest layer of the design, there will be standard Marine layered armour over the top along with probably some scribed detail lines and probably some landind feet like the 'hawk. Possibly circular engine housings on the rear and a tail similar to the 'hawk too

Imagine it as a larger, sleeker version of the Tempest with bits of the 'hawks

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/acatalog/SPACE...E_AIRCRAFT.html

Bit of an update, built up the top to show air intakes and engines at the back, similar below the line of the wings but flatter

I can see where your going with this, and fair play - I reckon you can pull it off, although take the pointy bits off the nose cone - less sharp angles the better but its looking good fella as always.

Any thoughts as to the crew? Marines, servitors, scouts?

I agree with AD, its looking awesome, what would you class it as games wise, Thunderbolt or Lightning?

Probably a Marine in the pilot seat and damn the fluff! Bike/Rhino guy with the com system on the side of his helmet

It's supposed to be a Lightning, sleeker and with the forward swept wings.

If you mean the cannards (like tail wings at the front) they're staying - partly as Thunderhawks have them, partly due to stubborness as I've made them now

I think he meant the canards are sharply angled at the front, basically run sand paper over it to smooth the sharpness.

The canards make it look so good

Ah, cheers

Having already shamelessly stolen the Tempest's intakes I'm thinking about nicking it's tail too. The nose will be detailed similarly, which also mimics the 'hawk. Lascannon under each wing, near the edge and Autocannon central under the nose

Sketchup... is that the Google application?

Looks pretty cool so far.

Tail spoiler/defuser is a good look, your model looks cool as is but remember to look at other marine aircraft, they all seem to be boxy and have a certain thickness. No offence but your flyer looks to have been on a diet, it may need to be a bit boxier. Planetary assault craft are meant to take a pounding and come back for more, so I would thicken out the nose and the tail (top) section around the engines, think reinforced armour.. looks better then anything I could do though :)

looks great i agree with everyones comments it needs to be a bit more bulkey but what wepons are you thinking of useing

h-bolters/[arse]-cannons/las-cannons for an interceptor

hmmm i guess the arse cannon is going on the front like the tempest, lasscanons on wings but wheres the heavy bolters gonna go

Awesome work. Only crit I can think of is that if your not careful it might end up looking too much like an Eldar Nightwing, tis a very similar shape. Keep it fairly bulky and Imperial and you will be fine.

Awesome idea and execution though.

It's going to get a bit bulkier as it will have some more layers of Plasticard over the basic shape to give the layered effect as on Marine Vehicles.
At the moment the weapons I'm thinking of will be the same as the Lightning, Lascannon under each wing and a recessed Autocannon under the nose

@Easy E, I have Sketchup (the Google App) but haven't got around to using it. All my designs are in AutoCAD

Updates!

Top and tail built



Underside built up. gun mounted under the nose and VTOL vents fitted



and a side view

Is that an assault cannon or something else as the gun? I assume you will be making it look a little more cluttered too?

Reminds me of something from star Trek but I can't think what.

If it's a counts-as Lightning then it's and Autocannon, if I decide to VDR it then it can be an Assaultcannon. I thought I'd go for something generic

VDR it! It's an GAU-8 Avenger/M61 Vulcan clone of ever I saw one :D

Hehe, no it's not! Just wait until I get done with my Dragonhawk Transporter and finally get a wild hair to make my Dragonhawk Gunship...can anyone say Vulcan Mega Bolter a la A-10 Warthog? I can!

Absolutely stunning there PoD, plasticard can be a pain to work with. It's shocking how quickly super glue can stick to it sometimes. That front autocannon looks the business without being overly techy, and I think it's rather interesting that a Space Marine flier would have some similarities to an Eldar aircraft...considering Space Marines get all the serious bling bling. How did you make those air-intake vent things? Is it just textured plasticard?

-scrubout

All I can say is GREAT!

I've always wanted to see a Marine/IG flyer with the Mega bolter in, the Marauder Destroyer is the nearest thing. I have considered losing the transpost capacity in a Thunderhawk and fitting the front with one, or go down the Spectre route and stick Demolisher, Assault Cannon, Autocannon down the side

Still working on the fluff form my Wolves to explain the outlandish tech they have, beyond having an ex Iron Priest as a a Wolf Lord I'm considering frozen Forge World as a base - gloabl cooling/nuclear winter/alterred orbit.
As it's Dark Age tech it should look higher tech than the current stuff - sleek design - while still sharing designs and shapes with current stuff - forward swept wings, cannards at the front etc. The Imperium has had contact with the Eldar in the past, didn't they give them Antigrav?

The intakes are model railway corrugated iron, very useful for small bits, not so much for large bits as they are designed to look realistic so have irregular rivet holes and edges

I was trying to imply something to this extent, though it would be interesting to know how true this statement actually is. Guess it's hard to get across what I'm trying to say at 4am...basically I was trying to say that it would make sense for much higher level Imperial tech to start taking on more sleek and alien shapings to it while retaining that clunky Imperial standard.

Conquerors take what they like and forget the rest!

-scrubout