Recently (last night), I was surfing through the Work In Progress forums for some cool conversion ideas and to see what the rest of the community was up to. During my surf, I found this incredible and inspiring piece of work by
Bulldoquk. It’s a Pre-Hersey Imperial Stormbird, a larger troop transport used by the Adeptus Astartes. It was capable of void and atmospheric flight and could hold 60-100 marines. I first heard of this transport in Horus Rising by Dan Abnett. In the book he describes it as being larger than a Thunderhawk. I had trouble comprehending the Stormbird’s size until seeing Bulldoquk’s work.
Here is a blurb from the 40K Lexicanum regarding the Stormbird.
An aircraft used during the Great Crusade just before the Horus Heresy and the introduction of the Thunderhawk. They are void capable as well as capable of atmospheric flight. The actual pattern type is Warhawk VI. They played a similar role as the Thunderhawk Gunship today, and it had many weapons for a supporting troops while deploying from the front hatch.
They were manufactured on Terra by the Yndonesic Bloc for use against the Panpacific tribes during the Unification Wars. Their wings can be folded or collapsed in some manner. They described as bulkier than the Thunderhawk and less-agile. However, the Stormbird can carry up to the equivalent of a modern space marine company, between 60 and 100 marines.
It is also described as having missiles slung under both wings and a cannon mounted on the nose. Stormbirds are piloted by two marines sitting back to back along with two hard wired servitors. It is not known the actual shape or look of a Stormbird, yet early drawings of the Thunderhawk show organic, large, and VTOL Imperial craft dropping marines on a target. Sources I am thinking I need one of these for my Crimson Fists...
