Been a while since I posted anything - I've been distracted by other life issues.
Anyhoo. Wanted a stormraven for my
GK.
GWUK had just shut down access to ROW from UK dealers, and teamed with the pricerise, meant I wasn't going to pay $106 for the actual model.
I didn't like the actual model. It reminded me of a (fashion) model that was all boobs and no butt (gotta have balance in these things).
I wanted something that looked like it was capable of carrying 12 infantry models AND a dread internally (not carrying the dread by a sling). I got a box of choccies for a present, and after consuming them, noticed the plastic box (trapezoidal sides) might make a good basis for a flier. the base of the compartment is 75mm wide and my metal
GK dreadnought physically did fit into the box with arms attached.
I also wanted something that looked kinda like a Republic attack shuttle, and kinda like the SST dropship landers.
Here's what I ended up with. The Tempestas Corax (Storm Raven) pattern Assault shuttle. Yes, it's a box with wings.
GW describe theirs as a "Flying land raider" but omit that it has less armour. Overall length (tail to lascannon muzzles) is 23cm. Overall wingspan is 24cm and height is 11.5cm
I didn't like how the main gun turret on the official model is on top (bad place if it's going to be providing ground support fire) AND also disrupted airflow into that top intake. So I went for a chin mount under the cockpit.
Secondary weapons (Heavy bolters) are side of the cockpit mounts and missiles are magnetically attached to the underwing locations.
The aforementioned chocolate box formed the core of the transport compartment (after being clad with 0.5mm plasticard sheet). The rest of the fuselage is 1mm plasticard sheet. Canopy struts, forward hull light panels and landing gear came from a Valkyrie (clubmate donated them).
Tail came from a spare Macragge Aquila shuttle wreck.
Engine intakes came from Robogear (I have about a dozen of them), main engine bodies are electrical conduit cut to size and exhaust nozzles came from a pair of dried up Artline permanent markers.
Wings are 3mm Balsa wood clad with 0.5mm plasticard (edges, too) and panels are 0.25mm plasticard.
Landing thrusters are from the landspeeder. Mounting blocks for rear landing gear and thrusters are LEGO angle bricks (used in the house roof constuction).
Side doors are spare Rhino hatches.
Other hatches are plasticard cut and shaped. The arc described by the forward ramp clears the chin mount by 3mm.
The chin turret uses the baseplate from a razorback turret, with a cut-down pair of lascannons (spare valk ones) backed by another LEGO brick. It can be replaced with any other Razorback turret piece (so other weapons are allowed for).
The Dread is carried internally in the rear half which has its own rear doors and ramp allowing for the dread to exit or embark.
The project took me a day or so to sketch up and make templates for and three days to build.
Cost me around $16 in materials. It serves its purpose.