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Thunderhawk Project; Building a metal Thunderhawk
Topic Started: 13 May 2012, 08:41 PM (2,394 Views)
Kraegos
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Hello Ammobunker users, I'm new to this site, this is my 1st post.
My friend Deffberf suggested I post about my current modelling project, an original metal thunderhawk gunship.

I bought my thunderhawk second hand off Deffberf recently and have started building it last week.
It was complete except the key to the wooden case, which Deffberf is searching for.
I have photographed the kit and all accessories with iphone 3g camera so sorry if blurry.

Here is the kit before assembly.

1: The wooden case
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2: The text on the case including the Thunderhawk's number
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3: The wooden case's Imperial Eagle corner decorations
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4: The certificate of ownership, it's envelope and the wax seal that was on the envelope
NOTE: Certificate photo edited to protect Deffberf's real identity
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5: The instruction manual and transfer sheet
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6: The gunship's parts in it's wooden case
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Next post will show beginning of construction
Edited by Kraegos, 13 May 2012, 08:44 PM.
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# Old Guard
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Entertainment officer...Meet the gang cos the boys are here.....
WhoA!!! shiny antique!!!!! very cool. Ok the level of photoes being taken is acceptable. Continue!
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Kraegos
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Here are the construction pictures of the first couple of evenings work following the instruction manual closely.

1: Stage 1
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2: Stage 2
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3: Stage 3
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4: Stage 4
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More posts to come as I continue building the gunship, it's a complex build so please bear with me.
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# El Diablo
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Warmaster Of Chaos
Thats a pretty ambitious project you've got there, certainly going to be an enjoyable one to watch.

Any plans for a colour scheme yet?
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Cothbarton
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Second Lieutenant
*reads this and gawps, open-mouthed in shock*

Waaaaait, wait, wait... they made them in METAL at one time?!?! :o
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fireangel
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Second Lieutenant
Absolutely amazing. I completely forgot about this release! So cool to see one pop up out of the blue like this. I never saw the box, but I remember wishing I could afford one back in the day.
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Kraegos
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Yeah the metal thunder hawk was released in very limited numbers, a few hundred I think back in 1996, I was 13 at the time and didn't start 40k until 1999 so I never saw it 1st time, but always wanted one since I saw it in 3rd edition SM codex.

Deffberf has had it since 96 but never built it, he no longer plays marines so sold it to me as I do play marines and he'll get to see it occasionally.

btw El Diablo I'm am just starting Imperial Fists using new 2012 paint range (used to play a black DIY chapter) so the Thunderhawk will be a strong (but not too bright) mustard yellow.
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fireangel
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I suggest really doing the model justice and using the FW IA2 book as a reference point to find a really strong and popping paint scheme!
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Kraegos
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I think I have that book somewhere, I'll take a look.
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Cothbarton
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I'll have to keep an eye on this one. :)
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Tychonaut
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Second Lieutenant
Seeing one of those hardcore Collectors Pieces being assembled brings mixed emotions, it really does.
Awesome work so far, but be careful. Might just be a trick of the pics, but the last two armor plates look a little mis-aligned.

As for the painting side of things, have you seen the Imperial Fists 'stealth' camo?
What I mean by that is in the fluff somewhere, they flipped their 'Yellow with Black' scheme to avoid being seen during a campaign on a Night World.
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Kraegos
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Interesting idea Tychonaut, thanks for the suggestion, but I think I'll prefer the look of it in full yellow.
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# KayvaanShrike
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Heck I didn't even realise they made a T'Hawk in metal! Crazy, I imagine that thing will need a whole load of greenstuff!

Look forward to seeing this continue.
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Chrisdabeard
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Holy Crap!!! I haven;t seen one of these since they came out in the 90's. Great find mate, especially with the original box. Looking forward to seeing this come together.
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Silent Gallows
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ooh shiny! i remember this being released way back when. Hope you're pinning it together! ;)

Should look splendid in IF scheme.
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# Marovian
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High Lord Admiral of the Imperial Fleet
Now that takes me back. I think they were initially given away as prizes.

Very brave man putting that together. What glue are you using?
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deffberf
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Second Lieutenant
It certainly is an exciting project. With your conversion/construction skills this will turn out great. I personally never had the guts to start putting it together myself. I take my hat off to you and wish you the best of luck with the construction. :D
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general345
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If I remember correctly, GW handbuilt 10 metal T-Hawks for a gamesday back in the late 80's/ early 90's All of the GW stores at that time had to paint up a squad of Ultamarines and/or a vehicle, in the scheme of the 10 Ultramarines Companies. That resulted in a total Ultramarine Chapter of 1000 troops plus vehicles, including the 10 T-Hawks. A picture of this is in the 3rd Edition Space Marine Codex. Some of the T-Hawks were given away at the Gamesday, the others disappeared into the hands of selected GW personnel (or so the rumour goes).

There was such a clamor for these by the rank and file, that they finally made this version, assuming that it would be so expensive that only clubs would be able to buy it.

I got mine second-hand and was already built. You definitely have to pin it everywhere, it weights a little under 10 pounds (4.5 Kg's). The builder said it was missing a side when he received it, and had to make a mold of the opposite side and melt a lot of pewter minis inorder to make the side. Mine is painted in the original Ultra scheme.

It's much smaller than the current FW version, GW felt they wouldn't have anyone buy it if they made it to the proper scale. And postage would have been murder.
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Kraegos
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Thanks for the replies everyone.

@ KayvaanShrike, I'm using Milliput to fill the inevitable gaps, miliput is similar to green stuff.

@ Silent Gallows, yes I'm pinning it, in fact GW supplied brass rod in the kit specifically for that purpose.

@ Marovian, I'm mainly using Loctite super glue, but have invested in some Araldite epoxy that I may use for load bearing joins.

@ General345, if you look closely at the photo of the ownership certificate's 2nd page (or your own Thunderhawk certificate if worded the same), you can see it talks about 3 thunderhawks for Gamesday 96, there may have been 10 like you say but the certificate suggests 3 for UK gamesday 96.
Here's some more construction pics, showing lower rear hull plate, heavy bolter sponsons and Imperial Eagle added to model.

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More to come as I build it
Edited by Kraegos, 15 May 2012, 01:56 AM.
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general345
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I read an article in an old WD about that gamesday, They show the 3 that they built in the codex picture, and those were probibly the ones they used as prizes. But I don't know for sure, then the article mentioned that additional pqrts were made for a total on 10. But they wouldn't say what happened to the other 7, other than 'someone' in GW probibly had them.

This will be a great build, mine looks great on the shelf, but the FW version simply blows it away.
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