Not only can it get Marines to where there going fast, it’s got the guns to fight in the air or on the ground. Come see one of the most feared ships of the Space Marines, the Thunderhawk!
The Thunderhawk gunship is a multi-use aircraft in wide use by Space Marine Chapters. Each Chapter of the Space Marines maintains its own fleet of Thunderhawks. Normally reserved for large-scale battles, time and time again its use in the various fields of war has been proven. With such might like this, only a great threat to the Imperium can demand use of these mighty craft.
History
The Thunderhawk was first deployed during the last years of the Great Crusade as a cheaper-to-produce replacement for the Warhawk VI “Stormbird” gunship.. Armed to the teeth with a Thunderhawk cannon and various other weapons, its use become more and more widespread.
Many Marines who rode in the newly-deployed Thunderhawks felt uncomfortable, finding them lighter and flimsier compared to the more dependable Stormbirds. During the Horus Heresy, Captain Remus Ventanus of the Ultramarines predicted that the Thunderhawk was just a “stopgap” design, and the Legions would develop a better design, or revert to the more reliable Stormbird, before long.
Design
Thunderhawks are among the most technologically sophisticated vehicles employed by any Imperial force, and as such benefit from a number of advanced systems.
Armament
The Thunderhawk is armed with a large number of weapons, though the configuration varies. Its primary weapon is fitted on a limited traverse dorsal mount and can mount either a Turbo-laser Destructor, powerful enough to strike down even a Scout Titan with an accurate shot, or a modified Battle Cannon useful for ground bombardment.
It also has two Lascannons mounted on either attack wing and at least four Heavy Bolters in hull-mounted twin-linked sponsons, with room for four additional Heavy Bolters under the main wing tips.
In addition each wing has three bomb pylons, each of which carry one Hellstrike Missile, three Bombs or Smart Bombs, or an external fuel pod, for a total of six missiles/pods or eighteen bombs. All of the Thunderhawk’s weapon systems are controlled by the gunner through remote multi-spectrum surveyors from the flight deck with assistance provided by the Machine Spirit.
Control Systems
The pilot, co-pilot, navigator and gunner are all located in the gunship’s flight deck above the forward hold and in front of the upper hold. The navigator and co-pilot also control the primary narrow-band, long-range communications transmitter located on top of the fuselage, along with the sensor array and electronic counter-measures. The navigational equipment also transmits information to Space Marine command units, while an emergency location beacon will automatically begin broadcasting should the Thunderhawk be shot down.
Despite their complexity the Thunderhawk’s systems are rugged and reliable, and are all controlled by an M33 ‘Cygnus’ class Machine Spirit. Utilizing aetheric and phlogiston feed coils, alembic shielding and pseudo-synaptic relays, the Cygnus has a cognition speed of 40,000 co/sec with a maximum contemplation capacity of 10,000 kilobrains, making it comparable to that found in a Reaver Battle Titan.
Defensive Measures
Armour for the Thunderhawk is constructed in a similar manner to that of a Land Raider, giving it an unprecedented level of protection. An adamantium inner hull is layered on top by titanium rolled plates, followed by a thermoplas fibre mesh, and then two layers of ceramite, the second of which is ablative. The ceramite and thermplas fibre layers are increased in depth to provide the craft with additional protection in order to perform repeated atmospheric entries, making them thicker than those on a Land Raider, at the expensive of thinning the titanium and adamantium layers. These armour layers makes the Thunderhawk very well-protected and particularly resistant to Melta Weapons.
In addition to its armouring, Thunderhawks also come equipped with a Decoy Flare Launcher located in the lower rear fuselage, along with additional electronic counter-measures used to jam enemy sensors and tracking equipment.
Engines
The Thunderhawk is powered by triple RX-92-00 Mars pattern, combination rocket/afterburning turbofans mounted on each wing and under the fuselage. In an atmosphere the turbofans provide enough thrust to propel the craft to approximately 2,000 kilometers per hour. When operating in space the forward turbofan section is isolated from the exhaust and combustion chambers, where fuel from the onboard fusion reactor is pumped in to create a high-pressure, high-velocity stream of gasses which provide thrust.
Additional retro exhaust nozzles are located around the Thunderhawk’s hull to provide maneuverability in zero-gravity conditions. They also allow the craft to operate in hover mode when in an atmosphere. For improved atmospheric handling the gunship features two ‘attack’ wings located above the main wings, which provide additional directional stability when making gun attacks. Their movement is synchronized and, during normal flight, are locked into position by bracing on the upper main wings, which are released when the Thunderhawk approaches a target.
Transport Capacity
At full capacity a Thunderhawk gunship can carry thirty power armoured Space Marines, or half as many in Terminator Armour, divided between the upper and forward holds. It can also carry a single Dreadnought in the forward hold, which takes the space of five Space Marines, or Space Marine Bike and Attack Bikes, which take up space equivalent to three and four Space Marines, respectively. Embarked troops can enter and exit through a forward assault ramp or two access doors on either side of the forward hull.
Thunderhawk Specifications
| Type | Orbital Dropship | Operational Ceiling | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Name | Thunderhawk Gunship | Max Speed | 2000 kph approx. |
| Forge World of Origin | Mars | Range | 28,000 km in atmosphere |
| Known Patterns | I-XXI | Main Armament | Dorsal mounted Battle Cannon, twin-linked Lascannons |
| Crew | Pilot, Co-Pilot, Gunner, Navigator | Secondary Armament | 4x twin-linked Heavy Bolters |
| Powerplant | 3 x RX-92-00 Combination Rocket/Afterburning Turbofans | Main Ammunition | 28 rounds |
| Weight | 121 tonnes | Secondary Ammunition | 2400 rounds |
| Length | 26.6 m | Armour | |
| Wingspan | 26.65 m | Superstructure | 55 mm |
| Height | 9.8 m | Hull | 65 mm |
Learn More of Thunderhawk Weapons and Tactics
~Who wants a plastic Thunderhawk?
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
