The Warhammer 40k Thunderhawk Gunship has been a staple through the years, with at least five models made from various materials!
It’s always fun to look back at how some of our favorite minis have evolved with the game but kept that classic feel. With the Space Marines constantly getting new minis, it’s cool to see that at least some of the old staples have stuck around! Let’s be honest; we also all like to look at giant minis, whether they have a history or not!
The 5 Warhammer Thunderhawk 40k Gunship Models Since the 90s
It’s the mid-nineties, you open White Dwarf and this amazing mini is sitting there at the back of a giant Ultramarines force. Then, you realize you can actually order this bad boy, but the hard part? You have to come up with $650…
If you passed that part of the test and actually got this sent to you, you had to figure out how to build it! With terrible instructions and hundreds of parts, all pewter, by the way, it was quite the feat.
But still, people made it through and completed the task!
If you want to watch a great video about this older mini, Squidmar has a great breakdown (see below). This is the giant force GW painted up for one of their Games Days, and man, did the Thunderhawk really top it off!
Squidmar’s Thunderhawk
Just look at all those metal parts! If this build doesn’t intimidate you, we may have some things that need building from you… The shipping on this had to be insane, considering how much it weighed. At least you got a super sweet display box with it! Thanks again to Squidmar for these great pics!
If you want to buy one of these now, the price is much, much higher than the original tag.
This is part two of his journey to get his amazing mini, and he features all the pieces and his thoughts on the whole thing. It’s definitely worth the watch if you want to learn even more about the OG days of super heavies from Games Workshop—believe it or not, this existed before Forge World.
Rob put one of these together himself in the late 1990s for a commission, and it was quite the chore. For example, each pewter panel had to be pinned twice on each edge to support its immense weight. Finishing it was one of the most rewarding projects he has ever worked on.
Epic Metal Model
You can’t talk about the ship without mentioning one of the coolest versions ever! Again, it comes from the (mid) nineties, but it was much cheaper and far easier to build!
Well, with the penny for scale, you can see why the price tag will be a little lower… Still, for such a tiny mini, they were really able to pack the details in there! There seem to be a lot of people with these lying around, so if you want one for your shelf or desk, you can probably get it for not too much cash on eBay!
The Second Coming of the Full-Size Thunderhawk Gunship!
Next came the resin version, but it is still giant and impressive. Luckily, we got to see this amazing one painted by Kenny from Next Level Painting. This beast is huge! Ranging almost 20″ in both length and width, this is a serious kit! Resultantly, this beast needs a thick ol’ flight stand. Kenny and his brother David settled on a 1″ Acrylic post to support the model on its flight stand.
This model has all sorts of awesome details, from multiple magnetized weapons mounts to a fully detailed interior cockpit. He even magnetized different Space Marine chapter hatches, so it could literally be a drop ship for any of them!
The primary weapon is interchangeable with a number of alternatives, lending the Thunderhawk some super heavy killing power as well as anti-armor and infantry punch as well! Imagine seeing this hulking thing strafe the battlefield in front of you and keep on rolling.
Many of this model’s interior details were sacrificed to provide greater structural stability, but the external details, like the massive Pod Racer-style engines, have all the weathering detail you’d expect to see bare metal sustain in battle. To hear all Rob’s thoughts on it, check out the video below!
The 2017 Version
Rob was lucky enough to get the MK II version of the Thunderhawk from Forge World, and it’s awesome! If you’d like one of these, you can still grab them from Forge World. Just be aware that they are in and out of stock these days, so it can actually be hard to get one.
While this is super expensive, it looks amazing!
The Thunderhawk Flies into (and out of) Aeronautica Imperialis
Everyone might want a full plastic kit for Warhammer 40k, so players can actually consider playing it on the tabletop, but this Aeronautica Plastic Thunderhawk model is still a good opportunity to do some iconic hobbying.
So close yet so far away! Even if you don’t play it would be fun to have one of these painted up on your desk or shelf. It looks great, but if they can make it this scale, why not just bring it to 40k in plastic??? We want answers. They do mention it will be one of the highest-cost and best ships in the game, so if you do play, this will be an easy pickup. While the AI version is about 25% the size of the Forge World one, it’s still cool to have a Thunderhawk of any kind.
There you have it! There is just so much history for such a cool vehicle, which has been around for almost 30 years now! If you need a serious painting project, and we mean a serious painting project, this makes for a super fun one!
Whether you’re a long-time fan of Warhammer 40k or just getting into the hobby, it’s always fascinating to see how these iconic miniatures have evolved over time. From the massive pewter original game-sized to the more recent resin and plastic versions, the Thunderhawk continues to be a symbol of the Space Marine’s power and dominance on the battlefield.
All the Latest Warhammer Rules & Model Rumors
What do you think about all the Warhammer 40k Thunderhawk models since the 90s?
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 has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including the Adepticon Team Tournament and American Team Tournaments, and is on a first-name basis with almost every major company in the space.
He’s all gaming all the time. With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. 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 1908s, 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.
