Taffeh's Blog: Thunderhawk Build - Complete!

So 2 weeks later and a lot of progress on the Thunderhawk when I've had the chance and now it's build is complete. Actually, it was finished about a week ago however I've not really had the time to post up my progress report.

First off I continued with the inside interior of the craft, but in the loading bay below the cockpit. For this I masked off the outside and was able to use Chaos Black primer to get the undercoat done. Following a heavy drybrush of Boltgun Metal and a wash of Devlan Mud I painted the lights and buttons. Lastly, giving ambient lighting a try-out I used a medium drybrush and built up from Red Gore to Blood Red the affect seen below.




As you can see in the next shot I tried to use the ambient lighting from the underside of the cockpit piece in the area in front of the assault ramp section.


I then went back to working on the outer hull -which required a few water baths to straighten out the back pieces so that the main hull, the upper hull and the tail cone fit together. I glued the engine front and rear pieces onto the wings and tail cone and fin - all pinned on where possible. Next continuing with the use of the rare earth magnets I magnetised the Turbo Laser Destructor to the upper hull.


The forward area of the hull was the next focus, magnetising the nosecone, the cockpit to the upper forward hull [which is capable of sliding out] and the lower hull - thus having a Thunderhawk that has full accessibility to gain access to the rear detail of the cockpit. Then I've worked on the forward Heavy Bolter sponsons and front wings - gluing the latter in place whilst the former are removable for now to paint. The resultant is the following:


As I have built various sub-assemblies that fit together via magnets, etc I'll be working on these in sections as best as I can. As I am looking to use my new airbrush quite a bit on this I'll be learning as I go - butterflies are there however I hope to prevail.

Now, lets get the primer out and start painting the hull...