# Converting a Plastic Thunderhawk Gunship



## TheReverend (Dec 2, 2007)

So, I went into my local Games Workshop store the other day to buy something. When I got to the till there on the counter before me was a couple of A4 sheets of paper stapled together, with a step by step guide on how to convert a plastic thunderhawk.

The manager said that the document had been circulated by GW HQ and would be available to customers if they wanted it. I asked for a copy as it looked pretty neat but conveniently his printer was playing up...

The conversion guide was based on something another store had done (Nuneaton I think) and was based on two storm raven kits and a vindicator kit. 

I looked around the net and found that several GW facebook pages have conversions on them, consisting of 2 storm ravens and some other kit. Birmingham's had a Vindicator, Manchester and Warrington's use plasticard. 

They all come in at between £120 and £150 to construct, I just wondered if this was GW doing some market research to see how much people might be prepared to pay? 

GW Manchester:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.173530059361562.39164.161741390540429&type=1

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...17265502.46730.136014703138574&type=3&theater

What do you guys think? The fact that GW are circulating a conversion guide to their stores was a bit of a shock to me.

Rev

(appologies if this appears twice, the site crashed when I originally tried to post it)


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## lockeF (Feb 18, 2011)

That looks pretty damn cool imo. You're totally right about it being strange. In any case, it is always cool to see what people come up with.


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## TheReverend (Dec 2, 2007)

It does look cool and if the store's printer was working I'd be building one right now!! £120ish for a Thunderhawk? That's a bargain. Much as I love the FW ones, £400 for something that needs a lot of fixing, straightening and green stuff work isn't my idea of a good weekend...


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## GrizBe (May 12, 2010)

If GW had any sense there would already be a plastic thunderhawk, fans have been asking for one ever since the origional metal one came out years ago. Hell, just hav eto see how well the overpriced FW resin one sells to know there would be demand for one.


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## LordOfAbsolution (Jul 22, 2009)

the guys at my local GW (Wigan) have built a couple, they look pretty awesome to be honest. Plus I have all the documents on my pc whenever I get round to it, due to the last manager at Wigan posting them up on our facebook page before he left to work at the main HQ, hah.


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## TheReverend (Dec 2, 2007)

LordOfAbsolution: If you have the instructions could you post them up? I'd love to build one. 

And the Wigan one does look pretty impressive too:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3249604164456&set=o.206561719371639&type=3&theater

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...9743126.103341.206561719371639&type=3&theater


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## TheReverend (Dec 2, 2007)

Actually found the instructions on their FB page, thanks for the directions:

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I guess this bit is more of a modelling article now. Knock yourself out guys...

Rev


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## Eleven (Nov 6, 2008)

it looks surprisingly good. The model in the OP looks pretty hilarious with that turret on the top of it though. why go through the trouble to make the model look that good and have a looney toons turret on it?


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## Red Corsairs (Jun 8, 2008)

I have moved this to Modelling and Painting as it's not quite News or Rumour but is a great resource for modellers so thanks for posting


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## the.alleycat.uk (Jun 11, 2009)

GrizBe said:


> If GW had any sense there would already be a plastic thunderhawk, fans have been asking for one ever since the origional metal one came out years ago. Hell, just hav eto see how well the overpriced FW resin one sells to know there would be demand for one.



I can tell you the reason originally was a technology thing... it just wasn't a feasable proposition in terms of what they were able to do with plactic.

With the success of other flyers, i'd put money on a Thunderhawk happening when it's viable [which ofc may mean it's already in development/been developed with the lead times from GW]


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## SGMAlice (Aug 13, 2010)

I wonder how many people have been waiting for something like this. It truly is a holy grail of sorts.

Methinks i will be attempting one or two of these. And probably Looting one too :laugh:


I move that this thread is stickied, or atleast put in a postion of prominence and the title changed to something more descriptive ( No disrespect to you Reverend  ), because something like this will likely get a lot of people coming here for it from search engines. Not only is it an easy and cost effective way of making a Thunderhawk, it is one that is endorsed by GW themselves.



Alice


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## TheReverend (Dec 2, 2007)

No disrespect taken. I'm just sorry I didn't do the research properly the day after I saw that sheet of paper in store and get this on here sooner!


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## Dave T Hobbit (Dec 3, 2009)

As The Reverend is not insulted by the suggestion I have changed the thread title


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## Crimson Shadow (Jan 15, 2009)

@TheReverend we can we convince you to head back to that store, get the instructions, scan them, and post them here? I like the version you originally posted versus the Wigan one.

edit: It seems like the instructions you posted build a different model than the original article. Specifically, the tail section looks different.


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## TheReverend (Dec 2, 2007)

Crimson Shadow said:


> edit: It seems like the instructions you posted build a different model than the original article. Specifically, the tail section looks different.


Yeah, the instructions I have added I found on one of the GW facebook pages, and they are the ones I saw in the shop as far as I remember using the same kits (2x storm raven, 1x vindicator) and that looks better than the manchester version in my opinion...


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## Crimson Shadow (Jan 15, 2009)

TheReverend said:


> Yeah, the instructions I have added I found on one of the GW facebook pages, and they are the ones I saw in the shop as far as I remember using the same kits (2x storm raven, 1x vindicator) and that looks better than the manchester version in my opinion...


I have a FW Thunderhawk, and would like another for big Apoc games, and to me, the Manchester one looks more like a FW Thunderhawk.


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## Lord of Rebirth (Jun 7, 2008)

Stormbird would be more perferable but as to technology issues with making a plastic thunderhawk I'd like more people to be aware this was the major concern for most of the history of the thunderhawk design. Indeed to make a practical model the technology wasn't really there for GW (I know it would have been possible as far back as 1995 but GW doesn't buy $6,000,000 molds and we should thank them for that since I don't want to be buying $400 PREDATORS.) until maybe a few years ago when the plastic Baneblade came out.

Also thank you everyone for buying so many plastic baneblades since that proved the specific viability of super heavy class plastic kits in GW's market and is what had to happen for use to get Stormlords and Trygons and Bomma. I'm definitely all for a thunderhawk in plastic but at this point I'd not likely buy it unless it was actually fairly cheap and had some sort of awesome flying stand.... Then again a "cheap" thunderhawk to be would be $200-250.


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## davespil (Apr 28, 2008)

I'd drop $250 on a Warhound titan, but no more than $150 on a Thunderhawk. I think that a plastic titan would really get apoc games going.


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## TattooedGreenMan (Nov 4, 2008)

OMG cant wait to get one of these made for my BA army. It looks like frickin awesome. +rep for the find.


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## 96mgb (Jul 6, 2012)

does anyone have any higher res images of this guide?

thanks


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

Great find. I might just give it a go. Not a fan of the Wigan one, the tail looks way too flimsy, the manchester one is a lot better.


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