A Thunderhawk Transporter in flight
A Thunderhawk Transporter about to deploy two Rhinos to the battlefield
An ancient pict-capture of several Thunderhawk Transporters unloading tanks during the Istvaan III Atrocity
The Thunderhawk Transporter is a logistical variant of the standard Thunderhawk gunship used by the Adeptus Astartes to carry Space Marine vehicles into combat zones. The Thunderhawk Transporter, while lacking the firepower of the standard Thunderhawk, is no less important to an Astartes Chapter. The Thunderhawk Transporter can quickly load up to two Rhino sized vehicles of any type, or a single Land Raider sized vehicle, also of any type, from an orbiting Strike Cruiser or Battle Barge and bring those vehicles down safely to a planetary surface. The aircraft can also transport infantry, as long as they are inside of the vehicles before they are picked up. The Thunderhawk Transporter's armament and battlefield role are not the only differences from the standard Thunderhawk gunship. The Transporter variant is equipped with four powerful RX-92-00 combined rocket/air-breathing turbofan engines mounted on its four wings, whereas the standard Thunderhawk only has three, with one mounted on the aircraft's rear fuselage. The biggest difference between the two variants is the complete removal of the standard Thunderhawk aircraft's cargo bay, so that the vehicles to be carried can be safely pulled up under the aircraft for transport. The vehicles are held in place by four robotic arms with large magnetic clamps on their ends. These arms magnetically grip the vehicles and pull them up under the aircraft's main fuselage, where they are protected from the worst of both enemy fire and the heat generated from entering or exiting a planet's atmosphere. The four sets of arms are mounted on a rail system that allows them to be placed in the best possible place to safely and securely pick up a vehicle. When not in use the magnetic arms fold up and retract so as not to be damaged. The Thunderhawk Transporter's powerful engines and magnetic arms allow the aircraft to swoop in and drop off its precious cargo and then quickly resume flight. Other than vehicles, the Thunderhawk Transporter is also capable of ferrying large supply pods which can carry ammunition, fuel, or other important supplies for Space Marine forces operating planetside. During planetary assaults undertaken by the Space Marines these aircraft fly non-stop missions from orbit to the surface, ferrying vehicles and supplies to the forces on the ground from the Astartes' naval assets.
Armament
Two Thunderhawk Transporters in flight
The Thunderhawk Transporter is a logistics vehicle, and is armed only with weapons required for self-defence purposes. The Thunderhawk Transporter forgoes many of the standard Thunderhawk gunship's weapons due to their weight and power consumption, which the Transporter needs to efficiently carry its cargoes.The aircraft is only armed with four sets of twin-linked Heavy Bolters. Two sets are present on the end of each of its rear-most wings and two sets are located on the aircraft's forward wings. These weapons help keep the Transporter safe as it loads or unloads its cargo. The aircraft can also be equipped with up to six Hellstrike Missiles, giving it the ability to clear its landing zone of enemy armour. The Transporter can also be outfitted with an armoured cockpit to protect its crew, illumination flares that allow it to light up its landing area in when in darkness or when it is obscured, and a chaff or flare launcher that can be used as a countermeasure against enemy aircraft and enemy heat-seeking ordnance. During the later decades of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy in the late 30th and early 31st Millennia, the Thunderhawk Transporter could also be outfitted with a Flare Shield. Flare Shields were similar to Imperial Void Shield technology, but were effective on a smaller scale. It is unknown if this technology is still in use in parts of the Imperium or if it has been lost over the millennia like so much of the archeotech from that era. Like the Thunderhawk gunship, the Thunderhawk Transporter is also equipped with a powerful Machine Spirit that governs over the aircraft's many electronic systems.
Known Users of the Thunderhawk Transporter
- All Loyalist Space Marine Chapters
- All Renegade Space Marine Chapters and warbands make use of the Thunderhawk Transporter.
- All of the Traitor Legions make use of their remaining Thunderhawk Transporters.
Notable Users
- Angels of Absolution – The Angels of Absolution Chapter deployed several Thunderhawk Transporters to Vraks Prime during the Siege of Vraks.
- Avenging Sons - The Avenging Sons Chapter deployed 3 Thunderhawk Transporters during the Taros Campaign against the Tau.
- Dark Angels – The Dark Angels Chapter deployed 22 Thunderhawk Transporters during the Siege of Vraks against the Traitor Forces of Apostate Cardinal-Astra Xaphan.
- Mantis Warriors – The Mantis Warriors Chapter deployed several Thunderhawk Transporters during the Badab War.
- Minotaurs – The Minotaurs Chapter deployed 4 Thunderhawk Transporters during the Badab War.
- Raptors – The Raptors Chapter deployed 12 Thunderhawk Transporters during the Taros Campaign against the Tau, and several during the Badab War against the Secessionist forces.
- Raven Guard – The Raven Guard Chapter deployed several Thunderhawks during the Imperial raid on the Ork-held world of Kastorel-Novem.
- Red Scorpions – The Red Scorpions Chapter deployed 3 Thunderhawk Transporters to the planet Beta Anphelion IV to combat escaped Tyranids, and they also deployed several during the Siege of Vraks and the Badab War.
- Salamanders – The Salamanders Chapter deployed 4 Thunderhawk Transporters during the Badab War.
Notable Thunderhawk Transporters
- Maledictor Audax - The Maledictor Audax is a Thunderhawk Transporter of the Mantis Warriors Chapter that participated in many of the battles of the Badab War.
Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications
| Type | Orbital Transporter | Operational Ceiling | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Name | Thunderhawk Transporter | Max Speed | 2,000 kilometres per hour (approx.) |
| World of Origin | Mars | Range | 28,000 kilometres in atmosphere |
| Known Patterns | I - XI | Main Armament | 4x wing-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters |
| Crew | 1 Pilot, 1 Co-pilot | Secondary Armament | N/A |
| Powerplant | 4 x RX-92-00 Combination Rocket / Air-Breathing Afterburning Turbofans | Main Ammunition | 2,200 Rounds |
| Weight | 105.0 Tonnes | Secondary Ammunition | N/A |
| Length | 28.8 Metres | Armour | |
| Wingspan | 26.65 Metres | Superstructure | 45 millimetres |
| Height | 8.6 Metres | Hull | 45 millimetres |
| Vehicle Designation: | 5463-028-7108-TH 011 | Transport Capacity |
2x Rhino type vehicles or 1x Land Raider type vehicle |
Also See
Sources
- Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition, pp. 154-172
- Imperial Armour Volume Three - The Taros Campaign, pp. 44, 54, 122, 247-250
- Imperial Armour Volume Four - The Anphelion Project, pg. 123
- Imperial Armour Volume Five - The Siege of Vraks - Part One, pp. 63, 147
- Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks - Part Two, pg. 128
- Imperial Armour Volume Seven - The Siege of Vraks - Part Three, pg. 95
- Imperial Armour Volume Eight - The Raid on Kastorel-Novem, pp. 13, 81
- Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two, pp. 26, 27, 72, 165-167
- Imperial Armour - The Horus Heresy - Book One: Betrayal, pp. 8, 15, 227, 234, 240
- Imperial Armour Aeronautica, p. 36
- Imperial Armour Apocalypse, p. 28
- Imperial Armour Apocalypse (2nd Edition), p. 23
- Imperial Armour Update 2006, p. 12
Gallery
