Fighta-Bommer
The most common aircraft used by the Orks, Fighta-Bommerz represent all the facets of Ork Kultur: Speed, Gunz, and Noise. Fighta-Bommerz are created by the few Meks who are interested in aircraft. As with all Ork vehicles, Fighta-Bommerz are kit-bashed affairs that usually defy the laws of aerodynamics, and fly despite their ungainly, brutish construction.[1a]
Overview
Fighta-Bommers are larger and sturdier Ork aircraft when compared to the likes of Fightas or Dakkajets. They are built to satisfy the Orkish trait of might makes right, and are thus heavily armored and armed. The Flyboyz of these craft tend to be larger and more dominant members of Ork society, often having started out as humble Dakkajet pilots. Where in other Ork Clans these would have gone on to become Nobz, here they pilot the more privileged machines of a warband's aircraft inventory. These veteran pilots lead underlings into battle and form retinues of their own, and in time may become Fly Bosses themselves.[5]
Design and Construction
The Mek will normally start out trying to build a specific type of aircraft but will soon become indecisive and hammer on as many guns, engines and wotsits as possible. The standard Fighta-Bommer is armed with three Big Shootas, and carries ordinance such as the supa-rokkit, and the inventive Grot Bombs. While a relatively good dog-fighter, Fighta-Bommerz rely on their heavy armament and reinforced armor plating to make up for a lack of speed and maneuverability when compared to other aircraft[3]. The uses for the Ork Fighta-Bommer are rather limited. While generally more durable, the craft is easily outclassed by similar craft flown by the Imperial Navy, the Tau Air Caste, or the Eldar fleets.[Needs Citation] The Evil Suns clan has some appreciation for the craft due to its blistering speed[1a]. The most famous Fighta-Bommer is the dreaded "Vulcha", one of the oldest and longest serving of its kind. This is the personal courier of the infamous Boss Zagstruk, leader of the elite "Vulcha Squad"[1c]. These Stormboyz used their aging Fighta-Bommerz to make deep strikes onto enemy positions by recklessly jumping from the Vulcha's bomb bays and firing their Jump Packs at the last minute. The tactical advantages of this maneuver (barring any Rokkit-related mishaps) may seem fairly obvious, but they haven't been adopted by other Stormboy units, most likely because of the difficulty of retaining Meks with the skill needed to build a functioning Fighta-Bommer[1b].
Like all Ork aircrafts, Fighta-Bommers take-off using a launch trolley. After being loaded with bombs, the aircraft is put on a trolley and pulled onto the runway, where it accelerates until take-off speed is achieved. The launch trolley then detaches and crashes to the ground. Landing manoeuvres are accomplished by slowing the aircraft down until it almost stalls and then touching down with the reinforced belly on the runaway in a barely controlled skid. A landing hook drags along the ground to bring the aircraft to a complete halt.[11]
At least some Fighta-Bommers are capable of spaceflight, and act as Ork Attack Craft in fleet battles.[10]
Technical Information
| Technical Information[9] | |||
| Length | 11.8m[9] | ||
| Height | 3.75m[9] | ||
| Wingspan | 13.3m[9] | ||
| Estimated Weight | 11 tonnes empty[9] | ||
| Armour | 20-50mm[9] | ||
| Max Recorded Speed | 2100 kph[9] at 5,000 feet[11] | ||
| Crew | 1 pilot[9] | ||
| Armament | 2 x Twin-Linked Big Shootas, 2 Rockets or Bombs[9] | ||
| Main Ammunition | 400 rounds[9] | ||
| Payload | 800 kilos[9] | ||
Gallery
Famous Fighta-Bommers
- Da Vulcha - Boss Zagstruk's ride
- The Fighta-Bommers of Deff Skwadron
See also
Sources
- 1: Imperial Armour Volume Eight - Raid on Kastorel-Novem
- 2: Codex: Orks (4th Edition)
- 3: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm
- 4: Saved archive page of Forge World (last accessed 29 June 2015)
- 5: Aeronautica Imperialis: Wings of Vengeance, pg. 45
- 6: Deff Skwadron (Graphic Novel)
- 7: White Dwarf 390, pgs. 94-95
- 8: Imperial Armour Aeronautica, pg. 41
- 9: Imperial Armour II - Ork, Eldar and Dark Eldar Vehicles for Warhammer 40,000, pg. 34
- 10: Rogue Trader: Battlefleet Koronus - pg. 3
- 11: Aeronautica Imperialis Game Rulebook, pg. 87
