Thunderbolts and PDFs

[Cryl]

Is there any precedent in 40k background for air power (e.g. thunderbolts, lightnings or marauders) belonging to PDF or guard forces rather than Imperial Navy?

I've finally built up the courage to attempt to build and paint my Thunderbolt and want to mark it up as part of my Ultramar PDF force but other than Double Eagle (where a fighter wing was the guard / PDF for a particular world that had no land mass iirc) I'm not sure this would actually be allowed by the administratum.

Although I could build up a convincing argument for why Lord Macragge has managed to "borrow" a fighter wing for his PDF to use I thought I'd see if the combined fluff knowledge of these forums could help out!

[lobster-overlord]

I've only read one book, Rebel Winter, and it talks of the local world having a defense force, so I would assume it would be plausible.

John M>

[Ole]

I think, most PDFs only got low-tech airpower (not exactly as old fashioned as propeller-driven aircrafts, but maybe "only" jet-powered stuff, without vector-thrust, space-capability etc). Don't ask me where I read it (I THINK I did, but I couldn't say where), but as sufficiently advanced planets usually even have space-going vessels for planetary defense, aircrafts should be present too.

Of course, I guess that would depend on the type of planet (stone-age civilizations typically don't have aircrafts...) and iirc Ultramar is a special case anyway, so I wouldn't rule out a wing of Thunderbolts in their PDF.

[Old_Paladin]

Read the novel "Guns of Tanith" in addition to the spin-off "Double Eagle"
The pdf and guard units from Phantine use both modern imperial and aged, local air-technology; but Phantine is also a special planet.

So there are at least some forces that use lighnings, thunderbolts, etc. that are not Imperial Navy. However, I'd also guess that these groups are the minority; and most armies will require Navy based air-support.

[Fellend]

Not that 40k is always logical but it would seem quite silly to me to defend a planet withouth airsupport. If nothing else, the sheer distance would make airsupport needed.
But generally, it seems uncommon for 40k battles to use any sort of fighter plane at all. prefering instead to use them for rapid deployment of troops

[ColCorbane]

I'm not sure this would actually be allowed by the administratum.

Well the Imperium is a big place, so anything is possible but more importantly, they're your models, you can put whatever the hell you want on them.

[Cryl]

Well the Imperium is a big place, so anything is possible but more importantly, they're your models, you can put whatever the hell you want on them.

True enough but I like to stick fairly closely to what's established as "real" in the universe. That said since no one has posted here with anything that categorically rules out planetary defence forces having air wings, I will put whatever the hell I want on it and make it part of the Ultramar PDF

[Valdore]

I believe it hasn't been unknown for equipment to mysteriously go missing from reserves . . . at the end of the day it is your army and you can make any fluff up to support them having Thunderbolts, so long as it is within reason. Ultramar PDF are more than likely to have equipment that other PDFs don't have, and I wouldn't put it past them to have a permanent detachment of the Imperial Navy stationed there, it wouldn't be unreasonable for a commander to request the use of Navy support if needed.

Alternatively they could be relics left over from a time when the planet was cut off from the Imperium, and they were transported to the surface to protect them from the ravages of space and have been attached to the PDF for their outstanding service.

Like I say, at the end of the day, if you can make up believable fluff to support it, I would have no argument with you. A lot of people wouldn't even bother with that so you're already a rung up the ladder!

[Psychosplodge]

The way I've read it is that it appears most planets of any import have at least small non-warp capable third-line naval presence so a formation of fighters wouldn't be unexpected, somewhere like Ultramar would be almost guarnteed to have fighters to support the pdf.

[Night System]

to be honest, in my opinion the ultramar system is of such import to the imperium that i would not be surprised if there was a permenent detachment of the segmentum ultima battlefleet guarding the sector. While normal PDF's are less likely to have such advanced equipment, it is noted that the ultramar planets are the the pinacle of the imperium, and as such are the most likely of all planets to have them