Imperial Navy RE-45 Lander

Side shot showing lateral, fast-exit, troop hatches, heavy thruster baffles, underwing air intakes and the rotatable jet nozzles used for hoverflight and fast lift offs.

It is a largely plastic model built over  a balsa wood chassis.

I made this scratch-build Imperial shuttle some time ago but had no idea what it was. However, the recent novel, 'Watchers of the Throne', cleared the matter up.

It's an Re-45 shuttle!

The RE-45 was a commonplace lander used to put Imperial Guard infantry platoons on-planet in hot drops.

It was phased out as developing Guard strategy required the immediate application of crushing force: the lander was just too small and so was replaced by massive landers capable of carrying entire companies (or even regiments) with heavy weapon support.

Most of the RE-45 landers were demilitarised to be used as civilian shuttles but, the Imperium being what it is, a large number of the original military landers are still found in use by various dodgy organisations like Rogue Traders and The Inquisition.

They are of course a bit beat up but that suits Inquisitors travelling incognito.

Bow shot showing the fixed lascannon and twin bolter turret used for point defence and to shoot up the landing zone prior to touch down.

Most RE-45s have acquired various additional blisters of equipment over the years on the outer hull - causing much teeth-gnashing in the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Stern shot showing the three primary thrusters, heavy blast baffles and vertical fins: note the heavy air brakes (located in front of the baffles) used for controlling steep descents.

Dorsal shot showing various augurs and void-vox ariels, dorsal twin thrusters, tail horizontal and dorsal fins and a pilot's hatch.

RE-45 parked alongside a Fury and Inquisition gun cutter.

Another size comparison shot.

The RE-45 is a much more robust piece of equipment than the Avis shuttle or a rogue trader space hauler. his makes it an Inquisiton favourite for insertion into problematic situations where armour, and a servitor controlled twin heavy bolter turret, are more important than comfort or convenience.