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ValkyrieSkyTalon02

A Valkyrie Sky Talon deploying a Tauros to the battlefield

The Valkyrie Sky Talon is a variant of the Aeronautica Imperialis' Valkyrie Airborne Assault Carrier, and is used as a support aircraft intended to provide combat airlifts of light vehicles and cargo for the Astra Militarum. The Valkyrie Sky Talon, also known simply as the Sky Talon, is used for the transportation of light armoured vehicles, whereas the standard Valkyrie transports the air mobile infantrymen of the Imperial Guard into battle.

On the Sky Talon, the troop compartment of the standard Valkyrie has been replaced with large magnetic lifting clamps, allowing the aircraft to latch onto light Imperial Guard vehicles such as the Tauros and light combat walkers like the Drop Sentinel. The Sky Talon can also carry a large supply pod that can be dropped off for drop forces to re-supply when behind enemy lines, as more heavily armoured ground vehicles may not be able to reach such troops.

The Sky Talon's main tactical role is the safe and efficient delivery of its cargo into combat zones. Once its airlift duties have been completed the Sky Talon will withdraw to a safe distance and await orders to extract the vehicles or other cargo from the field.

Armament[]

Elysian Drop Forces deploying on planet Betalis III

Sky Talons deploying two Tauros Venators onto the frozen surface of Betalis III

The Sky Talon is crewed by only a single crewman, its pilot, who operates the aircraft's few weapons. The aircraft is only equipped with a single nose-mounted Heavy Bolter for self-defence and to assist in the clearing of any active drop zones.

The Sky Talon can also be equipped with two Hellstrike Missiles for anti-armour support and these can be switched out for multi-rocket pods as the mission requires. The Sky Talon can also be outfitted with ejector seats, extra armour for the cockpit, flare or chaff launchers, infra-red targeting systems, and illumination flares.

Known Users of the Sky Talon[]

ValkyrieSkyTalon03

A Valkyrie Sky Talon deploying a Tauros Venator to support Elysian Drop Troops on the ground

  • Elysian Drop Troop Regiments - The Imperial Guard regiments from Elysia rely on fast airborne insertion and extraction, and thus rarely field heavy armoured vehicles. In order to deploy their relatively light vehicles to the battlefield the Elysian Drop Troop Regiments use Sky Talons to deliver Tauros assault vehicles and Drop Sentinels to the battlefield to serve as their heavy fire support.
  • 181st Elysian Drop Troop Regiment - The 181st Elysians used the Sky Talon to deploy heavy support vehicles during the Raid on Kastorel-Novem against the Orks.
  • 226th Elysian Drop Troop Regiment - The 226th Elysians made extensive use of their Sky Talons to deploy heavy support vehicles during the defence of Betalis III against the Eldar of Craftworld Mymeara.

Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications[]

Valkyrie Sky Talon
Type Airborne Lifter Operational Ceiling 12,000 Metres
Vehicle Name Sky Talon Max Speed 1,100 kilometres per hour
Forge World of Origin Voss, Artemia, Trethagar, Agripinaa, Lucius Range 2,000 kilometres in atmosphere
Known Patterns II - VI Main Armament Nose-Mounted Heavy Bolter
Crew 1 Pilot Secondary Armament 2 Hellstrike Missiles
Powerplant 2 x F75-MV Afterburing Vector-Turbofans Main Ammunition 1000 Rounds
Weight 12.0 Tonnes Unladen Secondary Ammunition 2 Missiles
Length 18.5 Metres Armour
Wingspan 16.9 Metres Superstructure 75 millimetres
Height 4.8 Metres Hull 75 millimetres

Sources[]

  • Imperial Armour Volume Eight - The Raid on Kastorel-Novem, pp. 85-87
  • Imperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara, pp. 98-99
  • Imperial Armour Aeronautica, pg. 16
  • Imperial Armour Apocalypse (2nd Edition), pg. 39

See Also[]

Gallery[]

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