A flight stand lifts a flying miniature off the table: a clear acrylic flight base on the bottom, a press-fit flight peg for height, and a topper or mount for the model on top. Pegs come in lengths from under an inch to six inches, so you build each stand to the height the model needs — and numbered dials and dice trays ride the peg to track altitude in play. Picking the right one comes down to three things: which part you actually need (a full stand, or just bases or pegs), standard vs heavy-duty (plastic planes vs heavy metal models), and your game system. This guide covers all three.
Flight Stand vs Flight Base vs Peg: What's What
The terms get used interchangeably — Games Workshop players say flying stand or flying base for the same parts — but they're three different things, and knowing which one you need is half the buying decision:
- Flight base — the flat, clear acrylic disc (or hex, or square) that sits on the table. On its own, a flight base is how skirmish and naval games base flying or hovering models (the “flying bases” in many army lists): the clear acrylic disappears against your terrain or mat.
- Flight peg — the clear acrylic rod that press-fits into the base's center hole and raises the model. Pegs come in lengths from under an inch to 6 inches — you choose the height when you assemble the stand.
- Flight stand — the whole assembly: base + peg + whatever holds the model (a flat topper you glue to the model, a prong topper that grips it, or a game-specific mount). When LITKO sells a complete package, it's usually called a flight stand kit.
Standard vs Heavy-Duty: Which System You Need
Every LITKO flight product belongs to one of two press-fit systems, and parts within a system interchange freely:
| System | Peg diameter | Built for | Peg lengths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 3mm (1/8") | Plastic planes, starfighters, micro aircraft, board-game pieces — the everyday system | 0.75" to 6" |
| Heavy Duty | 4.5mm (3/16") | Metal miniatures, large bombers, capital ships and centerpiece models that would flex a standard peg | 1" to 6" |
The rule of thumb: if the model is plastic and roughly fighter-sized, standard is plenty. If it's metal, resin, or big enough that you'd worry about wobble, go heavy-duty — the thicker peg and matching heavy-duty bases are rated for the weight. Bases and pegs don't mix across systems (a 3mm peg swims in a 4.5mm hole), so pick one per model and stay in it. Once you've picked, everything that fits your system is collected in one place: standard-peg compatible products and heavy-duty compatible products.
Flight Bases: Shapes, Sizes & Thickness
LITKO flight bases are laser-cut from crystal-clear acrylic so the table shows through — your terrain, hex mat or starfield does the work, not the base. The range:
- Shapes: circular, hexagonal and square. Hexagonal bases suit hex-mat air games; squares suit games that measure base-to-base; circles are the all-rounder.
- Sizes: 20mm, 25mm, 30mm, 32mm, 40mm and 50mm, plus 1.375", 1.5" and 2.5" — small enough for micro aircraft, big enough for capital ships.
- Thickness: 1.5mm (low-profile) or 3mm (the standard weight). The center hole takes a standard 3mm peg.
- Heavy-duty bases (40–60mm round, 50mm square, 2.5" hex) pair with 4.5mm pegs for the big stuff.
- Personalized: engraved flight bases add your squadron name, fleet insignia or pilot callsign to the base itself.
Not sure what base size your game expects? Sizes here are driven by the model, not the rules — pick the smallest base that keeps the model stable. For ground-based basing questions, our miniature base sizes guide covers every game system.
Pegs, Toppers & Altitude
Standard flight pegs come in ten lengths from 0.75" to 6" (heavy-duty: 1" to 6") — pick the height that fits the model, your terrain and your table when you build the stand. One strong recommendation: don't swap pegs in and out during play. Acrylic press-fit parts are made to go together once and stay together; repeated disassembly wears the fit and can crack the part. If your game tracks changing altitude, put a numbered dial or dice tray on the stand instead. A few ways to top the peg:
- Flat peg toppers — a small acrylic disc that glues to the model's belly and mounts it on the peg. Browse toppers.
- Squadron toppers — 3-, 5- and 6-prong heads that mount several micro aircraft on one peg, so a whole flight moves as one stand.
- Mini flight stands — compact triangular-base stands with a 1" peg for small board-game pieces and tokens that just need a little air.
- Flying character mounts — for RPG tables: a clear broom, carpet, cloud, disc or beast silhouette on a 2" base that puts a D&D character convincingly aloft.
Flight Stands by Game System
Many games have a LITKO stand cut for their exact footprint; everything else is served by the generic system. Where your game lands:
| Game | What fits | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| Star Wars: X-Wing | Deluxe color stands for large ships (with adapters for the original models), a huge-ship stand with 4" pegs that matches the official base footprint, peg toppers, and numbered 1–10 bases for squadron tracking | Deluxe stand · Huge ship |
| Star Wars: Armada | A fighter-squadron flight stand that replaces the fiddly factory squadron mount | Squadron stand |
| Star Wars: Legion | 70mm and 100mm notched heavy-duty stand kits — the notches align with the Legion movement tool | 70mm kit · 100mm kit |
| Wings of Glory / Wings of War | Stands matched to the game's card-base footprints — 44x67mm fighters, plus 67x87mm and 81x110mm bomber sizes — and elevation dials and fire/smoke clips for the stackable pegs | 44x67mm stands · Elevation dials |
| WWII micro-scale air | Premium-printed micro air stands with UV-printed aircraft silhouettes — US, Japanese, German and British squadrons, including Battle of Britain and Pacific sets | Micro air stands |
| Axis & Allies: Air Force / Angels 20 | Air-combat flight stands that raise each aircraft on a clear peg — covered in depth in our A&A guide | A&A accessories guide |
| Firestorm Armada | 40mm square stands, deluxe stands, and arrow asteroid stands for fleet actions | 40mm stands |
| Twilight Imperium | The original LITKO fleet movement stands — covered in our TI upgrade guide | TI upgrades guide |
| Blood Red Skies | A full accessory line — turning/shooting gauges, air strike dials and tokens, propeller discs — built around the game's own stand system | Gauge set |
| 40K flyers & big sci-fi models | No game-specific kit — heavy-duty pegs and large bases are the generic answer for re-mounting big flyers and replacing snapped factory stems | HD pegs · HD bases |
| D&D / RPGs | Flying character mounts (broom, carpet, cloud, disc, beasts) and mini flight stands put levitating characters at table height | Character mounts · Mini stands |
Playing something else with flyers? Any model that can take a flat topper or a peg hole works with the generic system — start at flight stand kits and match the base size to the model.
Dials, Dice Trays & Indicators
Because the peg is a column over the model's position, it's also prime real estate for game state — that's the rest of the flight stand accessories family:
- Flight stand dials & altitude markers — numbered 1–6, 1–10, 1–12 or 1–15 with pointers, in standard and heavy-duty fits: a dial or elevation marker on the peg tracks altitude, speed, hull points or initiative right on the stand — the way to show a model's height without rebuilding the stand.
- Flight stand dice trays — a small tray that slides onto the peg and holds one to three 12mm dice (or a D12), so each aircraft carries its own stats.
- Indicator clips — flame, smoke and mechanical-issue markers that clip onto the peg to show damage without cluttering the table; versions for Wings of Glory fit the game's stackable pegs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a flight stand and a flight base?
A flight base is the flat, clear acrylic piece that sits on the table. A flight stand is the full assembly — base, press-fit peg, and a topper or mount that holds the miniature. If you just need to base a hovering model, buy bases; if you need to lift a flyer off the table, buy a stand kit.
Should I get standard or heavy-duty flight stands?
Standard (3mm / 1/8-inch pegs) handles plastic planes, starfighters and micro aircraft. Heavy-duty (4.5mm / 3/16-inch pegs) is built for metal miniatures, large bombers and capital ships that would flex a thinner peg. Bases and pegs don't interchange between the two systems, so pick by your heaviest model and stay consistent within each stand.
How do you show altitude with flight stands?
Build the stand with a peg length that fits the model and your table — standard pegs come in ten lengths from 0.75 to 6 inches — and track changing altitude with a numbered flight stand dial (1–6 up to 1–15) or a dice tray on the stand. We recommend against swapping pegs mid-game: acrylic press-fit parts are designed to be assembled once, and repeated disassembly wears the fit and can crack them.
Are LITKO flight stands compatible with X-Wing ships?
LITKO makes dedicated stands compatible with Star Wars: X-Wing — a deluxe color stand for large ships that includes adapters for mounting the original models, a huge-ship stand with 4-inch pegs that matches the official base footprint and works with the original cardboard overlays, and peg toppers for small and large ships. They are unofficial accessories, not replacement official parts.
What flight stands work for Warhammer 40K flyers?
LITKO doesn't make a 40K-specific kit, but heavy-duty pegs and large clear bases are a common fix for re-mounting big flyers and replacing snapped factory stems. Match the base size to the model's footprint and use a peg length that clears your terrain. If you're searching Games Workshop's terms — flying stand, flying base or flying stem — it's the same hardware — GW's flying base is the clear base, and the flying stem is the peg.
Why are flight stands made of clear acrylic?
So they disappear on the table. A clear base and peg let your mat, terrain or starfield show through, keeping the visual focus on the miniature — and laser-cut acrylic is rigid enough to hold a model steady at altitude without wobble.
Can I get a personalized flight stand?
Yes — personalized flight bases are engraved with your text: a squadron name, fleet insignia, pilot callsign or player name. They come in the same shapes and peg systems as the regular bases, in standard and heavy-duty versions.
Can I use flight stands for action figures?
Small, lightweight action figures can work: a flat peg topper glues to any model with a flat spot, and the heavy-duty 4.5mm system is built for heavier pieces. Flight stands are designed for gaming miniatures, though — a large or heavy action figure can overwhelm even a heavy-duty peg, so test the balance before gluing.
What flight stands work for D&D flying miniatures?
Flying character mounts — a clear broom, carpet, cloud, disc or beast silhouette on a 2-inch base — put a D&D character at altitude, and mini flight stands with a 1-inch peg lift smaller minis and tokens. For a hovering monster, a clear flight base under the model is often enough.
Where to Go Next
- Flight stand kits — complete stands, including the game-specific ones
- Flight bases — every shape, size and thickness of clear base
- Standard flight pegs — all ten lengths on one page
- Flight stand accessories — dials, dice trays, toppers and indicators
- Axis & Allies accessories guide — flight stands for Angels 20 air combat
Crystal-clear acrylic stands, bases and pegs — laser-cut in Valparaiso, Indiana since the original LITKO Aerosystems.
Shop Flight Stands → Flight BasesLITKO Game Accessories is an independent manufacturer of gaming bases and accessories, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any game publisher. Star Wars and all associated marks are trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd.; the X-Wing, Armada, and Legion miniatures games are products of Fantasy Flight Games and Atomic Mass Games, under license from Lucasfilm Ltd. Warhammer 40,000 is a trademark of Games Workshop Ltd. Wings of Glory is a trademark of Ares Games. Blood Red Skies is a trademark of Warlord Games. Firestorm Armada is a trademark of Warcradle Studios. Twilight Imperium is a trademark of Fantasy Flight Games. Axis & Allies is a trademark of Hasbro. Dungeons & Dragons is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast LLC. All other game names are trademarks of their respective owners. All marks are used for compatibility identification only; no challenge to their status is intended.
