Apache Kits

Well, apparently I got a 1/48th Academy AH-64A in a D box. After doing some looking around I've seen shots of D model Apaches that people have built and they DO have the enlarged port side sponson and AC intake. Oh well. My A model came out pretty good. I'm going to wait a bit until I build the D.

Of course I'm totally addicted to working on my 1/32 Revell AH-64. The size is just amazing! Since the kit came out before the Apache went fully operational, its missing a lot of bumps, antennas, etc that need to be scratchbuilt, but its worth it. I'll have pics of it up on my website later this week. (http://cobrahistorian.tripod.com) I scratchbuilt all of the cable cutters, antennas and wire guides from wire and sheet styrene. the IR Jammer is a section of Bic mechanical pencil that I sanded to shape. The control panel took a bit of reworking to bring up to current standard. The cartridge port on the right side of the commander's control panel had to be added. This is where the mission profile software is loaded into the helo, rather important on today's rigs. Its rather visible on the real thing and would be missing if the doors were to be positioned open.

Weapons load is going to consist of 2 AGM-114K Hellfire missiles, 2 19-Shot Hydra 70 pods with the center 4 rockets sticking out of the ends of the tubes. These longer rockets are flechette rockets while the shorter ones are 10lb HE rockets. The 10lb'ers are shorter than the length of the pod, so they're not visible. This was the standard load carried in Afghanistan, along with a 130 gallon internal fuel tank in place of the 30mm magazine. Only 90 rounds for the gun could be carried in this configuration, but considering the ranges and altitudes that they were operating at, the tradeoff was worth it.

Markings will be for C Co. 1/229th Attack Helicopter Regiment, known as "Blue Max". This particular machine "Damage Inc." is going to be covered in my next book.

Can't wait to get my hands on a real one though!

Well, I finally got my 1/32 Apache from Ebay.
Its kinda funny, but the Academy 1/48th kit is patterned EXACTLY from it. The interior detail is considerably better than the 1/48th kit though. The cockpit actually has decent instrumentation. The kit needs some improving, as it depicts an early 1980s Apache without all of the sophisticated gear on it that the A models have today. Laser detectors, IR Jammers, and the like are all going to have to be scratchbuilt.

Still, as a representation of an Apache, it looks VERY good. Gonna have to get the IMEX kits next to compare. I definitely like the size of this kit though. It dwarfs my seven Cobras that Its gonna be sitting next to, and the Loach is just a joke! The Apache really is the BIG RIG!

I've built the 1/32 scale Revell kit and have a copy of both IMEX Apache kits .. but have not started construction. Unless there's a lot of problems in the building process, I recommend the IMEX. Not a lot more detail ... but there is more. It's hard to tell the difference in many areas. As a matter of fact, I initially thought the IMEX kits were rescaled from the Revell kit but that's not correct. I'm not sure which one it's from but they are not original (except of course for the scale).
Paul

I've got the old Monogram AH-64A 1/48 kit. I friend bought the Verlinden update for the kit but did not need it so he traded it to me. I haven't received it yet, but hopefully it will dress up that kit.

Let me know how your quest for a 1/35 scale Apache goes, I want to get one and until the latest releases, had been looking at the old Revell 1/32 scale one.