The fact that Italeri comes out with the latest new aircraft really is a two-edged sword. Their F-22, MV-22, and AH-1Z are all relatively new and needed subjects. I've purchased the Raptor and Osprey and find them to be very good representations, however, the cockpits, gear bays, access areas, etc. lack good detail -- mostly because these aircraft are new, and access and information to them is still somewhat limited. Right now, the only thing the Italeri AH-1Z kit has going for it is the fact that it builds up into a AH-1W. The 'Z' parts really aren't a very accurate representation at all of how the aircraft has proceeded through its trials and flight testing. As far as what I can see (from the box art), it ignores the fact that the entire doghouse area has a new shape -- Italeri just slapped 4 rotors on the old Whiskey doghouse. Also, they still use the old NTS-style targeting system parts, whereas the real bird has a completely new and different targeting system.
Bottom line, I'd rather wait a couple years and have a good model of a production aircraft, rather then get a poor pre-production kit right away. I really hope that whoever decides to do this kit takes their time to do it very well. The UH-1Y is so different than every other huey produced (new tailboom, extended fuselage, doghouse, APU, etc), and nothing would be more of a shame than for some manufacturer to pop out some old huey molds with "new" Y-model add-on parts.