HELICOPTERS: ATTACK HELO GROUP BUILD!

Cobrahistorian, thanks for getting us "official".

It feels good to have a home, Jon.

Schwing! Our own spot in the GB Forum.

BTW Jon, I don't know if you received my e-mail, but I would like to change my subject. Instead of the Hind, I'm going to build a 1/48th Hasegawa AH-64A Apache in the new Israeli daytime camouflage scheme (Sand/brown/gray). It will have an Aires cockpit (I hope) and Isradecal markings.

Cheers,

Would the Kamov KA-52 fall into this group at all?
Being mainly an a/c guy, it would be nice to add another helo to my cabinet?

Absolutely Tweety!

Allright!! crazy. this build's gonna be awesome.

Excellent!!!
Really like the look of the KA-52, should be a fun build.
Is there an official badge, or do we make our own?????

You can make your own if you want, Tweety.
That's more or less what everyone else has done. Most are using a pic of the bird they are going to build.

I got some Aztec decals for a Peruvian Mi-24. Would that count?

Hmmm, need to remember how to make pics on the PC.
Been a while.

Well, my KA-52 will be OOB, cause I can't find any A/M bits for it, so nothing super fantastic, but we will see.

Hey Jason, what happened to your badge?

trigger,
ah. I just got bored with the AH-6 a little and just thought i could switch it around with the other one i made once in a few days. but i guess nobody likes the 'generic' one! no problem, i'm very happy to switch back. (thanks for bringing this up, now i realize that the badge with the '6J is the way to go) lol

btw, wanna trade badges with me for a while?

I seriously thought about using yours. I'm content with mine for now It's still don't think it's "there" yet but if someone wants to use it, I don't mind. But, I think that you should be proud of your badge. Where did you find the image for it and were there other pix?

BTW - who did the Young Guns badge? That's funny as
"What's going on?"
"We're playing house."
"That boy is all tied up."
"Roman Polanski's house"

First progress pics!
Ok, so I started a bit early. Since I haven't had any time to work on this in a week and a half, I figured I'd post some pics during a writing break. Here's three shots of my AH-64D conversion of the Revell kit. The first is an overall shot showing the right side of the aircraft and all of the major additions. You can see the nose turret frame has been removed and is undergoing considerable modification. The M230 cannon has gotten the basic wire strike frame and will get the remainder as soon as I get a spare second to build again. The fuselage has gotten enlarged avionics sponsons, ECM antennae and the UHF frame antenna along the tailboom. Low-airspeed sensor arms made from copper tubing have also been added to the engine nacelles. The deflector and support bar have also been added to the tailwheel.

Click on the URL to see the full size image.



This one is a shot of the interior where you can see the pilot's control panel. I basically used the panel, cut off all the instrumentation and started anew. Two CRTs were cut from sheet styrene and then shaped properly. Various knobs were cut from styrene rod.
I'm still working on the front panel, but it is coming along well.



Here's another view of the right side from the rear.

Hi All,

I guess we're official! This should be great fun. I actually might get some good progress by May - at least the cockpit finished! It is a miracle that I am actually almost finished my StuG III after only 2 months - my last kit took me almost a year. We'll do our best - I might try to get a jump on it over the holidays. Can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with.

JWest - got any tips for PE with the AH -64D? This is my first go with photoetched parts. [:0]

Jim

QUOTE: Originally posted by Trigger74 BTW - who did the Young Guns badge? That's funny as "What's going on?" "We're playing house." "That boy is all tied up." "Roman Polanski's house"

I don't know who made it, but i'll ask in the Yougn Guns GB thread.
as to where i found the pix, for the badge i'm using right now i got it off www.bhd93.com, and the other one i just Googled 'attack helicopter' (i think) and found it.

Ok, I'm really procrastinating on getting my damn thesis written. Just spent 2 hours on the sensor turret mount for my Apache. But it is now the correct shape and has all of its wire guards!

Current list:

Me - AH-64D Conversion from Revell 1/32 kit, AH-64A Gray Scheme 1/32 Revell
Albymoore- Hasegawa AH-64D 1/48 Israeli markings
Adrake -MRC AH-1T+ with CobraCompany NTS upgrade and 2Bobs Decals 1/35
Apache114 - Academy AH-64 1/48
Lodni_k - R-M Mi-24 Hind, Peruvian Air Force
Copterguy - Hasegawa AH-64D with Eduard photoetch 1/48
JWest - Hasegawa AH-64D with Eduard Photoetch 1/48
Jay_Liang_CA - AH/MH-6 1/35
Par429 - HH-60H w/Cobra Company Conversion 1/48
Ga.modeler - mac/dac/ 530g mms
Marinemodeler- MH-53 Pave Low 1/48
chopperfan- UH-1E w/ CC UH-1B backdate and scratchbuilt TAT-101 1/35
Osjohnm- RAH-66 1/48
rockythegoat- AH-1Z, MH-53 1/700 and possibly MH-68 1/72
Trigger74- AH./MH-6 1/35

Were there any Comanche prototypes painted black?
Being a stealth helicopter I'm thinking of painting mine black since the B-2 and F-117 are black.
Are there any rules stopping me from doing this?

I don't know if there are any rules about it - this is Jon's BBQ so that's his call. But to answer your question, none of the Commanches were ever black, all were standard Helo Drab. The mock-up was finished in both a two-tone desert scheme and later re-painted Helo Drab. The CGI Commanches in "The Hulk" were a two-tone scheme as well (not the same as the mock-up).

And only the F-117 was black. The first B-2 had a black leading edge and undersurface, but all production B-2s are overall FS36118 Gunship Gray.

However, there is one Army aviation unit that paints its helicopters black...

Everyone,

I'm not one for rules holding people back. The point is to enjoy this build. Hypothetical paint schemes are cool, as long as they're based somewhat in reality.

Osjohnm, a black Comanche would be entirely feasible, although getting SOAR to let go of their Little Birds in favor of the Comanche might be a bit difficult! Still, an all black RAH-66A with Cobra Company SOAR decals would be very cool.

Thx Cobrahistorian

Unfortunately the postage charges to get the Cobra Comp. decals will cost me more than the Commanche kits itself. At a 6-1 exchange rate getting items from the US isn't always that feasible.

The black paint also originated from the fact that I can't locate MM helo drab but I might have found two possible sources locally who might have some stock. Will know on Saturday what the verdict is.

Since we are on the topic of "what if" schemes, if the Apaches officially change to the new grey scheme what are the odds that the 160th SOAR will do the same?

QUOTE: Originally posted by Trigger74 However, there is one Army aviation unit that paints its helicopters black...

Wonder who that could be....

Hooah,

Well, decided to join. I am doing Monogram's AH-1G Cobra, with Cobra Companies pit, andy suggestions would be welcome. Are there any aftermarket markings for "Squatter Swatter"? Also, Does the OH-6 qualify? Or is that striclty a observation bird? Also, can anyome make a group badge for me?
Lee

QUOTE: Originally posted by midnightprowler Also, can anyome make a group badge for me? Lee

Here ya go.



HTH,

QUOTE: Originally posted by Trigger74 However, there is one Army aviation unit that paints its helicopters black...

NSDQ!!

trigger74:
to answer your question: Quagmyre made the Young Guns badge. it is awesome ain't it?

QUOTE: ...Since we are on the topic of "what if" schemes, if the Apaches officially change to the new grey scheme what are the odds that the 160th SOAR will do the same?

At least one MH-60K and one MH-47 already have...
http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=370097&WxsIERv=U2lrb3Jza3kgUGF2ZWhhd2s%3D&WdsYXMg=VVNBIC0gQXJteQ%3D%3D&QtODMg=S25veHZpbGxlIC0gTWNHaGVlIFR5c29uIChUWVMgLyBLVFlTKQ%3D%3D&ERDLTkt=VVNBIC0gVGVubmVzc2Vl&ktODMp=SnVuZSAxOSwgMjAwMw%3D%3D&BP=1&WNEb25u=QnJhZCBIYXJyaXM%3D&xsIERvdWdsY=MjYzNzc%3D&MgTUQtODMgKE=QSBwYWlyIG9mIHdvcmtob3JzZXMgZm9yIHRoZSBVLlMuIEFybXku&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=MTQzMQ%3D%3D&NEb25uZWxs=MjAwMy0wNi0yMA%3D%3D&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=&static=yes&size=L

i hate to see the day when that happens!! they don't look mean any more in the gray scheme.