Revell 1/48 AH-64 Apache

[tcoat]

Even though I have a pile on the bench my recent build of the old P-61 put me in the mood for another old Revel kit. I had the most recent boxing of the venerable Apache sitting there since I picked up at a flea market for $% or $6 in 2022 screaming at me so it came to the front of the line. 




Since it dates back to the mid 80's it is a mix of very nice detail and some oddly old school engineered parts. 

No modern kit maker would do this:




Even though the molds are 40 years old and have probably pumped out millions of copies they are still pretty good with only a small amount of flash and no sink marks or short shots that I have found yet.









The glass looks very nice and should mask up easily.





Somebody had rather sloppily started hand painting the cockpits so all the parts came off the sprues so I could airbrush them.




This will be another straight OOB build so should move along pretty quick.

[lyle]

[kyledehart5]

Excellent. Looking forward to seeing this one come together.

[TJ]

Ooh a Whirlybird type thingy.

[Steve Zuleski]

Excellent, T, Ruck On!

[keavdog]

I built the Monogram boxing back in the 80s This will be fun to watch.
I have the Hasegawa Longbow in the stash.

[tcoat]

Feb 18, 2024 12:48:14 GMT -5 keavdog said:

I built the Monogram boxing back in the 80s This will be fun to watch.
I have the Hasegawa Longbow in the stash.

This is a kit from the time I wasn't building so this is my first crack at it. So far it is surprisingly nice.


Cockpit all done up. Still needs flat to tone things down.


 


Another detail from the transition to better detail. Very nice cushion texture that takes a wash beautifully. Then have 4 huge injector posts right through it!

[garybrantley]

I'll enjoy following along! 👍  My Monogram AH-64 was built in the early '90s and is a model that I've haven't photographed yet.   I recall it a good kit to build.   I remember holding the main blades over a pot of boiling water in order to get their characteristic sag. 🙂

[tcoat]

Crew and cockpits ready for flat coat. Don't usually give a crew but I really liked these figures.

[kyledehart5]

Sweet!!

[tcoat]

Flat coated and in their seats.

[kyledehart5]

Quick work on the little whirly bird dudes. Nicely done

[handiabled]

Bookmarked! I love the Apache and yours is looking great so far

[Medicman71]

Very nice! You can tell that the molds are old as hell.

[tcoat]

Feb 19, 2024 11:32:58 GMT -5 Medicman71 said:

Very nice! You can tell that the molds are old as hell.

It is truly a transitional kit leading between old basic detail and modern high detail. You get parts like the rotor hub assembly which is just a vaguely hub shaped lump of plastic but then there is the chin gun and some of the smaller parts  which are very nicely done. They were not quite out of the RIVIT EVERTHING stage though. The molds themselves may be old but most of the parts are still pretty crisp. So far it has gone pretty good other than a major operator error that I will show later. 

[tcoat]

Gotta love the targeting helmets of these things!

[tcoat]

[keavdog]

Looks like a glob of chewing gum lol

[tcoat]

Feb 20, 2024 20:50:36 GMT -5 keavdog said:

Looks like a glob of chewing gum lol

It is cleaning up fine but even at it's very best it is only sort of vaguely close to the real thing. Not sure if they changed over the years but this does NOT look like the kit part.

[Medicman71]

Man, look how dirty and worn out that rotor head is.

[tcoat]

Feb 21, 2024 8:21:06 GMT -5 Medicman71 said:

Man, look how dirty and worn out that rotor head is.

I like the paint on the one in the background. Model it like that and some would say it is far too weathered!

[Medicman71]

Feb 21, 2024 8:56:56 GMT -5 tcoat said:

Feb 21, 2024 8:21:06 GMT -5 Medicman71 said:

Man, look how dirty and worn out that rotor head is.

I like the paint on the one in the background. Model it like that and some would say it is far too weathered!

You mean at the tail next to the guys head? That's the primer inside. The panel has been removed there probably for maintenance.

[tcoat]

Feb 21, 2024 10:28:51 GMT -5 Medicman71 said:

Feb 21, 2024 8:56:56 GMT -5 tcoat said:

I like the paint on the one in the background. Model it like that and some would say it is far too weathered!

You mean at the tail next to the guys head? That's the primer inside. The panel has been removed there probably for maintenance.

Nope. The whole other chopper to the left.

[Medicman71]

Feb 21, 2024 11:15:13 GMT -5 tcoat said:

Feb 21, 2024 10:28:51 GMT -5 Medicman71 said:

You mean at the tail next to the guys head? That's the primer inside. The panel has been removed there probably for maintenance.

Nope. The whole other chopper to the left.

Ahh ok. Yeah, that looks really worn out.

[Steve Zuleski]

Looking good TC, Ruck ON!

[stikpusher]

AH-64A's had this item at the top of the rotor head



The D Apacahes got rid of that item up there so the Longbow radar could be mounted up on top





The Revell kit is an A and has the mast top item, not the Radar set up.

[tcoat]

Feb 21, 2024 16:45:51 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

AH-64A's had this item at the top of the rotor head



The D Apacahes got rid of that item up there so the Longbow radar could be mounted up on top



The Revell kit is an A and has the mast top item, not the Radar set up.

That accounts for the mounting plate but the whole structure is wrong. For example  the braces on the  main housing are all on angles on the kit and the real thing they run parallel with the blades. Not to mention the 2 inch scale bolt heads holding the cover on. Will be just fine when all made up it just struck me odd that they do so much with everything else and just sort of went "Mehhh close enough" on that.

[tcoat]

That's better

[lyle]

Wow! Amazing transformation.

[stikpusher]

Much much better!!!