Bigasshammm Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Been itching to start this one and got the final parts I needed today. List of what's to do includes Academy AH-64A kit Eduard AH-64A Apache pe Eduard AH-64D Apache express mask (Anyone know if the windshields are the same for the A and D or can I not use this?) ArmyCast AH-64A/D Detail Set ArmyCast AH-64 Apache engine set ArmyCast AH-64 Apache accessories (weapons n such) Donor decals from the Mirage AH-64A IFOR/Bosnia kit. Opened up everything and the ArmyCast stuff looks just incredible. But there's a whole ton of cutting I need to do which makes me a little nervous. Sorry for glare it's the overhead light in my dining room where I do my work. Might get to cutting here tonight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Cool! Good luck with this. I´ll be watching, as I still need to add an Apache to my collection. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 Forgot to mention this is my first legit helicopter in nobody knows when. So basically it's my first legit helicopter. I don't count the 1/144th one I made a couple years ago. Should be exciting. I've heard good things about this kit and it was killer cheap so that made it better. The ArmyCast stuff wasn't killer cheap though so I better not f them up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
2qwik4u Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Nice one Kris. I've got that kit too, I just need to get the Armycast stuff. Was it easy to get? I always get nervous ordering stuff from overseas the first time. -Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 Nice one Kris. I've got that kit too, I just need to get the Armycast stuff. Was it easy to get? I always get nervous ordering stuff from overseas the first time. -Dave Couldn't have been easier. Only took about two weeks to get to me and was registered mail I had to sign for. I was totally happy with every aspect of the sale. The parts look incredible so much detail it's amazing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 Pre-op Ninja-chop! Not a very good job on the fire extinguisher door so I'll have to clean that up. Chain-gun mag opened up. Transmission opened up. Got to close so pic is blurry but you get the idea. Sadly the two beautiful bays on the port side are for a D model and don't conform to this kit at all. So Aside from the engines that's it for panel openings. Engines already come open so that's the last major cutting. There's lots of little stuff to remove but I'll do that as time goes on. Tons of PE work as well especially in the cockpit so I'll get started on that soon. Had my wife print out the instructions so they would be bigger (thank you eduard) so I'll have those later tonight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cpoud117 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Nice start! Do you have a picture of the real deal? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 Nice start! Do you have a picture of the real deal? I haven't got the markings yet but I'm pretty sure they'll look like THIS Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cpoud117 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Not bad! Not bad at all ;) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Started on some cockpit work. This is the smallest or I've use and amazingly I'm having the most success with it as well. Pretty impressed with how the pit is turning out regardless of if it's accurate or not. Let's see if I can figure out how to post pics while on my phone. There's more by its too small to photo. K Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Amazing how tiny Eduard can print their stuff these days. Good start! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Man re-looking at those seats in picture form they look terrible. I think I'm going to change them to a dark grey since the belts look almost bluish. Only pic I found online showed them as a khaki green/tan but whatever. Lots more pics later I've got a lot done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Almost ready to close it up... Removed kit locators for engine parts to receive the resin engines. Still some filling to do but getting there. Cockpit tub and all other parts in prior to close-up. Transmission helped along with a couple resin blocks. The transmission was tricky to get to fit properly. I think I've got it where it should be now. Everything else fit quite nicely. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Hmm, that tailwheel looks pretty easy to snap off. Academy should have thought of a different construction there. Can't wait to see all that detail with color on it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 Yes that tailwheel made me nervous. If you were just building the kit I think it'd be fine but all the handling I've done made me decide to leave the sprue there for safety. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arkhunter2002 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Looks like a good start. You can always cut off the tail wheel and run a pin through it and attach it later. That way you wouldn't have to worry about knocking it off constantly... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AVGBob Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 How do you like doing a 1/72 helicopter? My f-100D is way to GD small. My first and probably last 1/72 fighter. After a few hours my eyes start to say enough is enough, we quit! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Deacon Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Looking good sir. Deacon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 Tailwheel actually hasn't been a concern at all. Fuse is together. Went together well with no filler needed. Been sanding a little and getting things ready. Also removed and attached the resin wing pylons. They fit perfectly in place of the kit parts. I noticed that I screwed up the fit of the transmission shaft to where it would be off center so I broke off round mounts for the shaft and will replace them with wire or something when I put the shaft in. Not a big deal. Also been working on the mounts to hang the chain gun since the resin parts give you a replacement but no pin for it to rotate. Cut the kit part and glued them together. It will be a little thicker than it should be but I can live with that to get a movable gun. Pics to follow either tonight or tomorrow. I have to get some new primer and other stuff at hobbyshop but otherwise I'm getting close to paint. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 Here's where she stands... Wings with resin pylons. The resin engine surrounds cut free getting ready to be mounted. Just glued on the lower portion where the wheels and gun are. Need some sanding here. Overall view of the fuse. Some sanding done primer will show any spots that need more. Side view. The canopy is basically a snap fit. Which I love. I didn't bother painting the inside or adding all the pe pieces cause frankly you won't see it. Plus that nice cockpit is now hidden forever. onward Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 The fight goes on! Been adding various pe pieces to the exterior. Fit the engine compartments. Done some of the pe antenna. I'm not going to replace the kit antenna with the pe parts due to the KISS method. Only adding some things that aren't resent on the kit. I don't want to go overboard on pe because it never turns out right for me. Not really checking any reference to see what's right or not for the bird I'm doing. I don't care about any of that. I'll just make it as close to the generalization as I can. Both engines will be open to give it more color and flare. Dropped some dough at the LHS and got some more primer and other things. Also got the chromate paint! May have primer on it in a day or two. K Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AVGBob Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 (edited) Wow, you work fast! And I love the "I'm building it like I want!" attitude. Rivet counters drive me nuts! Sorry riveters. :P Edited January 29, 2012 by AVGBob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 Patience is not one of my virtues. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arkhunter2002 Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 if that's your camera... how do you take pictures? haha sorry, that just caught my eye... It's coming together well! How is the general fit? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bigasshammm Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 if that's your camera... how do you take pictures? haha sorry, that just caught my eye... It's coming together well! How is the general fit? Magic! No that was the camera I used to use. Now I use my new i phone. It takes much clearer pictures and I can upload them to pbucket almost immediately. This Academy kit is really nice. A lot of the pe detail that I'm adding is already there, the pe is just a little nicer or crisper. Fit of everything is perfect so far. This would definitely be a nice oob kit to build and is very cheap. I got this one from Squadron I think for 6$. For example the canopy has no glue whatsoever. It slides in and basically snaps into place and there isn't a gap anywhere! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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