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Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche USMC


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The (virtual) Original

The Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche finally saw its comissioning after 21 years of development and the first helicopters saw duty in the US Army in 2004. In 2006 the United States Marine Corps decided to use this helicopter as a replacement for the aging AH-1 Cobras. So in 2009 the first USMC Comanches were delivered, replacing the Cobra as a light attack helicopter.

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The kit

The Kit is the old Italeri Kit in 1/48 scale and unfortunately it is very rare and hard to get. A very simple Kit, especially the cockpit, it's in need of a lot of work to do.

So the 'pit was build with a lot of scratch, e.g. a complete new console for the Gunner, revised seats and the back board in the cockpit. New sidewalls in the cockpit had also to be done, because in the kit there's nothing between the cockpit and the hull of the helicopter.

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Outside an Avionicbay was build, some wires were laid into the bays. On the rear two fins were made, these were there on the original Prototype 2 due to stability issues.

The Radar radome was also completely made from scratch.

The Hellfire's under the wings were taken from a Hasegawa AH-64 because the kit parts are wrong in shape and lack of detail.

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I painted the kit in Gunze FS36375 and FS 35237 for the typical USMC Scheme. The Decals were taken from the kit, from an Italeri AH-1W kit and out of the junk box.

In conclusion I really enjoyed this build, although there was a lot of work to do.

But if I'll get another one of these, I will definately put my hands on it again.

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I hope you like this one and I'm looking forward for your critique.

And sorry for my bad english... it's been a while since I wrote or spoke in english.

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Thank you :D/>

At the moment I'm looking for a second Kit of the Comanche, because there's one thing I would like to build: A Comanche with folded Main Rotor and all bays open

So please, if anyone has this kit to offer, please drop me a short mail :thumbsup:/>

Edited by André Middeldorf
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Andre,

What is it about helicopters, that stirs all this excitement besides the rotors? For one,

a well executed build as we have here. I'm not actually familiar with this particular kit,

but you seemed to have done an excellent job with it... "Tail-hook forgiven!"

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