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AH-56A Cheyenne in 1:72 by Atlantis


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This is a real classic: The kit has been released for the first time in 1968 (only one year after the maiden flight of the Cheyenne) and has been re-boxed and re-released several times since.

 

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I just recently bought the latest edition, now by Atlantis, and this is what the kit looks like inside the box:

 

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Overall 36 pieces reveal that this is not a kit that can be compared to current ones. However, this leaves a lot of room for improvement and scratch-building, and that´s what I intend to do! My idea is to build a version that - if the Cheyenne would have had been in service - looks like a helicopter of the early 80ies in Western Germany, waiting for the soviet hordes to cross the iron curtain! 😉

 

First things first, so the cockpit got some additional treatment. New flight stick and a small MFD for the pilot and the optical sight for the gunner were added.

 

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This kit comes with some quite nice figures I have to say! They may be a bit big, but fit into their seats.

 

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And with some paint added to the whole thing:

 

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The HUD for the pilot will surely help to deliver any unguided ammunition.

 

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The fuselage comes without too much detail, so I added some lines of rivets with my "nutter".

 

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Also visible on the following picture is the optical sensor under the belly. While the original part came with an simple opening only, I added some clear parts to simulate some sort of sights and sensors and also put a piece of clear plastic over it.

 

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HAJO

 

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I built an original Aurora back in the day.

It turned out very nice, as I recall I just needed a small bit of filler in front of the canooy. It was probably my best helicopter model at the time. I finished it in the prototype markings.

 

Yes, there are some accuracy issues, but as mentioned,  it's the only plastic kit out there. And Atlantis certainly has it priced right...and I believe has alternate decals not in the original Aurora kit.

 

Have fun....

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I remember building this one too, always wanted to pick up another for a future build.

I used to have a article on the Cheyenne, in it they posted a series of photos showing it pull its nose up and going into a complete loop like a regular fixed wing.

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Wings and fuselage are on:

 

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I also mounted the main gear struts, and kept them movable. It´s a bit toyish, but hopefully they will stay flexible and allow for a nice "look how smooth I am"-look when retracted.

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And here with the gear extended:

 

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It looks a bit like an eagle doing push-ups...

 

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HAJO

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I wondered - and maybe someone here can help me out - how the crew boarded this helicopter? I don´t see any ladders or retracting steps or similar to get in this thing, although the cockpit is pretty much up from the ground.

 

HAJO

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I just looked through the pictures I have yet, but couldn´t make out any built in steps. I think I will just "freestyle" them, I do have some PE-parts left over from previous projects.

 

 

HAJO

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Thank you!

 

I finished to scratch the second gun-station:

 

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Parts used: End of a central aux tank of a F-16, a part of a scalpell-blade-container and the "front end" of the aft rotor-turret of a Chinook.

 

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The small PE-part is a simulation of an opening for spent casings.

 

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The whole thing is protruding a bit too much below the belly, but does look like the real one - except there is not much "real one" since all flying Cheyenne were only prototypes. 😉

 

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After that I glued the canopy on and added some small parts. Antennas for example, and PE-parts that simulate Ccaff/Flare-launcher.

 

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My PE-spare box also provided the steps to get into the cockpit.

 

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HAJO

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On 2/27/2021 at 3:37 AM, Hajo L. said:

I wondered - and maybe someone here can help me out - how the crew boarded this helicopter? I don´t see any ladders or retracting steps or similar to get in this thing, although the cockpit is pretty much up from the ground.

 

HAJO

Boarding ladders in the aft end of the sponsons, and fold down walkways along the sides of the cockpit. the outlines of the platforms are molded into the fuselage.

 

AH-56A.jpg

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jstar, thanks a lot! I willhave to declare my Cheyenne as "post-prototype" with some changes. That way of boarding the aircraft is waaaaaay too long, you nearly start the process at the aft prop! 😉

 

So, the ARMY asked for a short-cut and got it, as can be seen on my model.

 

 

HAJO

 

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Really? I was thinking of doing another one maybe and paint it in original OD with the prototype-markings...

 

Speaking of painting...:

 

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First layer was Khaki (Revell 86), followed by a lightened up Bronzegreen (Revell 65).

 

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It looks quite like a russian camoscheme, but I´m not finished yet!

 

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I hope you´ll get the idea of what I´m doing here... 😉

 

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...because there is still one colour missing.

 

 

HAJO

 

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18 hours ago, JohnEB said:

In their weekly email to customers on 27 Feb, Atlantis said they were discontinuing the kit.

So if you want one, get one soon.

Ah, good news for this broke Cheyenne fan 😭

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Yeah, that would be a first step to do some improvement!

 

The Cheyenne is ready and on the war path!

 

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I armed it with the later "classic" 4-tube TOW-launcher and a rocket pod on each side.

 

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Decals are - except the 1st Cavalry patch - out of the box and went on quite smoothly.

 

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The typical slick front-profile of an Attack Helicopter, but with much larger wings!

 

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The anti-torque and the push-rotor:

 

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Apparently the push-rotor did not only help to accelerate and slow the Cheyenne, it did so without making the aircraft tilt. For tactical maneouvering quite a plus!

 

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The big canopy could benefit from a workover, indeed! The mini-gun is from my spare box and a former Italeri mini-gun.

 

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The 30mm below the belly came from an AH-64 Apache, I thought this more than appropiate for the Cheyenne.

 

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And finally some size comparison:

 

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With the Special Hobby AH-1G Cobra.

 

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And with a Super Hornet:

 

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So you can see the Cheyenne is quite a big warrior!

 

 

HAJO

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