_GOTOBOTTOM
Air Campaigns
Want to start or join a group build? This is where to start.
OFFICIAL: Helicopter Build Campaign
TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
_VISITCOMMUNITY
California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
KitMaker: 2,500 posts
AeroScale: 318 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 01:28 AM UTC
I’m in a little late with the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter!

This one is the 1/144 scale bird from Zvezda. It is a snap-fit kit with a low parts count designed for wargaming, so I should be able to complete it within the campaign deadline.
TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
_VISITCOMMUNITY
California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
KitMaker: 2,500 posts
AeroScale: 318 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 02:16 PM UTC
The first thing I did was to assemble the fuselage halves and cockpit. Pretty simple, and things looked good...

...until I tried to test fit the canopy – which is impossible with the fuselage glued together!



To get the canopy to fit I had to cut off the EW antenna and part of the cooling air intake at the top of the cockpit above the canopy just in front of the main rotor. I’ll repair it after the canopy is installed later.

Always test fit... I should know this!

TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
_VISITCOMMUNITY
California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
KitMaker: 2,500 posts
AeroScale: 318 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 22, 2019 - 01:39 AM UTC
The cockpit is very basic with just seats and a featureless panel between them. I painted it black with olive drab seat pads and dressed it up minimally with seatbelts made from Tamiya tape.

The Zvezda kit canopy is cast in a soft and rather cloudy plastic, and no amount of polishing or Future clear coating seemed to have much effect on it.

Given this, the spartan cockpit arrangements should be sufficient; the interior won’t be that visible anyway.
Klaus-Adler
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODELGEEK
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: June 08, 2015
KitMaker: 1,505 posts
AeroScale: 193 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 22, 2019 - 03:04 AM UTC

Quoted Text

The cockpit is very basic with just seats and a featureless panel between them. I painted it black with olive drab seat pads and dressed it up minimally with seatbelts made from Tamiya tape.

The Zvezda kit canopy is cast in a soft and rather cloudy plastic, and no amount of polishing or Future clear coating seemed to have much effect on it.

Given this, the spartan cockpit arrangements should be sufficient; the interior won’t be that visible anyway.



you're off to a good start already i see with not much time left on the clock :-)
TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
_VISITCOMMUNITY
California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
KitMaker: 2,500 posts
AeroScale: 318 posts
Posted: Friday, August 23, 2019 - 01:07 AM UTC

Quoted Text

you're off to a good start already i see with not much time left on the clock :-)



You're right, David!

Meanwhile... with the canopy installed, I've repaired the self-caused damage, reinstalling the severed EW antenna and replacing the mangled cooling air intake behind the cockpit with sheet plastic.

Progress is slower than I'd like given the approaching deadline... I'll get cracking this weekend!

Dragon164
#226
_VISITCOMMUNITY
British Columbia, Canada
Joined: February 20, 2012
KitMaker: 1,909 posts
AeroScale: 508 posts
Posted: Friday, August 23, 2019 - 06:27 PM UTC
Hi guys,

I never even got started on mine so will be bowing out.

Cheers Rob.
whitewolf_mk67
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Iran / فارسى
Joined: September 20, 2018
KitMaker: 26 posts
AeroScale: 9 posts
Posted: Friday, August 23, 2019 - 10:13 PM UTC
hi guys
i cant finish my seaking in time , so im out too.


majid
TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
_VISITCOMMUNITY
California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
KitMaker: 2,500 posts
AeroScale: 318 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 24, 2019 - 03:05 PM UTC
Rob & Majid, I too am pressing against the deadline!

Fortunately, my little Apache is simple; the wings and tailplane come as single pieces. The wings even have the pylons already attached.

weapons test fitted


TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
_VISITCOMMUNITY
California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
KitMaker: 2,500 posts
AeroScale: 318 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 25, 2019 - 01:01 AM UTC
Before the simple paint job came the complex (and somewhat tedious!) job of masking the canopies with tiny bits of Tamiya tape.

Once prepped, though, a coat of Tamiya rattle-can AS-6 Olive Drab took only seconds to apply!
Ruffus
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Guatemala
Joined: April 12, 2005
KitMaker: 343 posts
AeroScale: 111 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 25, 2019 - 02:34 AM UTC
Six days and counting!!
Klaus-Adler
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODELGEEK
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: June 08, 2015
KitMaker: 1,505 posts
AeroScale: 193 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 25, 2019 - 03:57 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Six days and counting!!



I know and I am finally adding the finishing touches to mine. should have some pictures up on Monday
TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
_VISITCOMMUNITY
California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
KitMaker: 2,500 posts
AeroScale: 318 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 25, 2019 - 11:33 AM UTC
I am not enchanted with the soft plastic Zvezda uses for its model kits; it scratches easily and small parts are readily broken. One of the tail rotor blades had snapped off even before the kit parts went into the box.



Fortunately, making a replacement blade from sheet plastic was not difficult.
Klaus-Adler
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODELGEEK
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: June 08, 2015
KitMaker: 1,505 posts
AeroScale: 193 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 25, 2019 - 10:10 PM UTC
ok, well here i am, finally finished my Revell 1/72 AH-1G Cobra Gunship. it was a great little model and the only issues i had were with the skids which kept breaking off while i was handling the kit and the canopy which is in 5 parts, that really needed to be cast as a single piece imho. The rocket pods were a bit fiddly as i left them off until the end as i painted them separatelym which might not have been the best move in hindsight.




TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
_VISITCOMMUNITY
California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
KitMaker: 2,500 posts
AeroScale: 318 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 27, 2019 - 01:23 PM UTC
David,

My compliments on your gorgeous Cobra!

Klaus-Adler
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODELGEEK
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: June 08, 2015
KitMaker: 1,505 posts
AeroScale: 193 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - 08:10 PM UTC

Quoted Text

David,

My compliments on your gorgeous Cobra!




many thanks for those kind words.

if anyone needs a time extension please let me know and I will make it happen.
TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
_VISITCOMMUNITY
California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
KitMaker: 2,500 posts
AeroScale: 318 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 29, 2019 - 12:29 AM UTC
After applying the green of the ‘copter and the black rotors and tires, final assembly went quickly.

The only insignia were the “United States Army” markings applied to the fuselage sides.


With the rocket pack, Hellfire anti-armor missiles, and 30mm chain gun beneath the nose, the little Apache is done!
Klaus-Adler
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODELGEEK
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: June 08, 2015
KitMaker: 1,505 posts
AeroScale: 193 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 31, 2019 - 12:47 AM UTC
Hi all,

I'm currently away on family business at the moment. if I don't get a request to extend the campaign then I will sort out medals next weekend. sorry for the delay but I'm in the middle of serious dose of real life blues at the moment.
MichaelSatin
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
AEROSCALE
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Colorado, United States
Joined: January 19, 2008
KitMaker: 3,909 posts
AeroScale: 2,904 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 31, 2019 - 01:45 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi all,

I'm currently away on family business at the moment. if I don't get a request to extend the campaign then I will sort out medals next weekend. sorry for the delay but I'm in the middle of serious dose of real life blues at the moment.



Hope you get your issues sorted out alright, David! Let me know if you need any support from me.

Michael
Klaus-Adler
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODELGEEK
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: June 08, 2015
KitMaker: 1,505 posts
AeroScale: 193 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 04, 2019 - 03:35 AM UTC
Hi folks,

if you have managed to complete the campaign on time, please make sure that you have the required pictures in the gallery.

I will try to organise medals/ ribbons at the weekend.

to everyone who took part regardless if you finished or, not thanks for joining the campaign.

TimReynaga
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
_VISITCOMMUNITY
California, United States
Joined: May 03, 2006
KitMaker: 2,500 posts
AeroScale: 318 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 05, 2019 - 12:41 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi folks,

if you have managed to complete the campaign on time, please make sure that you have the required pictures in the gallery.

I will try to organise medals/ ribbons at the weekend.

to everyone who took part regardless if you finished or, not thanks for joining the campaign.




David,

My small effort is completed and in the gallery -

Thanks for a great campaign!

Ruffus
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Guatemala
Joined: April 12, 2005
KitMaker: 343 posts
AeroScale: 111 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 08, 2019 - 03:13 AM UTC
Hi there!!
Klaus-Adler
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODELGEEK
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: June 08, 2015
KitMaker: 1,505 posts
AeroScale: 193 posts
Posted: Monday, September 09, 2019 - 01:04 AM UTC
I have handed out awards to those who have pictures in the campaign gallery, if i am missing anyone, please PM as soon as possible.

Thanks
M4A1Sherman
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New York, United States
Joined: May 02, 2013
KitMaker: 4,403 posts
AeroScale: 254 posts
Posted: Monday, September 09, 2019 - 11:12 AM UTC
Hello, Byron!

WELCOME!!!
 _GOTOTOP