Academy 1/72 British Army AH-64D Apache

[SaminCam]

Hello all, thanks for dropping in on my latest completed build and first for 2022! This is the 1/72 British Army AH-64D Apache from Academy. The kit goes together really well, everything is crisp and there's barely any filler or sanding needed. It's pretty much out of the box with just a few additions: you get a good view into the cockpit so I made milliput cushions and foil belts to improve the seats, cut off the two rows of vertical plates between the engines and replaced them with thinner plasticard, and added rivet lines on the tail boom, tail plane, "wings" and rear fuselage.

 

Painting was done with an airbrush and the green is tamiya olive drab darkened a touch with rubber black. The only thing that really bugged me about the build was the decals, which despite being applied to a gloss coat, softened with decal setting solution and sealed in with another coat of varnish, still ended up silvering. I'm not sure if this is something I'm doing wrong or the decals themselves, definitely something to improve on with the next one! I went to town with the weathering as I wanted it to look dusty and used as it might have done in service in Afghanistan. After a matt varnish was applied I dotted on brown, off-white and black oils which were blended in with white spirit to give a mottled and worn effect. After this I tried to make the upper surfaces, cracks and crevices look even more dusty with various shades of ground up brown and yellow pastels. I'm really happy with how the weathering turned out and it was great fun really going for it with these different effects. If you're interested in more details the short and (possibly?) sweet WIP is here:   

   

Enough waffling, here are some pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for taking a look! Cheers, Sam

[cardiff guy]

very nice, hope mine turns out as well.

[Vultures1]

That's really nice work Sam. I think the weathering is excellent and captures a suitably dusty appearance. Well done!

[Pete in a shed]

Great looking Apache Sam. The weathering techniques you have tried have reallybrought the model to life. Cant see any of the silvering you mention.

Pete

[The Shearwater]

Goodness me - the detail is sooooo nicely rendered. Much better than my attempt at an Apache! Good work.

[neilspen]

A really good build and finish. The decals look ok, I had to zoom in to notice any silvering. I have one in the stash, which I hope will look as good as yours (when I get round to it 😊). Cheers Neil

[Cookenbacher]

That's a tough looking customer Sam, very cool.

[Sky Keg]

This one is inspirational for me.  I built the Hasegawa Apache with lackluster results and wish to make amends with this one from Academy.  I hope mine turns out a fraction as nice as the one you presented here.  

 

Mike

[SaminCam]

@cardiff guy@Vultures1@Pete in a shed@The Shearwater@neilspen@Cookenbacher@Sky Keg Thanks everyone, glad you like her, and good luck to those planning to build your own, I look forward to seeing more Apaches appearing here! 

[Bertie McBoatface]

Are you sure that's not 1/48? Great work.