Apache Part Deux

Got this little gem from the Forces of Valor series from Unimax... it's 1:72 scale but looks pretty good! The panel lines are not too thick, and the wash is not overdone.

The gun swivels and the engine covers can be opened too.

The little details like the rivets are there too... nice!

Best thing? Not very expensive, about $30-$40. They also have a 1/48 scale version, but have not seen that yet. :)

Apache Overwatch

I've always wondered how many klicks away these Apaches are watching the Insurgents without them realizing it, kidna scary knowing there's a 30mm gun trained on you, and at any moment, a hellfire missile can just drop from the sky a mere few feet away from you?

There was once during my reservist days when we were outfield, the Guards were using the area to practice heli-ops, basically loading/unloading of troops and gear via a chinook. Swear the chopper was no more than 200metres away in a clearing, and other than the initial 'whup-whup' sound when it was coming in to land, the darn thing was near silent when it landed with blades spinning and all! Even when it took off, it never made too much of a racket, but heckuva lotta dust though. :p

Lots of these videos on Youtube. Some 'gorier' than others. From their chatter, it'd seem the gunner/pilots are sometimes a little 'too' eager to shoot on the enemy... but this is war. A assumption now will cost the lives of your own soldiers later.

AH-64 Apache Longbow

Picked up a 1:48 scale AH-64D Apache Longbow from Franklin Mint, was contemplating a 1:72 one to be in scale with my other planes, but unfortunately there are no decent manufacturers from 1:72 apaches yet! You have Forces of Valor, but the details are icky and the paint jobs weird.

Strangely, for such a popular attack chopper, not many people make decent versions of this; i sure hope Witty or HM does make one though!

Opened the packaging to take a peek, thing is heavy! Packaging is real secure too. Details are nice, i guess there's enough room on a 1:48 chopper for all the teeny bits!

Well, actually i saw the Megafactories Documentary on the Apache, which kinda spurred me on to get this hehe! :p

Some stats :

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (pilot, and co-pilot/gunner)
• Length: 58.17 ft (17.73 m) (with both rotors turning)
• Rotor diameter: 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m)
• Height: 12.7 ft (3.87 m)
• Disc area: 1,809.5 ft² (168.11 m²)
• Empty weight: 11,387 lb (5,165 kg)
• Loaded weight: 17,650 lb (8,000 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 23,000 lb (10,433 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T700-GE-701 and later upgraded to T700-GE-701C (1990–present) & T700-GE-701D (AH-64D block III) turboshafts, -701: 1,690 shp, -701C: 1,890 shp, -701D: 2,000 shp (-701: 1,260 kW, -701C: 1,490 kW, -701D: 1,490 kW) each
• Fuselage length: 49 ft 5 in (15.06 m)
• Rotor systems: 4 blade main rotor, 4 blade tail rotor in non-orthogonal alignment

Armament

• Guns: 1× 30 × 113 mm (1.18 × 4.45 in) M230 Chain Gun with 1,200 rounds
• Hardpoints: Four pylon stations on the stub wings. Longbows also have a station on each wingtip for an AIM-92 ATAS twin missile pack.
• Rockets: Hydra 70 70 mm, and CRV7 70 mm air-to-ground rockets
• Missiles: Typically AGM-114 Hellfire variants; AIM-92 Stinger may also be carried.