500 Size AH-64A Apache build

[F106DeltaDart]

Added a few more details. Flare dispenser, antennas, and wire cutters for the most part. Also started hollowing out a few parts on the nose to make rooms for a movable TADS unit. Getting close to painting!

[Prowler901]

Nice! Too bad about the custom parts. She does look good with the rotor on. :Cool:

[F106DeltaDart]

Today I worked on the setup for the mechanics. The main objective was to substitute the stock align shaft to move the rotorhead lower similar to the real Apache. I did not however, realize how much of a pain this would be. The rotorhead that I bought for this project was a custom scale Apache from CNCHelicopter, which I now would not recommend.. The first issue was that the ball links on the head took a lot of force to move, not free to move as they should. So, I decided to change out all the linkages to Align hardware. While removing one of the ball links, the screw snapped clean off, inside the threaded hole. Trying to remove this lead to the discovery of more issues, including cracked parts, and poor tolerances. So, I elected to use the Align four blade head instead. I had to cut down the tip on the DFC mainshaft to get it to fit, and shrink all of the pitch links, but I finally have something that looks a bit more reasonable. Here are a few photos of the new head and lower positioning, couldn't resist a test fit with the blades attached..

[F106DeltaDart]

Delta, that's some outstanding work! Lots of great details you're adding. What are the dimensions on the fuselage?

Thanks Prowler! The fuselage is about 41" long from nose to tail. I didn't get much more done today, but I did add the wire cutters on the skids and painted the panel. Hopefully I'll manage to get a bit more work done tomorrow so I can start on the gun and TADS. Right now I am debating whether to make those servo-controlled as well..

[Prowler901]

Delta, that's some outstanding work! Lots of great details you're adding. What are the dimensions on the fuselage?

[F106DeltaDart]

Completely agree, hawk. I know if I ever tried that kind of flying, I'd price myself out of the hobby in under a week LOL. Tonight I have been adding more rivets.. almost ready to start painting. Next I have to add the flare canister, a few more smal, surface details, and attach the weapons. I am also trying to figure out how I will provide some cooling to the electronics. I am thinking that I might use some small computer fans behind the engine intakes to blow air into the mechanics.

[dahawk]

I agree. Need a barf bag just watching these guys. When they prang them, it's an expensive fix . Just a new set of blades for a 600 class is ~ $150.00. Eek !

[F106DeltaDart]

Which T-33 is that? We have a real one on display at our field.

Its the 90mm RCLander version. As far as I know, its the only foam one out there at a decent size.

Cool. It's great to see a scale heli. Lot of heli guys at our club flying 3D and they all look identical.

Thanks Hawk, it always surprises me that scale helis aren't more popular. The 3D stuff may be cheaper in theory, but you break a lot less stuff flying scale than slamming them around the sky in every physics-defying direction. Don't get me wrong, those guys have crazy skills, but the full scale pilot in me just looks at it and says "ok.. NO".

[TiredIronGRB]

Which T-33 is that? We have a real one on display at our field.

[dahawk]

Cool. It's great to see a scale heli. Lot of heli guys at our club flying 3D and they all look identical.

[F106DeltaDart]

Another update on the Apache. I've been busy adding rivets. LOTs of rivets..

[F106DeltaDart]

Thanks Prowler! I made a bit more progress this weekend on the Apache. I got the landing gear attached and added on more airframe details, as well as started the cockpit detail. I also added some more of the various handles around the helicopter, and the antennas and fences behind the rotor mast.




Quick test fit of the weapons wings.

Some of the cockpit detail so far. The seats, pilot, and instrument panels were all 3D printed and painted with autobody primer to smooth out the surfaces.





Next I'm hoping to make the flare dispensers, start on the rivet detail, and move forward with the cockpit and window installation.

[Prowler901]

Wow! That's some really nice work there.

[F106DeltaDart]

Over the past couple of months I've started working on another scale Heli to join my AH-6 Little Bird, a 500 size AH-64A Apache Gunship. This is all based off of the old (discontinued) RC Aerodyne scale fuselage kit. This includes a custom main gear to fit inside the narrow fuselage, and frames that lower the tail boom to the scale location. I am also using the RC Aerodyne raised tail kit, that allows me to use a torque tube drive setup. In addition, I will be using the scale 4 blade head and offset tail rotor kits from CNC helicopter. I am also planning on a fully detailed cockpit.

One of the first mods to the airframe was to move the tail rotor fairing to the correct side. The kit included the tail rotor on the left side, while it is located on the right in the full scale version. To do this, I cut out the fairing with a Drexel cutoff wheel, and glued in a styrene backing. The gaps were filled with bondo and sanded to blend the surface. The fairing was then painstakingly reconstructed from styrene on the correct side.



The next thing was to add in a few missing panel lines. Thin panel line tape was applied to all of these missing lines:



These were then painted over with thick auto body primer, and then the tape was removed to leave the panel lines. In addition, various handles were added across the airframe by bending thin steel rods. Here is the current configuration with test fitting the mechanics in the fuselage.

Next up will be more airframe detailing including more handles/antennas/sensors, and a start on the cockpit detail.