British Army AH-64D 'Afghanistan'
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Kit Review
This is a revised reissue based on the US Army AH-64A Apache kit (#1649) released back in the 1990s, which was then updated to the AH-64D 'Block II' (#12514) and released last year.
Inside the big box you will find a single clear sprue and four moulded in a light grey-coloured plastic. Surface detail is via engraved lines with raised detail where appropriate. The main rotor is one-piece and the kit has been updated with new parts for the rocket pods, RWR (Radar Warning Receiver) and various airframe sensors. The upgrade to the Block II AH-64D saw the addition of things like the exhaust gas diffusors and new engine pods, plus a mass of smaller details, sensors and antenna and all of these remain in use for this version. The interior is nicely done, with good moulded detail and decals for the instrument panels. The rotor mast fits into a sturdy baseplate that is trapped between the two fuselage halves, so no 'sloppy' rotor to worry about. The winglets are multi-part and have clear plastic tip lights, whilst the side panels and ventral area are separate parts that attach to the main fuselage, thus removing unsightly join seams and following the 'bolt-on' aspect of the real machine. The chin-mounted cannon is multi-part and nicely detailed as a result, whilst the CRV7 rocket pods and AGM-114L anti-tank missiles are also multi-part assembles that are well detailed. The new engine pods with exhausts come next, along with the Chaff dispensers on the front/lower boom. The canopy is sadly one-piece, but both windscreen wipers are separate. The grab handles on the airframe, along with all the various 'lump and bump' antenna are all separate, as are the AofA probes. The final details to add are the one-piece main rotor with the separate (multi-part) radar scanned mounted on top, the tail rotor assemble and the formation lights on the nose, both of which are moulded in clear plastic.
Colour Options
Although the instructions only show one machine, ZJ711 and mention this was flown by Prince Harry at the Cosford Air Show in 2013, the decal sheet itself includes the serial numbers for every active WAH-64D operated by the British Army. All of them are the overall dark green currently applied to British Army machines and a mix of black and Olive Drab is listed in the instructions to achieve this. All other colours are identified by Humbrol, Mr Hobby Color and Mr Aqueous Color, Testors/Model Master, Revell and Vallejo paint ranges. The decal sheet, apart from all those serials, includes two roundels and all the airframe and ordnance stencils, including the seals for the glazed panels on the port side of the canopy. All of the decals are printed by Cartograf and look superb.
Conclusion
Well, this is a very nice update and one that will satisfy just about everyone looking for the WAH-64D in this scale.
Our thanks to Pocketbond/Bachmann Europe Plc for the review sample, check out this and all other ranges they import by visiting their website (www.pocketbond.co.uk).
This is a revised reissue based on the US Army AH-64A Apache kit (#1649) released back in the 1990s, which was then updated to the AH-64D 'Block II' (#12514) and released last year.
Inside the big box you will find a single clear sprue and four moulded in a light grey-coloured plastic. Surface detail is via engraved lines with raised detail where appropriate. The main rotor is one-piece and the kit has been updated with new parts for the rocket pods, RWR (Radar Warning Receiver) and various airframe sensors. The upgrade to the Block II AH-64D saw the addition of things like the exhaust gas diffusors and new engine pods, plus a mass of smaller details, sensors and antenna and all of these remain in use for this version. The interior is nicely done, with good moulded detail and decals for the instrument panels. The rotor mast fits into a sturdy baseplate that is trapped between the two fuselage halves, so no 'sloppy' rotor to worry about. The winglets are multi-part and have clear plastic tip lights, whilst the side panels and ventral area are separate parts that attach to the main fuselage, thus removing unsightly join seams and following the 'bolt-on' aspect of the real machine. The chin-mounted cannon is multi-part and nicely detailed as a result, whilst the CRV7 rocket pods and AGM-114L anti-tank missiles are also multi-part assembles that are well detailed. The new engine pods with exhausts come next, along with the Chaff dispensers on the front/lower boom. The canopy is sadly one-piece, but both windscreen wipers are separate. The grab handles on the airframe, along with all the various 'lump and bump' antenna are all separate, as are the AofA probes. The final details to add are the one-piece main rotor with the separate (multi-part) radar scanned mounted on top, the tail rotor assemble and the formation lights on the nose, both of which are moulded in clear plastic.
Colour Options
Although the instructions only show one machine, ZJ711 and mention this was flown by Prince Harry at the Cosford Air Show in 2013, the decal sheet itself includes the serial numbers for every active WAH-64D operated by the British Army. All of them are the overall dark green currently applied to British Army machines and a mix of black and Olive Drab is listed in the instructions to achieve this. All other colours are identified by Humbrol, Mr Hobby Color and Mr Aqueous Color, Testors/Model Master, Revell and Vallejo paint ranges. The decal sheet, apart from all those serials, includes two roundels and all the airframe and ordnance stencils, including the seals for the glazed panels on the port side of the canopy. All of the decals are printed by Cartograf and look superb.
Conclusion
Well, this is a very nice update and one that will satisfy just about everyone looking for the WAH-64D in this scale.
Our thanks to Pocketbond/Bachmann Europe Plc for the review sample, check out this and all other ranges they import by visiting their website (www.pocketbond.co.uk).
