Deliveries of the
first AH-64A Apaches for Hellenic Army started during summer of 1995 and reached 20 helicopters
in total. This specific model represents one of
these early birds with s/n 92-0489 and Hellenic code ΕΣ-1004,
as it was in service with 1st Attack Helicopters Battalion, at
Stefanovikio airfield near the city of
Volos, circa 1997.
The model is
Hasegawa’s “Iraqi Freedom” edition and, of course it is of excellent
quality in terms of detail and fitness. Painting instructions should cover a
little more both rotors axles and control mechanisms, but there are plenty of
photos for these areas at websites with apache walkarounds that reveal the
information needed for. Finally, I wouldn’t say that it is a model for
beginners, because there are a lot of small and difficult to glue in the correct
place pieces, especially at rotor heads and the machine gun, though they add
perfect detail to these parts.
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images below to see larger images
A lot of after-market sets can be found for this kit and some of them were used
here. So cockpit set is from AIRES, although the one that comes with the kit is
of fine detail. EDUARD colour-etched set used for the instrument panels,
formation lights and for replacing some other parts of the kit. TWO-BOBS give a
lot of stencils at “Iron city Apaches” decal set, that are more accurate
than some of the ones provided with the kit and were used for the weapons and
the main body. Hellenic decals are from a Hellenic magazine that offered them as
part of an Apache kit that came with an issue of the magazine more than 10 years
ago, but can still be found from suppliers and model shops.
Paints that used here are Gunze Aqueous acrylics and camouflage scheme is
the same with US Army Apaches in olive drab. Lighter shades of the basic colour
were sprayed at panels on fuselage and wings, in combination with dry brushing
and oils, for weathering the model. However Hellenic Apaches today show a
heavier decay of camouflage and most stencils are erased after 15 years in
service.
After
all this model shows a view to a fine war machine that is not perfect in terms
of modelling, but the final result is as close to the real one as my modelling
skills could reach and I thoroughly enjoyed building it!
Konstantinos Vergos
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