Author Topic: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper  (Read 10559 times)

Offline Kerick

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Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« on: January 21, 2022, 12:17:29 PM »
Here's the beginning of the idea that hit me while I was under the influence of Omicron and cough medicine. No real back story or reasoning other than what if I took some of this and mixed it with some of that. So what we have here is a 1/72nd Revell snap tight Apache attempting to mate with parts of two early model P-40s. Hey, its what I had on the shelf!

Here is the Apache minus the turbine engines, sensors and gun with a new nose job. I'm also going to add a filet in front of the vertical stabilizer and add something to the back edge to give it a curved 1940s look.







This will be an indication of the new general arrangement.





I'm trying to decide between a three bladed or four bladed tail rotor. Plus you see the "bazooka" style rocket launchers for the wings and .50 cal gun barrels that will be placed in and around the new nose. Trying to work in at least a couple 20mm guns too. I'll use the pilot figures from the P-40 kits to replace the modern ones from the Apache. I'm going to reshape the main rotors to a more rounded tip "propeller" shape to give a more 1940s look. Gotta have some bigger, fatter WW2 tires too.



Now I have to figure out a way to close up the end of the engine nacelles that looks somewhat streamlined without adding a lot of length. Its going to be tough enough mounting the engines above the wings and below the rotors to look at least somewhat believable. 



The P-40s are the 1/72nd Airfix kits and very nice they are! Almost a shame to cut them up but they are inexpensive and available at Hobby Lobby so no big deal. The Revell Apache is par for the course for a snap tight designed many years ago. Outside shape is ok for a whiff but I could do without all the rivets! If Matchbox used to have a ditch digger for the recessed panel lines then Revell had the rivetmeister for this one! Which would almost blend in for a WW2 model but the P-40 had none at all! So scrape and sand them away which is what would have happened with all the PSR anyway.

The mojo is upon me with this one so wish me luck. And as always any suggestions gratefully accepted!
« Last Edit: January 21, 2022, 12:33:05 PM by Kerick »

Offline finsrin

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2022, 02:21:56 PM »
 Cool concept.  Neat you had the vision. :smiley:    Start is looking fine. 
 Had six P-40B kits donate engines to flying wing bomber.   Charge ahead !

Offline LemonJello

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2022, 09:27:18 PM »
You have my attention and my interest.  Will be following this one closely.

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2022, 02:13:09 AM »
You have my attention and my interest.  Will be following this one closely.

Ditto
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Offline raafif

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2022, 08:38:13 AM »
I immediately thought of the AH-56 Cheyenne :smiley:

Offline Kerick

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2022, 11:11:15 AM »
I thought about using the Cheyenne but the two I have are ear marked for other projects right now.
Second application of putty is complete and will be sanded down soon. Not much really. Working on pilot and radio operator/naviguesser figures, cockpit and weapons.

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2022, 05:52:33 PM »
very interesting concept

Offline Kerick

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2022, 12:19:19 AM »
Wings and horizontal stabilizer are on. Now I have to figure out how to mount the engines. Drilled the holes for six .50 cals in the nose. Plenty of work to do yet.

Offline apophenia

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #8 on: January 24, 2022, 06:19:23 AM »
This is a very cool concept  :smiley:

...  to mate with parts of two early model P-40s. Hey, its what I had on the shelf! ...

Yeah, well that. Plus the early-model P-40 had one of the best-ever looking cowlings!  :D

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Offline Kerick

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2022, 02:00:23 PM »
Those new Airfix kits are really sweet! I’ll be getting another soon.

Offline Kerick

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #10 on: January 29, 2022, 02:19:03 PM »
I’m trying to paint on invasion stripes. First coat of white lifted some of the OD green. I’m hoping another coat of white covers it. Some spots of green need touch up. I have decals lined up just hope they apply properly. Boy, I would so much rather build than paint. Something always seems to not come out like I want it too.

Offline Kerick

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #11 on: February 03, 2022, 12:32:27 AM »
Well, the first version of this is no more. Salvaged some of the P-40 parts and scrapped the rest. The paint job was barely acceptable and the decals were a total fail. Plus I sprayed some acrylic gloss from the craft store on the white on the fuselage curled up like alligator hide! The same white on the wings was fine. Go figure. I’ll consider this a learning experience and buy another Apache kit and try again soon.

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2022, 12:41:00 AM »
 :smiley:
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Kerick

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #13 on: February 03, 2022, 10:34:07 AM »
I’m fooling around with the front fuselage of an A-10 and the tail boom of a Blackhawk. Major snowstorm for two days and I’m really bored.

Offline Kerick

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #14 on: February 07, 2022, 03:45:43 PM »
I'm still messing around with the A-10/Blackhawk combo. I might just get this to work. I'm considering British or Soviet markings as I have several of those in the stash. I'll see if I can get Some Spitfire or Hurricane kits or something Russian. As usual, the painting will be the big challenge.
I'm also going to get another AH-64 kit asap. Now I know how to do it better and quicker.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2022, 03:51:54 PM by Kerick »

Offline Kerick

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #15 on: February 09, 2022, 02:19:48 AM »
I bought another AH-64 kit to build the original idea again. Now I’ll have two of those guns from the Apache so at least the gun barrels might get into the next attempt.

I made some engine pods from of all things the A-10 engine! I glued one A-10 engine together and cut it in half then glued the front and tail cone to each half. Makes a nice little barrel shaped pod. I then added the fan to the front barely recessed into the opening. I’ll add a larger “spinner” to make it look like a cooling fan and hide the fact there’s no engine in there.

I also noticed that the price of models seems to have gone up. Supply chain issues or just inflation? At least this one was from Hobby Lobby at 40% off so much more reasonable. The Bandai Mandalorian model with plated parts was $69.99!!!! That stayed on the shelf.

Offline Kerick

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #16 on: February 10, 2022, 02:29:09 PM »
So here are the promised progress pics.
Just some three view of the A-10/Blackhawk combo. This is going to be the British companion to the retro Apache. If I were doing it properly I would be using the front of a Beaufighter or Mosquito. Maybe next time.







And a couple views of the engine pods. They are made from A-10 parts but I hope they look reasonably believable.





I'll be using the wings from an Airfix Typhoon Mk1A that I have separate plans for the engine anyway. The 20mm guns just don't look right so I may alter them somehow. Or not. Maybe a big round rudder on the tail too. The Typhoon decals should work fine. For the Apache I need some P-38 decals to fit the national insignia on the skinnier tail boom.
Now I'm going to have to get some RAF color paints. Just found out about a hobby store about an hour away that I'll need to check out anyway.
The whole family is going on a vacation to Hawaii to meet up with some old squadron buddies from the Air Force Reserve days. You may not hear much from me for awhile.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2022, 02:37:07 PM by Kerick »

Offline Aeroplanedriver

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #17 on: February 10, 2022, 02:44:28 PM »
Well that just looks damned fine! 

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #18 on: February 10, 2022, 04:25:53 PM »
Super interesting

Offline finsrin

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #19 on: February 10, 2022, 06:32:00 PM »
Nice pictures.  Looks to be going well.  Engine pod treatment is particularly interesting, like to see results.

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #20 on: February 10, 2022, 09:23:18 PM »
Cool! 8)

Engine pods need a bunch of exhaust stubs poking out the back, to give the impression that there are radials hidden inside them. ;)
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline LemonJello

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #21 on: February 10, 2022, 09:24:00 PM »
Really liking this design.  And the engine pods look awesome! 

Offline Kerick

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #22 on: February 11, 2022, 01:45:48 AM »
Yeah I was hardly believing it myself when I was looking at the A-10 nacelle and saying “no way, that will never work”. Then I compared it to a coule 1/72 radials I had and it fit. So here we are.
I’ll definitely add at least two exhaust pipes. I’ll have to find some tubing the right size

Offline Kerick

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #23 on: March 05, 2022, 11:09:16 AM »
Here's some progress pics. The engines are attached and the rudder in place. By the time I was done with the rudder its blocking over 1/4 of the airflow from the tail rotor. Hmmm, cutting a hole and adding a fenestrom tail might be pushing it even for Igor Sikorski and Barnes Wallis! It almost looks like a bomber tail!



The F-18 main gear really came to the rescue here plus the P-40 wheels.







I moved the tail wheel farther aft. I'll have to shorten the tail rotor blades as they almost hit the horizontal stabilizer. The exhaust stubs are from something 1/48th but they work for me. Definitely nonstandard for a Hercules engine stolen from say a Beaufighter.



Just an overhead shot with the rotors temporarily in place. 20mm guns will be in the wings and pods on the sides of the fuselage with six 60lb rockets on the wings. I'll have to cut a little weight somewhere. Maybe some .50s or .303s in the nose too.

Offline finsrin

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Re: Retro WWII Apache whopper chopper
« Reply #24 on: March 05, 2022, 05:36:52 PM »
Such a transition.   :-*  You be making all the right moves.  Keep posting....