Academy 1/72 AH-64D Block II "Early Version"
By Matt Bittner
Introduction
The AH-64D Apache Longbow is an enhancement of the AH-64A which includes a new target acquisition system as well as the Radar Frequency Interferometer (RFI). In addition the Longbow had uprated engines and the forward fuselage was expanded.
The Kit
The Academy 1/72 AH-64D consists of a lot of parts. Yes, sorry, I kept losing count as I was tallying them up on the sprue, so just be aware there are a lot of parts. There is also a sprue with clear pieces on it including the canopy, clear instrument panels and other pieces. Decals are for six aircraft, all US Army:
- 07-7029, A-4-2 Attack Helicopter Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Humphreys, South Korea, 2010
- 07-7031, C-4-2 Attack Helicopter Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Humphreys, South Korea, 2010
- 99-5118, C-1-3 Attack Helicopter Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Iraq, 2003
- 99-5102, B-1-3 Attack Helicopter Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Iraq, 2003
- 02-5289, A-1-227 Attack Helicopter Battalion, Iraq, 2003
- 01-5241, C-1-4 Attack Helicopter Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Iraq, 2003
Since the decals are printed by Cartograf you can be assured of their high quality.
You'll want to pay very close attention to the instructions. There are different doors, antenna, etc. depending on which Apache you're building so you may want to go through the instructions and highlight those steps specific to the airframe you want to build.
Did I mention there are a lot of parts to this kit? I don't think it will be a difficult build but it will be time consuming. Even as you approach the end since there is a full set of decal stencils that will need to be applied.
Conclusion
If you're looking to build the AH-64D in 1/72, this is your kit. Academy didn't just add "new" parts to their already existing AH-64A and called it a Longbow. They've actually come out with a brand new kit.
My thanks to MRC for the review model