Academy 1/35 AH-1Z Viper

[Jantk14]

Started this one last night. Got the cockpit done today. Used Kelik decals.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

That seat fabric looks cool. Did you paint that or is that a decal?

 

[Jantk14]

Thanks. It's a decal.

 

[Jantk14]

Going together pretty quick. Fit is ok. Some of the joints seem flimsy. Its 1/35 and its bigger than I was expecting.

 

[Edbert]

German Marines are not USMC. I'm guessing it came with decals for either?

 

[Jakko]

Germany has barely any Marines (one battalion of 1400 in all), and their tasks are mainly the kind of fighting done at sea (boarding ships, protecting own ships against boarding, etc.) rather than amphibious assaults. They have no helicopters of their own, and no need for attack helicopters.

 

[Jantk14]

It came with decals for three different USMC versions. Yea the iron cross is a US marine squadron. HMLA-169 stationed in Japan, Iwakuni.

 

[Edbert]

Yea the iron cross is a US marine squadron.

I learnt me sumthin'!

 

[Jantk14]

I have spent hours on this canopy. It is five pieces that don't fit well together and the main middle piece is slightly bowed in. It's not supposed to be. I finally got it right. The big question will be did I get glue all over under the masks. I used Testors clear canopy glue but it will still look like crap if I did.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

I have spent hours on this canopy. It is five pieces that don't fit well together and the main middle piece is slightly bowed in. It's not supposed to be. I finally got it right. The big question will be did I get glue all over under the masks. I used Testors clear canopy glue but it will still look like crap if I did.View attachment 194058

Well, if that happens turn it into a stealth helicopter and tint the windows

 

[Jantk14]

Got some paint on it. As you can see the one back piece of the canopy doesn't sit flush. It took hours to get it that good. It's bugging me. So after it's painted I think I'm going to take the front panel off and set in the open position. It is an option I just like the closed look better but not like this.

On a positive note, I struggle with Vallejo paints and tip dry, pretty bad. So I bought their flow improver and really didn't have any trouble with tip dry.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Badger needle juice helps too.

 

[kevin]

On a positive note, I struggle with Vallejo paints and tip dry, pretty bad. So I bought their flow improver and really didn't have any trouble with tip dry.

You are not the only one. I am no airbrush expert, in fact they still bring me more grief than satisfaction.
Alot of that grief was with Vallejo, I could never get it to spray. I tried two different airbrushes, flow improver......yada, yada, yada. Tamiya acrylics are the only paints I have had relatively stress free painting sessions.
Every else I hand brush these days.

 

[Edbert]

I built an Apache way back during GW1, did a poor job of it and tossed it long ago. But I'm really feeling like making a Cobra soon.

Just saying I'm watching your build and want to encourage regular in-progress pics, I like them more than the finished money-shots.

 

[Jantk14]

I built an Apache way back during GW1, did a poor job of it and tossed it long ago. But I'm really feeling like making a Cobra soon.

Just saying I'm watching your build and want to encourage regular in-progress pics, I like them more than the finished money-shots.

It's been a pretty simple build just issues with the canopy. If you do an open canopy this kit is fine. It's a nice kit. External rivets, nice detail for the money. I'll try to post more. Next step is to finish painting the body and then to do the rotors. They are somewhat involved.

 

[Jantk14]

You are not the only one. I am no airbrush expert, in fact they still bring me more grief than satisfaction.
Alot of that grief was with Vallejo, I could never get it to spray. I tried two different airbrushes, flow improver......yada, yada, yada. Tamiya acrylics are the only paints I have had relatively stress free painting sessions.
Every else I hand brush these days.

Agree with Tamiya acrylics. Little or no problems spraying them. I try to use them as much as I can but some times Vallejo has the exact color and it's so much easier

 

[Jantk14]

Sprayed the top dark ghost grey. The bottom is light ghost grey. Not a big difference. Makes it difficult to spray on.

 

[Littlemarten]

You are not the only one. I am no airbrush expert, in fact they still bring me more grief than satisfaction.
Alot of that grief was with Vallejo, I could never get it to spray. I tried two different airbrushes, flow improver......yada, yada, yada. Tamiya acrylics are the only paints I have had relatively stress free painting sessions.
Every else I hand brush these days.

I on the other hand, find Vallejo much easier to use than Tamiya. Probably we aren't holding our mouths right …

 

[Edbert]

Not a big difference. Makes it difficult to spray on.

I found the same when painting my Growler. Difficult in one respect, but also hides mistakes on the demarcation.

 

[Jantk14]

Been working on the main rotor and painting the exhaust and tail

 

[Jantk14]

Armament and a gloss coat. I switched to the Vallejo acrylic gloss varnish. I was using the Vallejo polyurethane gloss varnish and the acrylic nonplyurethane varnish is so much better. Goes on without any issues and covers pretty smooth.

 

[Littlemarten]

the acrylic nonplyurethane varnish is so much better. Goes on without any issues and covers pretty smooth.

Not in my experience—I generally love Vallejo, but not any of their gloss coatings. Semigloss and flat are great, but I've had nothing but grief with their glosses. Go figure. Maybe I'm not holding my mouth right?

 

[Jantk14]

Got the decals in. There are a lot of small grey ones that match the paint perfectly so you can't even see them. I think I'm done with the decals. The gun isn't fully in place. Once it is it's a tight fit and I'm sure the teeth would rip off removing it.

 

[Edbert]

There are a lot of small grey ones that match the paint perfectly so you can't even see them. I think I'm done with the decals.

I totally agree! Often I can see a slight variation too, a little too light or dark and I think it takes away from the effect. Best to leave them off.

 

[Ron2]

Got the decals in. There are a lot of small grey ones that match the paint perfectly so you can't even see them. I think I'm done with the decals. The gun isn't fully in place. Once it is it's a tight fit and I'm sure the teeth would rip off removing it.View attachment 195627

Looks good. Weird seeing an iron cross on it tho!

 

[Jantk14]

Finished. This one was a challenge. Lots of mistakes but I was able to fix most of them. I totally destroyed the tail rotor, totally my fault. Now it's super glued on. Canopy was a terrible fit so I can't take the blame for that. Got it on there pretty good considering. End result is pretty good. Typical Academy kit. Questionable fit and attachments but in the end looks good.

 

[wjbrandel]

Regardless of the problems you did a great job on it.

 

[Ron2]

Finished. This one was a challenge. Lots of mistakes but I was able to fix most of them. I totally destroyed the tail rotor, totally my fault. Now it's super glued on. Canopy was a terrible fit so I can't take the blame for that. Got it on there pretty good considering. End result is pretty good. Typical Academy kit. Questionable fit and attachments but in the end looks good.View attachment 196137View attachment 196138View attachment 196139View attachment 196140View attachment 196141View attachment 196142View attachment 196143View attachment 196144

Looks good! I had trouble with the shark mouth decals.

 

[BOATMAN]

HI SIR you have made a VERY VERY good job of this chopper as the detail stands out very well an you say you have made mistaes well i cant see them to me this looks a VERY top rankin MODEL only bit im not to keen on is the sharks mouth as i wiould have thought they would have put a bit of red in the mouth but never mind a fantstic build when all said an done AN THIS MODEL WOULD LOOK VERY GOOD LIT UP
ATB SIR
CHRISB

 

[BarleyBop]

a challenge

Looks like you met it and more!

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."