AH-64D Longbow Apache

Hi Guys

Thanks for the comments.

Apologies for lack of updates. When you hit a stumbling block and don't know what to do its easier to walk away and do nothing, but that does not get the job done. When you combine stumbling blocks with life the time is easily eroded! Anyway, an update...

Armed with an airbrush and some Vallejo varnish I wanted to cover the parts to make the decals go on easier(apparently). I loaded the airbrush and started spraying. First coat came out all rough and blotchy and the canopy became opaque! I then thinned the varnish some more and started laying down more. Then the airbrush gummed up and i sat in the corner staring at my nonfunctional airbrush in my left hand and my stumbling block in my right hand. I had ruined the model!!!...or had I???

Got the airbrush cleaned and did some research on to why it had gummed up. Now know that the pressure has to be increased and the rough texture was due to the varnish drying before it had hit the model and that the gumming was i guess lack of thinning. Made a few changes and blasted some more onto the model. It seemed to do the trick, although the canopy was foggy.

Over the next two weeks on and off i would do a decal or two as and when the mood took me. There are one heck of a lot of decals that cannot be seen by the human eye! I had considered just using a micron pen, but as this was all about firsts i knew I had to keep going with the decals.

Although i kept ignoring the fact my canopy was opaque I knew it would have to be dealt with. I have made some progress. I applied alcohol to the unpainted canopy areas and let it soak for about 10 seconds before using a toothpick to scrape the varnish. This process then allowed me to use vallejo thinner to scrape the softened varnish off with a rubber nail brush thingy(from my wife's makeup drawer). The canopy is not great but it is better than it was. I will go back at it later with 1200 grit and see if i can fix it.

Here are some pictures of the progress. I have added a few bits and started some weathering. I am at the point where I would like to lay down a matt varnish, but my confidence is not where it should be after the last time with the airbrush.

apache-d1.jpg

apache-d2.jpg

apache-d3.jpg

Hopefully I will make some more progress by next weekend.

Thanks for taking the time to follow my slow and painful progress ;)

Tom
 
Looking great Tom! It may seem slow, arduous journey, but the results are stellar! Keep it rolling!! ;)
 
schweinhund227 said:
I would not spray Future! Not on a cockpit! A Dip in Future would help but its too late
If you can't take the cockpit off?

Pain job looks nice
Click to expand...


Tom, Tom, Tom! I did tell you! You don't spray Clear coat while Glazing is on the model!
In that case.... We were talking about Future Floor Polish.... You could have taped over the Canopies and saved yourself some heartaches! One thing, you were able to save the day if that had been future the ending would have been different!

Any Glazing (glass) is best done by dipping! In Future! Dip it first...Pull it out and dip again, then pull out and you let the excess 'wick' away by touching a corner of your canopy to a piece of paper and let dry for a few days in a dust free environment ( under a clear bowl ) Giving the Future a chance to harden completely. Perfect canopies every time!

Future for decals.... I totally vouch for it! Brush on a light coat were you want a decal and let dry a few days.... Or Gloss coat using an Air Brush! Undiluted Future must be hard before you touch it with warm water and decals Solutions... If not hardened.... It will turn WHITE! And ruin your model.

As for Valejo varnish??? I have no clue if it gets re-activated with water, so (No comments)

I hope that you don't feel that I was hard on you? I just don't want others to go down the same dark tunnel! And by the same token, give the best advice possible for success!

Best of luck with your model,

Norm.
 
It looks good to me! You seem to have control on your problem, so keep working on it!
 
schweinhund227 said:
Tom, Tom, Tom! I did tell you! You don't spray Clear coat while Glazing ...

I hope that you don't feel that I was hard on you? I just don't want others to go down the same dark tunnel! And by the same token, give the best advice possible for success!

Best of luck with your model,

Norm.
Click to expand...

Norm, what can i say? Of course you are right, you did tell me, I choose to ignore it and suffered the consequences. You are not being too hard and hopefully others will learn from my stupidity. But, hey! I know I will not do it again. ;)

Grendels said:
It looks good to me! You seem to have control on your problem, so keep working on it!
Click to expand...

Thanks John, I will keep working on it. Got to take my hat off to you based on how you are getting on with your diorama and the polar bear.
 
No Prob TOM !!! :D

I know some here may think I am a Hard A$$ at times... but we are all in this "Together"...
and it is heart-braking at times..... seeing some making a small mistakes because they just didn't know any better....

Stating the obvious is helping some of us here ...those that are willing to change or look at things a different way !!!

Saving money... or making others spend more cash to help them Hone their skill levels... is all part of our daily conversations here at SMA

YOU did a really nice job on the bird...BTW I have 2 and never finished them... Don't know why ?
maybe the lack of moral support ! I don't know ? The Glazing alone was intimidating at best... and the
Skin rivets were ... in my case a killer ! now a days.... thanks to technology.... with 3D relief Decals from ARCHER Transfers... You can sand away Rivets and not even CARE.... You can always replace them with a tiny strip of 3D relief rivets and Voila !!! instant repairs... so maybe I could go back to one of my Favorite Chopper and finish it ?

You saved the day and your Cockpit widows...are looking great !!! Hopefully some will read this entire post and avoid stepping in the same Pot Hole !!! SMA is a Nice big melting pot of modelers... some experienced others starting over or just getting in !!!

The "Elite" like Scott calls them.... is hanging in other Forums... As we are here for each-other...

Keep doing what you are doing.....

I'll be watching....

All the best to ya !!! Buddy !
 
Looking good a nice clean build going to look great once you put the matt finish on and doing the final details.
You will find when you make a flub in your model making all you can do is keep looking at it and looking at it and you say man I don't like it because all your focus is there at that one spot.As soon as you start moving on to different areas to finish it off you see less of the flub and the model balances out. There are always flaws no matter how perfect.

Good work

XXXNITRO
 
XXXNITRO said:
Looking good a nice clean build going to look great once you put the matt finish on and doing the final details.
You will find when you make a flub in your model making all you can do is keep looking at it and looking at it and you say man I don't like it because all your focus is there at that one spot.As soon as you start moving on to different areas to finish it off you see less of the flub and the model balances out. There are always flaws no matter how perfect.

Good work

XXXNITRO
Click to expand...

Good words of advice!!
 
Hi Guys

The last few weeks have been manic for everyone and I am amazed at how some of you guys get through the models. My hat is off to you all.

I finished the model a few days ago and felt i could probably have done more but by the end I believe I was totally "scunnered"(See Below) with the model. I still cannot believe that three months down the line I struggled to finish the model.

That said I am now happy that it is done and my desk is clear ready for another :). I will do the second model i had entered and post it in FIGURES & WAR GAMING MINIS, its a GW Ork Trukk.

Good Luck to all...., and here is a picture of the finished model.

Tom

apache-finished.jpg

Scunnered - A Scots word used to mean that you are world weary, down-trodden, and thoroughly bereft of any lust for life when these words and expressions are simply too inadequate to signify the magnitude of your slide into oblivion
 
Well thats blown mine out of the sky! great work, a joy to look at. Well done.
 

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