500 size Apache Gunship Build

[F106DeltaDart]

Thanks Psyborg! Definitely a mean looking machine. This weekend I preshaded all of the panel lines, and started painting the the green. Naturally, I ran out of paint when I was about 90% finished . I'll have to wait until next weekend to get more paint, (unless I want to run to North Ft Worth in rush hour..). In the mean time, I installed the tilt servo in the gun, and have started installing the windshield panels. That will be a slow process, since each panel has to be done one at a time, with a 24 hr cure time on the glue. Still, gives an idea of how it will look when finished.

 

[ElectriSean]

Gorgeous

 

[ChrisOlson]

Where is a good source to get asymmetric scale blades for a 600 with a three-blade head?

 

[F106DeltaDart]

Where is a good source to get asymmetric scale blades for a 600 with a three-blade head?

Hmm.. What projects are you up to Chris? I'm looking forward to seeing whatever it is.. AS350? H-5? Gazelle? Enstrom?

As for blades, these are a good option: http://www.scaleflying.com/Semi-Symmetrical-600mm-Scale-Rotor-Blades--Pack-of-3-_p_1288.html. One thing to note, is that they are made of a plastic, so they are a bit more flexible and less wind tolerant.

Spinblades are also a fantastic option, but they are currently out of stock. These are very rigid carbon blades: https://spinblades.com/Matt-Black-Scale-3-blade-520

Helitec in Germany has some fantastic blades as well. They are carbon, and very scale looking: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://derblattschmied.com/&prev=search To order, you have to send them an email and they can get everything set up. I've ordered 2 sets of blades for my 500s from them with zero issues.

 

[PsyBorg]

Wow that is starting to look pretty real. Nice work. Cant wait to see a few closer pics with a little better lighting if possible. Of course live video of it in the air as well at some point.

 

[ChrisOlson]

Hmm.. What projects are you up to Chris? I'm looking forward to seeing whatever it is.. AS350? H-5? Gazelle? Enstrom?

Thanks for all those sources of blades.

No, I saw a really nice scratch-built Allouette at IRCHA with a JetCat turbine on it and all-welded airframe. I had thoughts that I could build one of those, except 600 electric.

 

[F106DeltaDart]

Thanks for all those sources of blades.

No, I saw a really nice scratch-built Allouette at IRCHA with a JetCat turbine on it and all-welded airframe. I had thoughts that I could build one of those, except 600 electric.

That would be awesome! Definitely post a thread if you decide to go forward with that project. I've always thought about doing something similar with a Bell 47, but an Alouette would be pretty unique. There used to be one at my local airport and it was awesome to see fly.

Finally made a bit more progress on the Apache. I got some more paint this morning (as well as snagged a new 550 heli) up at a swap meet in Denton. Finished up the basic paint work this afternoon. Still need to do all the detail painting, but the majority of it is covered. One of the other things that I did was some detailing on the TADS. I had found out from reference photos that the targeting sensor pod and the big sensor on the TADS had a mirror finish. So, I ordered some one-way glass film on Amazon and applied it to some leftover clear plastic. Then I recessed that into the TADS and sensor pod. Here are some pictures of where it is at tonight, took them outside so hopefully it's a bit more visible.





I am debating what to do about the other side on the TADS though. This is where things get difficult. The mold line for that sensor is wrong on the airframe, the bottom should slant the opposite way, and the lense should have 2 separate plates with different angles not a single flat spot:

Is it a small thing? Yes, but for all the detail I've put in so far I kind of want to fix it. Would definitely require some dremel surgery though, so I'm not sure if it's worth the risk. But, the angles panes with some fake cameras behind them would certainly look better than just a piece of clear plastic in the existing spot.

 

[F106DeltaDart]

A bit more progress on the cockpit interior, almost ready to install in the helicopter.

 

[F106DeltaDart]

Finished up a few more details and added the cockpit side consoles. Also installed the gun and added windshield wipers. Still need to do the final cockpit install, but here's a few shots of the test fit.

 

[ChrisOlson]

That would be awesome! Definitely post a thread if you decide to go forward with that project. I've always thought about doing something similar with a Bell 47, but an Alouette would be pretty unique. There used to be one at my local airport and it was awesome to see fly.

I'm still sort of undecided on what I want to do for a scale build. I've been watching yours pretty close. I might do a two-blade scale like a Bell JetRanger too. I bought a new in the box Synergy E5 with a 600 stretch kit to swing Rail 626's for my new UAV heli. I want to turn the old Trex 600 flybar into a scale model, sort of like you're doing here. But put a FBL head on it. I put a set of Rail 606's on the Trex awhile back and you really don't appreciate how bad your stock blades are until you bolt on a really good set of blades. Those Rail blades not only turned that old Trex into the most stable, and yet responsive, helicopter I have ever flown, they reduced my hover power to only 520 watts for a 10.32lb helicopter.

I've looked over a lot of these scale blades, and that's the part that bothers me about the carbon reinforced plastic ones. The torsional rigidity and advanced airfoil of the Rails is the key to their efficiency, stability and collective/cyclic response. Putting on a set of so-so blades sort of defeats the purpose of a scale build if it won't fly scale. The judges at the shows and fun fly's notice that right away if you have a crappy handling helicopter because of poor quality blades.

So like a JetRanger build with Rails on it might not look quite scale, but I might win points back because it flies and handles scale with the high-end blades on it. I don't know yet.

Watching yours with interest to see how it turns out and flies.

 

[PsyBorg]

This is coming along nicely. It would look really cool if you did them perspective type pictures to make it look real. Like set it on pavement and have a car in the background but use the filters or lens that make it look like they are in the same place so the heli looks huge. Sorta like those fake giant rat pictures that were going around last year.

 

[F106DeltaDart]

I'm still sort of undecided on what I want to do for a scale build. I've been watching yours pretty close. I might do a two-blade scale like a Bell JetRanger too. I bought a new in the box Synergy E5 with a 600 stretch kit to swing Rail 626's for my new UAV heli. I want to turn the old Trex 600 flybar into a scale model, sort of like you're doing here. But put a FBL head on it. I put a set of Rail 606's on the Trex awhile back and you really don't appreciate how bad your stock blades are until you bolt on a really good set of blades. Those Rail blades not only turned that old Trex into the most stable, and yet responsive, helicopter I have ever flown, they reduced my hover power to only 520 watts for a 10.32lb helicopter.

I've looked over a lot of these scale blades, and that's the part that bothers me about the carbon reinforced plastic ones. The torsional rigidity and advanced airfoil of the Rails is the key to their efficiency, stability and collective/cyclic response. Putting on a set of so-so blades sort of defeats the purpose of a scale build if it won't fly scale. The judges at the shows and fun fly's notice that right away if you have a crappy handling helicopter because of poor quality blades.

So like a JetRanger build with Rails on it might not look quite scale, but I might win points back because it flies and handles scale with the high-end blades on it. I don't know yet.

Watching yours with interest to see how it turns out and flies.

All great points. I have never flown Rail blades, but I have flown the plastic and some nicer carbon blades on my Little Bird. The carbon blades turned my Little Bird form being limited to 5 mph of wind, to cutting through 20mph winds without batting an eye. Efficiency improved as well. Might just be best to avoid the plastic blades and go for the Spin or Helitec blades then. Both are quite scale, and have been well received by most other pilots. I do think its possible to get the best of both worlds in scale appearance and handling qualities if you get things setup well. I do highly recommend the iKon 2 as an FBL controller if you are still debating over that. I love the version with integrated bluetooth since you can make adjustments from a phone without pulling the mechanics from the fuselage. After getting it dialed in, my Little Bird became the most stable heli I've ever owned, and still gets 7 min flight times with a significant reserve.

 

[F106DeltaDart]

This is coming along nicely. It would look really cool if you did them perspective type pictures to make it look real. Like set it on pavement and have a car in the background but use the filters or lens that make it look like they are in the same place so the heli looks huge. Sorta like those fake giant rat pictures that were going around last year.

That would be pretty cool! I'll have to give it a shot once things are wrapped up with the build.

 

[F106DeltaDart]

After 2 weeks of second shift work and 14 hr days, I finally got got back to the Apache this weekend. I didn't do much, but I did get the chance to detail the TADS a bit more. I dremeled out the left side of the TADS, and added in two circular mirrors to simulate the cameras behind the glass. Looks a bit better than the stock molded in lens at least.

 

[PsyBorg]

Lookin really good mate. Are you going to add all the markings like the emergency panels and all the warnings and such? Seems like somethings missing being all one color in its current state. Detailing like the TADS and the cockpit and the antennas and all look really good so far though.

This will look sweet once you get her all done up. Of course the looking naked is probably due to the drive train not on in these pictures too.

Oh and Missiles!!! We needz Missiles!!!

 

[F106DeltaDart]

Lookin really good mate. Are you going to add all the markings like the emergency panels and all the warnings and such? Seems like somethings missing being all one color in its current state. Detailing like the TADS and the cockpit and the antennas and all look really good so far though.

This will look sweet once you get her all done up. Of course the looking naked is probably due to the drive train not on in these pictures too.

Oh and Missiles!!! We needz Missiles!!!

Thanks man, that's all definitely going to be coming soon, especially the missiles. I have eight painted Hellfires and 2 rocket pods laying on my bench now. The Hellfires are all being redone with clear domes on the front to simulate the seeker heads.

I actually started on the decals as well, but have paused that for a bit, since I don't have a font that looks correct. I found some downloadable fonts that might work, but who seriously wants to pay $20 for a font?!? Need to do a bit more searching.

 

[Jason of Gaming]

Dang, I'm just a miniquad pilot, but this stuff looks amazing! The AH-6 on the first page looked so realistic! (That's my favorite helicopter.)
What about putting an FPV camera in the cockpit? (And maybe a GoPro in the FLIR camera rig thing!)
That would be awesome!

 

[F106DeltaDart]

Dang, I'm just a miniquad pilot, but this stuff looks amazing! The AH-6 on the first page looked so realistic! (That's my favorite helicopter.)
What about putting an FPV camera in the cockpit? (And maybe a GoPro in the FLIR camera rig thing!)
That would be awesome!

Thanks Jason! That Little Bird is my favorite aircraft in my collection, flies wonderfully. I would love to try FPV with it, but I have to build up my trust in the system and skill first. I'm starting out with a system in my fixed wings for the moment, maybe eventually I'll try it in a heli. There's also the small issue that the heli costs an order of magnitude more to repair should I loose signal or something and crash.. I would love to put a GoPro in the FLIR, but it just isn't large enough for that. Here's a few more new photos of the bird, and one that shows the scale a bit better.



As for the Apache, it was actually my original plan to have the TADS hooked up for headtracking FPV. It was even going to be setup on a separate receiver so that you could take another person for a ride in the gunner's seat. I was going to use one of the micro cameras from an inductrix or similar, and attempt to hook it up to a custom OSD to get the Apache-type HUD. Unfortunately, the servo and hinge mechanism took up too much room inside the pods to make it practical. Would have been a lot of fun though.

 

[F106DeltaDart]

Lately, one of the biggest hurdles on the Apache has been getting the intermediary gearbox functioning properly. The original gearbox didn't go to a high enough angle for the tail, so I had to do some dremel work. In addition, I replaced all of the hat gears with Align hat gears to be sure that it will be up to the load. However, between the dremel work and the gear replacement, the gearbox isn't excactly 100% structurally sound, and the gears are slightly out of proper alignment. To fix this, I'm drawing up new frames in CAD that will have the correct angle and spacing, and will get them waterjet cut. In the meantime, I'll be working on final paint touches and decal work.

 

[PsyBorg]

Nice progress mate. That gear box is gonna cost a bit of change to have made custom but should be well worth it in the end as that is to important a piece to scrimp on.