1:48 AH-64 D tail

The tail section of the AH-64D Apache in 1:48

This item deals with one particular place on the model, namely its rear end. The point is to replace the simplified plastic boom and gain sharper shaping where a lot of detail comes together on a small area. The rest of the machine and the fuselage are not included.

The rear end of an attack helicopter

The tail boom of the Apache carries the horizontal surface and a rotor with the characteristic uneven arrangement of the blades, which the designers chose on account of noise. At the back there is also a tail wheel set far behind the center of gravity, thanks to which the machine stands at a marked angle on the ground. That angle is so typical of the Apache silhouette that it can be told by it even from a long way off, and on a model it is therefore worth attention. The uneven blades also give the rear end a look that rarely comes off out of the box.

Advice on the work

Set the new part according to the axis of the fuselage and check whether the horizontal surface runs parallel with the surface it stands on, otherwise the model will look twisted. Fill the transition to the plastic with a thin layer and sand it lengthwise so that the engraved lines do not disappear. Add the rotor blades only after the coat of paint; this is the most vulnerable place in the whole build. Once the rear end is finished, it is better not to hold it by the boom when handling it.

Who will reach for it

• builders who are not happy with the shape of the rear end from the kit
• anyone after an accurate silhouette of this attack machine
• modelers used to joining an accessory onto plastic
• authors of competition builds, where every shape counts

This is a replacement part; a helicopter will not come out of it on its own.