1:35 AH-64A APACHE (early) - interior 3D decals for Trumpeter kit

The Apache in its first form

The attack helicopter from the Hughes company first flew as a prototype in 1975 and reached the American army eleven years later. The characteristic face of the machine is the pair of rotating turrets under the nose, which combine the targeting optics with the night vision system. Under the fuselage hangs a thirty-millimeter cannon tied to the movement of the pilot's helmet, and on the stub wings the pylons carry rockets and Hellfire anti-armor missiles. The early machines still do not have the radar housing above the rotor head, which came only with the later upgrade.

Why a printed relief in particular

The cockpit of the helicopter is angular, flat and clearly visible through the flat panes of the glazing. Surfaces like that suit a thin print best, because it does not have to follow any complicated curvature. The displays, the keypads and the color warning panels thus come into being in one step and with a sharpness that hand painting does not come close to.

Where the limit lies

The film copies the shape of the part you lay it on. By itself it creates no depth, so an empty box will stay an empty box even after it has been applied. Where there should be an opening, a recess or a projecting handle, a knife, a plastic profile or a metal component has to step in. Printing is a tool for the surface, not for volume.

Before the work itself

Rid the surfaces of grease and spray a primer close to the shade of the print. Separate the sheets from the carrier with a sharp knife rather than by tearing, and help yourself with a soft brush when laying them. Soak up the excess water with a paper towel and let everything dry thoroughly before you assemble the fuselage halves together.