Meng 1/35 AH-64D Saraf: update: 10/14/24: Details, Progress and Frustrations.

[Peterpools]

Thanks PM, slowly making progress and even at this stage, the kit box still is overflowing with parts. Hopefully in a few days, I'll be able to close up the fuselage and start on the stub wings and engines.

 

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks Mark

Just love those Quinta Decals. I've been using them since Quinta released their first sets and for me, they are a must for any build if available.

 

[BlrwestSiR]

Great job on the cockpit Peter. Not the easiest thing to give an all black cockpit some visual interest but you've certainly pulled it off. 

[Peterpools]

Carl

Very much appreciated. Using three different blacks surely helped as there was enough of a difference in each black color to complement each other and add to the effect.

Still hard to grasp how big the Saraf (Apache) actually is.

 

[Peterpools]

THE FUSELAGE - TOGETHER

After finishing the rotor tower, the remaining airbrush for the rotor tower and the interior portion for that area, it was time to fit the three interior assemblies, tweak the fit and the fuselage halves were finally glued together. Surely a milestone in the build.

I needed to decide how I wanted to display the two rear fuselage electronic bays and after painting all the details in them and even adding a few more, I decided I would rather close up the bays as I just wasn’t crazy how they looked. The access covers were a perfect fit – now how about that.

Moving forward, the Saraf is covered head to toe in raised rivets and cleaning up seams surely was going to be a nightmare but after looking at most of the part seams and comparing them to photos in my IsraDecal book, the majority are actual panel lines, including the fuselage center. Part fit on the kit is good and comparing them again to photos, they seem to be cleaner mating surfaces then on the real deal.

Starting to assemble the engine – loads of a zillion individual parts and surely will be a challenge in painting. Side pods and the forward electronic bays are being worked on, plus the wings all need to be added at the same time. Following the assembly sequence and no real issues – fingers crossed.

All the parts on the exterior are just being test fit and after comparing them to the books photos, the seams do show.

Saraf's twin General Electric T700-GE-701 engines under way. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PanzerWomble]

Thats one heck of a model, looks like a really great moulding from MENG . I did their King Tiger and Panther , both were really good well researched models , your helo looks the same 

[BlrwestSiR]

A great milestone there Peter. The wings are absolutely covered in bumps and lumps. Almost hard to call them wings. 

[Peterpools]

Thanks PW, loads of subassemblies and while seams show, Meng did their homework, as photo references show they are on the real deal as well. What I thought was going to be a month's long project, is surely going to be much longer then that.

Part fit has been good and the instructions pretty good as well. Just wish part drawings were a lot clearer and more defined in places, as to part orientation. 

[Peterpools]

Thanks Carl

Feels good to be making steady progress on a complicated kit and not having to fight with parts to fit. Completely agree and the more I work on the Saraf, the more lumps and bumps there are. 

[Landlubber Mike]

Just caught up with your log Peter.  Looking great!  Your cockpit work is always so good.  

I should probably stop looking at this log as I've always thought it would be fun to build a helicopter - your work is making the urge more and more irresistible!

[Peterpools]

Thanks Mike, very much appreciated.

Last year, I tried a 1/35 helicopter build and it was a complete disaster. So far this year I started the Academy AH-1Z Viper and it has been tough going and stopped it for the GB projects and will get back to it later. I am thinking of downsizing the scale if I build more (most likely) as I had no idea how large they are and so far, overly complicated. But they are a nice change of pace.

Loads of great kits in 1/72 and 1/48 scales - absolutely give one a try.

 

 

[shark64]

Well, this is a fantastic great start. I really love the cockpit work. Not familiar with Mengs products but it looks sharp. The engine are topnotch.

nice work

Oliver

[CANicoll]

Now that is intelligent engineering to have the joins being panel lines.  Too bad about the electronics bays, but nice the doors fit so well.  The engines look like they will come out nicely with your usual detailing.

[JohnB]

Coming along nicely and looking good Peter. 🙂

[Peterpools]

Hi Oliver

Very much appreciated and so glad you're on board for the journey. I never realized how different helicopter builds are compared to fixed wing aircraft and I'm slowly learning the ropes. The front office went well and the engines, just what has been done so far, is only a small slice of the complete assembly that I'm working on now and show be able to be added close to the end of the build. doing.

Jump right in if I'm off course and need advice.

 

 

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks Chris, very much appreciated.

I'm not a big fan of having all the access panels/bays open as it kills the look of the aircraft and I have to hand it to meng for making the best fitting access doors I've ever seen, including Tamiya - now that's something.

Engines are just a small portion of the complete engine bay assemblies (two of course) and what has been done is only a small portion of the actual assembly, which I've been working on as time permits; our weeks are full of doctor appointments and procedures and we're staying the course day by day.

 

 

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks John, very much appreciated. Seems the easier portion of the build is what I've completed and the engine assemblies, loads parts to add, including the entire exhaust assembly is fussy and intricate, which is the focus of all my build time. Meng surely gives you your money's worth in parts and even the occasional eyestrain and headache; loads of tiny parts that require specific orientation and here the instructions aren't that good. Going slow and taking my time.

. 

[JohnB]

I know you will whip it into shape just fine Peter. 🙂

[Peterpools]

Thanks John, sure hope so.

Spent almost the entire day today with doctor appointments for Diane and still more and more procedures to schedule and take.

Fingers crossed. 🤞

[DocRob]

Catching up with your log after my vacancies, Peter. The interior looks brilliant and having the fuselage closed, you achieved a milestone. The kit seems to be a good one, capturing the busy look of the heli. Makes me want to start my Cobra kit (The helicopter, not the car ), but this has to wait.

Cheers Rob

[Peterpools]

Thanks Rob, very much appreciated and glad you enjoyed your vacation and are back at the bench. 

So far, the Saraf has been a fun build even with dealing with loads of super small parts and scale piping that come in bunches to deal with. I haven't had much bench time as Diane and I have had so many doctor appointments and procedures, free time has been scarce and just no desire for modeling. I have been making some progress on the GE T700 engines and the engine bay assemblies, painting should start soon and then an update. 

Would love to see you tackle the Cobra (helicopter) and hopefully not too far down the road. Of course, Your MFH Cobra comes first, as she is a gem and a joy to follow.

 

[Peterpools]

T700-GE-701-C ENGINE ASSEMBLIES

The two T700 engine assemblies are easily mini models by themselves and required a boat load of time in both assembly and painting. I’m still not done with the engine sub-assemblies as bench time has been hard to come by the past few weeks with doctor appointments and procedures for both my wife and me.

The instructions aren’t bad but leave a lot to be desired in locating and orientating the nearly endless amounts of small parts and piping, times two.

The kit color callouts didn’t seem to match both the Saraf Book nor the color photographs I found online and sorting this out as best I could, just took time. My goal was not to be spot on the money but close enough to look good and add interest.   

There still is a lot of detail painting to be done, plus dry brushing, additional washes and cleaning up some of the light weathering, something I normally do not do and am on shaky new ground for sure.

The T700 engines are pretty much ready to be glued to the main assembly floor, which first needed to be painted yellow chromate on the interior and the cammo added to the exterior.

The detail level of the Saraf is incredible and so far well worth all the extra work.

 

 

 

 

[JohnB]

Looking good Peter! 🙂

[Martinnfb]

Amazing detail Peter. 

[HubertB]

1 hour ago, JohnB said:

Looking good Peter! 🙂

 

1 hour ago, Martinnfb said:

Amazing detail Peter. 

What John and Martin said :

Hubert