AH-64 Little Bird

by Ben Nielsen

 HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron.com

My 1/35 Scale AH-6 Little Bird Gunship by DML/Dragon.

Here is my finished kit of this modern mean-looking attack bird. This one is currently displayed as flown by the "Nightstalkers" Squadron. This particular kit has it's share of cons. For example, notice the bulge and seam where the canopy fits on to the frame. This little bugger did not fit right at all. Not to mention there is no alignment pins whatsoever, so I had a heck of a time getting it to look presentable. At one point I thought all was lost and I'd never finish the kit. Well, with a little patience, motivation and a lot of puttying and sanding, I got it to look the way I wanted.

I also modified the seats with a back seat cover and seatbelt harness made from fine masking tape.

Otherwise the seats would have been very plain. I got my references off the internet at MD Helicopters and the book/motion picture Blackhawk Down.

And just for a touch of spice I added a pilot's souvenir AK-47 rifle that is located just between the seats. It's kind of hard to see but it's there. Yeah, I know it's a Russian gun, but I didn't have the M-16 family kit by DML/Dragon. Just the AK-47 kit. So I'm pretending it's an enemy's rifle that the pilot just so got his hands on!

This is the first of a series of kits that I am planning to build. I think it will be complete with the additions of the:

• MD-500 Defender from DML/Dragon

• MD-530G Gunship from DML/Dragon

• AH-6 Little Bird (OH-6 conversion w/commando planks) By DML/Dragon OH-6 Loach by DML/Dragon

• and finally the OH-6 Cayuse by Italeri

All in 1/35 scale. This should be fun! I just to hope these kits don't have the problems of this little bird kit.

Happy Modeling!