REVELL disaster Longbow Apache 1/48

[Laurie]

Do not buy it is the worst model you could come possibly come across.


The cockpit was not bad.


But from there on in all that I have come across is a disaster area. Pieces including the fuselage are poor fitting. Nothing and I mean nothing fits snugly one to the other. :mad:


Shaved one piece so much I formed a hole in the plastic. Four pods were amazing. Fit two halves together (has the male and female locators) and one side is approx 1mm above the other.


To cap it all it will need (actually it will not it is scrapped) massive sanding then massive filling then it will still not look as it should. On top of that with so much sanding and filling the raised rivet and panel lines will be lost in a large percentage of places. How do you replace them ? :mad:


So I am most disappointed I was going to persevere but thought of all the time trying to make this thing look right when I could be building a good model. Just annoyed at the time spent. Unfortunate as it is a good interesting aircraft to build.


So to find another Apache here I go.


Laurie

 

[john i am]

Do not buy it is the worst model you could come possibly come across.
The cockpit was not bad.


But from there on in all that I have come across is a disaster area. Pieces including the fuselage are poor fitting. Nothing and I mean nothing fits snugly one to the other. :mad:


Shaved one piece so much I formed a hole in the plastic. Four pods were amazing. Fit two halves together (has the male and female locators) and one side is approx 1mm above the other.


To cap it all it will need (actually it will not it is scrapped) massive sanding then massive filling then it will still not look as it should. On top of that with so much sanding and filling the raised rivet and panel lines will be lost in a large percentage of places. How do you replace them ? :mad:


So I am most disappointed I was going to persevere but thought of all the time trying to make this thing look right when I could be building a good model. Just annoyed at the time spent. Unfortunate as it is a good interesting aircraft to build.


So to find another Apache here I go.


Laurie

Sad Laurie this kit comes with massive fit issues but you shouldn't let it get the better of you as there is no greater satisfaction than beating a kit into submission and I've done a few now.


C'mon where's the bulldog in you pick it back up and see it through


Fight back man

 

[PaulTRose]

one to avoid then


add it to the list along side the Revell Ferrari Enzo cos thats a dog of a kit

 

[eddiesolo]

Hasegawa do one, think it comes with PE too.


Academy do one, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Academy-Model-Kit-12268-1-48-Apache-AH-64D-Longbow-Attack-Helicopter-/141667731722?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20fc0e090a


Old Heller one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heller-1-48-Apache-AH-64-Longbow-Great-Condition-Rare-/161737241380?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item25a84a7324


Airfix do one.


Italeri one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Italeri-1-48-AH-64D-Longbow-Apache-863-/371296497572?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5672feefa4


AFV one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AFV-Club-1-48-AH-64D-Longbow-Apache-HF48004-/331554116383?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4d322a531f

 

[dougie]

I have an academy but it's in the stash so can't advise on it.


Fight the kit... See if you can beat it

 

[John Rixon]

Feel your pain Laurie, sounds like the Revell 1/32 P51 I kicked all this off with. I seriously believe that they should admit defeat and either replace the tools or sell off the remaining kits at serious discount.


My Dreadnought has a few bits that have shocked me, but its not quite a disaster! Looking back at my Universal Carrier, that was a really old tooling too, but no issues whatsoever - some of this is in initial QC, which, I believe Tamiya seem to have nailed!!

 

[eddiesolo]

Revell do seem to have put out a lot of kits this past 12 months or so, and some, certainly, are poor, old tooling. Maybe they are just trying get as much cash as they can before stopping dn getting some better moulds?

 

[Graham COULSON]

So sorry Laurie! That's infuriating!


I hope you manage to get your money back.;;


There's really no excuse in these hi-tech times for a big firm like that to manufacture something as bad as that...


Companies as big as Revell should be held to account for the quality of ALL their products.


Hope you manage to find another producer of the Apache in 1/48 scale.


Kind regards,


Graham.

 

[dubster72]

Yeah it's a pain when that happens Laurie.


However it shows the importance of researching a kit before buying. I remember reading that this one is actually a 1980s Monogram kit with extra sprues to modernise it.

 

[Polux]

Oh! Sorry Laurie!!!


Thanks for the advice, noted

 

[PhilJ]

Nightmare mate, sorry to hear that. Was looking forward to this one.


I'd like to think I'd carry on and give it a real good go but I'd probably put it under the front wheel of the motor. Forget I put it there then pull of the drive for work and hear a satisfying crunch!

 

[dougie]

Revell do seem to have put out a lot of kits this past 12 months or so, and some, certainly, are poor, old tooling. Maybe they are just trying get as much cash as they can before stopping dn getting some better moulds?

Hopefully its not hard times

 

[dubster72]

Hopefully its not hard times

It's only what Airfix have been doing for years!


Personally, I'd like to see a date of original release on kit boxes. That would give potential buyers pause for thought

 

[Laurie]

Well I took another look at "the thing". No not worth all the time to go on. I have not in 6 years model making given up but this is something different. Model making for me is a happy day and this one is not going to make me happy.


Some models are not so good in fit a certain points and I then persevere. But when at every turn nothing fits is it worth it. Every piece needs major sanding and filling. Some pieces do not fit with out major work. On one I was using a mini saw and pairing plastic with a knife. Major problem is the rivets and panel lines. I would take a month of Sundays to bring this back and even then I doubt it would look much.


Looking at it again I have just realised the up dated sprue to make the Apache British Army is totally different. This sprue is perfect. The panel lines are recessed. Imagine that raised panel lines on half the model recessed on the other half.


My own fault jumping in. As you say Patrick trek around to find opinions on a kit before dipping in. Annoyed as after buying it I thought I had made a mistake as there were better on the market.


Lastly not mentioned the instructions. They are also the worst I have come across. Very confusing.


Think I will get a Hasegawa. Read to day of good reports (nothing could be worse than the Revell) plus I have found that Heritage Conversions do a British conversion set.


In the meantime it is the Westland RAF Lynx 1/48 to the fore. I dared to look in the box and heaven it is one of the Airfix new toolings. That makes me very happy.


Laurie

 

[dougie]

you put that perfectly actually Laurie... it's all about your enjoyment. It shouldn't feel like a chore. Good shout, regardless of my 'accept the challenge' post earlier!

 

[john i am]

Well I took another look at "the thing". No not worth all the time to go on. I have not in 6 years model making given up but this is something different. Model making for me is a happy day and this one is not going to make me happy.
Some models are not so good in fit a certain points and I then persevere. But when at every turn nothing fits is it worth it. Every piece needs major sanding and filling. Some pieces do not fit with out major work. On one I was using a mini saw and pairing plastic with a knife. Major problem is the rivets and panel lines. I would take a month of Sundays to bring this back and even then I doubt it would look much.


Looking at it again I have just realised the up dated sprue to make the Apache British Army is totally different. This sprue is perfect. The panel lines are recessed. Imagine that raised panel lines on half the model recessed on the other half.


My own fault jumping in. As you say Patrick trek around to find opinions on a kit before dipping in. Annoyed as after buying it I thought I had made a mistake as there were better on the market.


Lastly not mentioned the instructions. They are also the worst I have come across. Very confusing.


Think I will get a Hasegawa. Read to day of good reports (nothing could be worse than the Revell) plus I have found that Heritage Conversions do a British conversion set.


In the meantime it is the Westland RAF Lynx 1/48 to the fore. I dared to look in the box and heaven it is one of the Airfix new toolings. That makes me very happy.


Laurie

Oo well if your not up to it one for the recycle bin:eek:.I have an apache in the stash and it's an old airfix I hope it's not as bad as you revell.Best you just forget about this one and pretend it never happened.no cold sweat nightmares please. Good luck with the lynx Laurie.

 

[eddiesolo]

Something out of your comfort zone perhaps Laurie...why don't you do it wrecked.

 

[Laurie]

Something out of your comfort zone perhaps Laurie...why don't you do it wrecked.

It is all wrecked Si Revell did it for me :D


Actually you have given me an idea Si. May do that eventually when I have finished my Afghanistan piece. May look good on one side.


Laurie

 

[john i am]

Just to be clear Laurie is this the offending article so we will all know which one to avoid in the future.View attachment 113658



Actually thinking about it there should be a hall of shame for bad kits like this to be listed as a quick reference guide..

 

[john i am]

Ok no need to reply to my previous post :rolleyes: ^^^^^ I've just taken a look at your build thread to get confirmation of the kit.


It's a real shame you've kicked into touch as you had made a really nice job of the cockpit.Perhaps a wreck then as suggested by Si at a later date. Black Longbow down maybe.