I recently picked up Two Bobs Apache OIF decals with three options for the Apache D. Two have the Longbow radar shown, but a third is missing the radar. It looks like the mount is there. My question is are these pics of one that had the radar removed perhaps for service or do some D’s have only the mounts?(it doesn’t look at all like the A version)?
JWest21,
Only 1 out of every 4 AH-64Ds have the milimeter wave radar dish on the mast. The other 3/4 have a small dome shaped cap on the top. The radar equipped bird gathers the targeteing data and passes it digitally to the other 3 aircraft. They look like this:
Is this the type of aircraft shown in the TwoBobs decals?
Most photos show the radar equipped bird, even though they are only 1/4 of the Apache Ds out there, they just look cooler.
Perhaps it is an illustration error then. There are three profiles and the one without the dish looks identical to the other two sans the radar. It doesn’t look like the dome in your pic. There are photos of the bird, but the angles don’t show the top of the rotor at all. Here is the sheet that came with it
http://jasonwest7529.fotopic.net/c349914.html
Give it a few minutes as I just uploaded it to my site
Darn, that came out too small. If you go to www.twobobs.com and look under their decals section, the picture is much better
Thanks for the info on the D’s, by the way. I didn’t realize that only 25% of D’s had the radar!
Jason,
The D model without the radar was originally designated the AH-64C, but since the radar could be added and taken off with a few hours of blood, sweat and the occasional tear by a ground crew, the powers that be decided to call them all D models. I have a few shots of D models without the “mushroom cap” seen in the pic above, but instead, there’s just a “coolie hat” over the top of the rotor hub. The actual ratio of Radar (DWI) to non-radar (DWO) birds is about 1 in 3. Data links are pretty cool, though. Targetting info can be passed from the radar bird to non-radar birds almost instantaneously via datalink, so there really isn’t any need for the additional 600lbs of avionics and radar equipment on every D bird. Of course, in my opinion, the radar simply says “SHOOT ME FIRST”, but we won’t get into that! [;)]
From what a few buddies in-country right now tell me, they’re taking the radar off a lot of the birds to save on weight, since it really does no good fighting insurgents. The Longbow radar is great for targetting tanks and other vehicles, but against troops its just a big target.
The Twobobs sheet looks great! The birds that you can do on this sheet are from 1/3 AVN, 3rd ID during the initial campaign, and 1/227th AVN, 1st Cav Division as they are right now in Iraq (their second tour there). I’m profiling two birds from each of these units in my book, although different ones. I hope they decide to enlarge it for 32nd or 35th!
Hope my ramblings have helped a bit!
They have helped immensely. I like the second one on the sheet (the one without the radar) so any reference on what that should look like would help. I’m not sure if I just leave the radar off or if I will need to do some minor scratch building
Jason,
Here’s a shot of a 1/3 Avn DWO over the Euphrates (or the Tigris, not really sure which!)
Other than the sharkmouths, Apaches flown by the Vipers (1/3 Avn) didn’t have much in the way of markings. All 3 companies used sharkmouths, but no other tactical identifiers, so telling what company they’re from is difficult. The above shot appeared in Soldier Magazine last April as part of an article written by the 1/3 Avn ops officer, Major Rude.
thanks!