It’s outside my normal genre, but I found a Monogram AH-64 at a price too good to pass up. I also have the leftovers of Belcher Bit’s CH-113/CH147 decals from a previous project.
An idea formed in my mind that I would presume that the Canadian Forces aquired Apaches in the late 80’s or very early 90’s.
My question is: What colour would it be? Would Canada have aquired them in American olive drab, or would they have been custom ordered in a similar scheme to other Canadian helicopters (grey and green over lighter grey).
From what i can tell, most countries who use them has kept the US colour. I know Israel is an exception. The British army has kept the US colour despite previous helicopters, such as the Lynx, haveing a 2 colour scheme. My guess is they would have kept the US colour, but of course, in this case you can do as you please. Might be nice to see it in somthing different.
I second that they probaby would have been delivered in ‘helo drab’—but like numerous Kiowas and Hueys over the decades, they might have seen some version of disruptive schemes applied. Our neighbors to the north seem to like to ‘mix it up’ with color schemes periodically…something which, as an aficionado as well as a modeler, I have always found irresistibly appealing.
I agree that it would have most likely retained the standard Apache colours. But for a speculative, “what if” project like this, I’d go with the green/grey Canadian colours for a couple of reasons:
It’s not a model of an actual, real-life aircraft, so it’s a chance to be creative.
If you paint it the usual U.S. colours, it would look like any other AH-64 model sitting on the shelf unless the observer happened to look at it close enough to notice the roundels. The alternate camouflage would make it stand out as something different and unusual.
Note that the helicopter color is not OD. I recall building an Apache in the helicopter section only to be told I used the wrong color (OD). It’s something you Can go to the copter threads and ask them the question.
Thanks, all. I am leaning toward a tri-colour scheme to make is stand out. But i also like the sublety of having to notice “Hey, that’s an odd marking”.
That’s interesting, Toshi, what colour is an actual Apache? The instructions say olive drab.
I’m leaning toward the 2-tone, Stick. I used the “Armed Forces / Forces Armees” decal on my Dad’s Labrador, so I have to go post 1995. I have the marking that match the Chinook, but the flag by the “Canada” is red, and a tactical Helo should have black. They removed those flags in the mid-2000’s, so my bird will be from that era.
Black sounds cool, GM, but the markings are all black. Perhaps a very dark grey.
