DONE +++ US Navy AH-64N Stage 2+ Sea Apache a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder' (@ p.4)

[Captain Canada]

That looks so good. Especially in those colours. Love it !

[Dizzyfugu]

No. Stage 2 and 3 deleted any internal or turret-mounted gun. Makes sense, since the naval AH-64 was rather regarded as a missile platform against ground and aerial targets.
A cannon primarily makes sense againts soft ground targets, and these are rarely encountered over the sea...

Pirates, blockade runners or smugglers in small powerboats?

That's USMC stuff. Just in case, some unguided 70mm rockets will certainly be persuasive. But, again, I do not think that such CAS missions were the primariy intention of the naval AH-64. That might become more clear when I post the background, gathered from project information. IIRC, some good links were already posted.

[Dizzyfugu]

Besides, painting makes progress. The radome has been painted, too (in Hemp):

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Grey Thunder', US Navy (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Grey Thunder', US Navy (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


A light black in wash in order to emphasize engravings and edges, and simulate some wear and bleaching. Next: dry-brushing and some panel shading with lighter basic tones.

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Grey Thunder', US Navy (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[Dizzyfugu]

Separate work on the rotors and the engine pods:

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Grey Thunder', US Navy (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Ordnance mix, in progress:

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Grey Thunder', US Navy (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Almost there... wheels have already been mounted, just some finishing touches to do, I guess that the AH-64 will be done tomorrow and photo sessions can start. 

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Grey Thunder', US Navy (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[PR19_Kit]

Looking pretty darn good Thomas. 

[Dizzyfugu]

Model is finished, and I already made some beauty shots. With all six missiles on board, the Sea Apache looks rather purposeful, but not over-loaded. Way cool! 

[Thorvic]

Looking very good, nice work there 

[jsport]

wow excellent work

[Dizzyfugu]

Finally, I present to you a 1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (an Academy AH-64D conversion).

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr



Some background:
The AH-64 Apache originally started as the Model 77 developed by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the AH-1 Cobra. The prototype YAH-64 was first flown on 30 September 1975. The U.S. Army selected the YAH-64 over the Bell YAH-63 in 1976, and later approved full production in 1982. After purchasing Hughes Helicopters in 1984, McDonnell Douglas continued AH-64 production and development. The helicopter was introduced to U.S. Army service in April 1986. The first production AH-64D Apache Longbow, an upgraded Apache variant, was delivered to the Army in March 1997. Production has been continued by Boeing Defense, Space & Security, and more than 2,000 AH-64s have been produced to date.

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. It is armed with a 30 mm (1.18 in) M230 chain gun carried between the main landing gear, under the aircraft's forward fuselage. It has four hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons, typically carrying a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods. The AH-64 has a large amount of systems redundancy to improve combat survivability.

The U.S. Army is the primary operator of the AH-64; it has also become the primary attack helicopter of multiple nations, including Greece, Japan, Israel, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates; as well as being produced under license in the United Kingdom as the AgustaWestland Apache. American AH-64s have served in conflicts in Panama, the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Israel used the Apache in its military conflicts in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip; British and Dutch Apaches have seen deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Studies for a naval version of the Apache were begun during 1984 and since that time the McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company has proposed several modified Apaches to both the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy. The navalized Apache was viewed as a replacement for the aging Bell AH-1 Sea Cobras that are in service with the Navy and Marines. With the introduction of a four-blade rotor system to the then current Marine Sea Cobra, the AH-1W, the Bell Cobra was believed to have reached the limit of its development. While older Sea Cobra airframes could be brought up to AH-1W standards, the Marines saw the need for a replacement for the Sea Cobra with some urgency.

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The proposed Sea Apache (also known as the 'Gray Thunder') was intended for operations from smaller Navy ships such as frigates and cruisers and by the Marines from Amphibious Assault Ships (LHA) and smaller helicopter capable amphibious ships of a Marine Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). These ships would frequently operate outside the air cover of a carrier task group, so that the Sea Apache was also tasked with limited air defense duties and regarded as an offensive surface strike platform, with more capable weapons than the Army's version.

Since 1984, several design studies and formal proposals had evolved, with the Navy requesting changes in the Sea Apache configuration as it refined the aircraft's missions and roles. All in all the project went through no less than three stages, and each of these proposed navalized versions of the Apache differed in several ways from the standard Army AH-64A, although all three proposals had the same powerplants in common, two 1,723shp naval standard General Electric T700-GE-401 engines.
Also in common were increased corrosion preventive measures, improved electro-magnetic interference protection, a Doppler navigation system, upgraded brakes, additional tie down points, and a powered automatic rotor blade fold system.

Some of the missions envisioned by the Navy for the Sea Apache were:
- Escort for amphibious assault craft
- Anti-shipping strike
- Combat Air Patrol (CAP) with up to six Sidewinders
- Over the Horizon (OTH) targeting for surface ships
- Air support for SEAL special warfare teams
- Standoff surveillance
- Long range coastal patrol

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Originally (designated "Stage 1"), the Sea Apache was to be a basic AH-64A airframe modified with a folding tail boom, a relocated tail wheel, a mast-mounted radar for surface/air search and attack, and provisions for Harpoon and Sidewinder missiles. Over time, however, the engineering studies and changing roles/missions requirements revealed that the Sea Apache's final configuration would have to be altered drastically.

One of the early problems encountered with navalizing the Apache was the narrow wheel base of the main landing gear. Engineering studies found that the standard Apache main wheel track was too narrow, causing the aircraft to be very unstable on the deck of a small ship. The roll of the deck in heavy seas, coupled with the aircraft's narrow wheel base and a relatively high center of gravity, could easily cause the Sea Apache to tip over. To solve this problem, McDonnell Douglas engineers redesigned the main landing gear, relocating it from the fuselage to the tips of the stub wings. The revised main landing gear was also retractable, with the gear retracting into streamlined housings (although the wheel itself remains uncovered) on the end of each reinforced stub wing. These housings also had provisions for mounting Sidewinder missile launcher rails.

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The revised landing gear configuration was put forward in the second proposal (Stage 2) which also deleted the 30mm Chain Gun and its associated ammunition storage system. Furthermore, the Stage 2 Sea Apache featured a revised nose contour and replaced the TADS/PNVS with a nose mounted radar.
Extended fuselage side sponsons carried additional electronics and fuel cells. The sponsons themselves were smoothly faired into the fuselage to lower drag and extended almost to the tip of the nose. This aircraft was to also have provision for carrying two AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missiles on short racks on the fuselage underside, a folding tail assembly and a retractable tail wheel.

This design had been refined still further, and the Stage 3 Sea Apache proposal had the side fuselage sponsons deleted and featured a larger nose radome intended to house an APG-65 Sea Search radar. This radar, developed from the multi-mode radar used on the F/A-18 Hornet fighter/attack aircraft, was compatible for both air-to-surface attack and air-to-air engagements. The forward fuselage was deepened to house additional fuel cells and the relocated avionics bays.

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Projected armament included both the Harpoon or Penguin air-to-surface missiles (although the number of stations had been reduced to two) as primary weapons against surface targets, plus two Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for self-defense.
Additional weapons included Stinger, Sidearm, AMRAAM, and Hellfire missiles, as well as 127mm Zuni and 70mm FFAR rockets. Performance goals specified for the Sea Apache by the Navy at this stage included a 370km mission radius, and a four hour endurance on station. To extend the Sea Apache's time on station even further, an extendable in-flight refueling probe would be mounted on the starboard fuselage side below the cockpit. Consideration was also being given to installing the Canadian developed Bear Trap automatic haul-down landing system, which allowed operations during heavy sea states.

In 1989 the Navy gave serious consideration to the purchase of the Sea Apache once adequate funding was made available to finance prototype construction. The Navy desires the Sea Apache not only for its capabilities, but also because the aircraft would cost far less to acquire than to undertake the design of a totally new aircraft to replace the AH-1W in service.

It took until 1992 that the AH-64N, how the Sea Apache was now officially called, was given green lights and a total of seven prototypes were ordered (five for flight tests and in different configurations from Stage 2 and 3, plus two static airframes), and trials took another four years. During this time, one prototype was lost in a fatal crash and the overall budget for the new helicopter was slimmed down, so that the service aircraft became less drastically changed from the Army helicopter, and was eventually designated "Stage 2+". It carried the Stage 3 avionics suite, but the performance goals became less ambitious, so that the deepened fuselage was not necessary anymore, improving aerodynamics and compensating a little for the reduced internal fuel capacity.

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The first production AH-64Ns were delivered in 1998 and entered service on board of US Navy Wasp-class amphibious assault ships, e. g. the newly built USS Bataan (LHD-5), in 1999. Bataan was also one of many vessels in the Middle East region at the beginning of the Iraq war on or about 20 March 2003. After delivering her attack and transport helicopters, troops and vehicles she was employed as a "Harrier Carrier" with primary duties supporting two Marine AV-8B Harrier II squadrons along with USS Bonhomme Richard. USN AH-64Ns of the newly formed HLA-80 light attack helicopter squadron served successfully in the Combat Air Patrol (CAP) role, armed with AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9L Sidewinders, as well as in the escort role for emergency medical care transports in the conflict region.

Until 2003, a total of 80 AH-64Ns were built, exclusively for the US Navy. The US Marines showed interest in the new helicopter, but budget restrictions forced the USMC to stay with its AH-1W helicopters and the AV-8B fleet. A proposed Marine Corps variant would retain the TADS/PNVS and Hellfire missile system, for use in the close air support role and for anti-shipping duties while escorting amphibious vessels. This variant would also relocate the radar dome back to the top of the rotor mast. Another option favored by the Marines was the capability to use the four tube TOW missile system as a back-up to the Hellfire missile system. But due to further budget restrictions, this variant that resembled the initial Stage 1 design of the AH-64N, never left the drawing board.

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Further export ambitions received a blow when the British Army successfully deployed license-built AgustaWestland Apaches in 2003 upon the Royal Navy's HMS Ocean, a Landing Platform Helicopter, demonstrating that the land-based Army helicopter was quite capable of naval operations.




General characteristics:
    Crew: 2 (pilot, and co-pilot/WSO)
    Length: 58.17 ft (17.73 m) (with both rotors turning)
    Fuselage length: 49 ft 5 in (15.06 m)
    Rotor diameter: 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m)
    Height: 12.7 ft (3.87 m)
    Disc area: 1,809.5 ft² (168.11 m²)
    Empty weight: 11,387 lb (5,165 kg)
    Loaded weight: 17,650 lb (8,000 kg)
    Max. takeoff weight: 23,000 lb (10,433 kg)

Powerplant:
    2× General Electric T700-GE-701C turboshaft engines, delivering 1,890 shp (1,409 kW) each, 
    driving a foldable 4 blade main rotor and a 4 blade tail rotor in non-orthogonal alignment

Performance:
    Never exceed speed: 197 knots (227 mph, 365 km/h)
    Maximum speed in level flight: 165 knots (190 mph, 306 km/h)
    Cruise speed: 143 knots (165 mph, 265 km/h)
    Range: 290 nmi (332 mi, 535 km) with two AGMs and four AAMs
    Combat radius with two hours loitering time: 162 nmi (186 mi, 300 km)
    Ferry range: 1,080 nmi (1,242 mi, 2,000 km)
    Service ceiling: 21,000 ft (6,400 m) minimum loaded
    Rate of climb: 2,500 ft/min (12.7 m/s)
    Disc loading: 9.80 lb/ft² (47.9 kg/m²)
    Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (0.31 kW/kg)

Armament:
    No internal gun;
    Four pylon stations on the stub wings; the inner pair under the wings can carry a wide range of
    AGMs and AAMs, including AGM-84 Harpoon and AGM-119 Penguin against surface targets.
    Alternatively, up to eight AGM-114 Hellfire missiles or pods with Hydra 70 70 mm, CRV7 70 mm,
    and APKWS 70 mm air-to-ground rockets can be carried   
    Stations on each wingtip and under the fuselage can carry launch rails for up to four
    AIM-120 AMRAAM and/or AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs.



1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 McDonnell Douglas AH-64N 'Sea Apache Phase 2+' a.k.a. 'Gray Thunder'; "502" of US Navy HLA-80, on board of USS Bantaan, summer 2001 (Whif/Academy AH-64D conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[TomZ]

Looks very good. Very believable.

TomZ

[Snowtrooper]

Looks beautiful.

I'm still wondering though, how they envisioned the Sea Apache to escort helicopters or give air support for SEAL teams, as with only two rocket pods (unless there is clearance to carry these on the fuselage hardpoints) and no cannon, it has much less endurance against soft targets than vanilla Apache or Sea Cobra. Yes, I realize it was intended primarily as an anti-air/anti-shipping asset and this would have been a secondary or even tertiary role, and the drag had to be brought down to increase the top speed to allow it to keep up with the things it was supposed to escort, but still.

Of course, if it would have been cleared to fire Penguins and Harpoons, then Mavericks would also have been a definitive possibility, and since it's a Harpoon derivative, maybe SLAM's too?

[Cobra]

This is a Superb Build You Really did a Top Notch Job,Dizzy! Kinda cheeky calling it Gray Thunder though Keep up the Superb Work Dan

[zenrat]

Wait until the Ukrainians get a load of this one!
Good job Dizz.  I see the bloke with the footy socks is back in the last photo.

[Dizzyfugu]

Thank you very much - but do not look to closely at it. The paint finish is not the best, and the micro cracks in the donor canopy is also rather ugly - but I only recognized them when the part was already blended into the fuselage... 

Anyway, the helicopters till looks interesting, and while it is not a true model of any of the three original design stages, it still features many of the relevant details of the conversion.

And the thing looks very fast with the wheels up/edited away! 

[Gondor]

Looks great although one of your pictures is missing

Gondor