"Helicopter to Sci-fi Conversions" Topic

Maybe my search-fu is weak, but I seem unable to dig up much in the way of posts about modern helicopter to sci-fi gunship/dropship/whatever conversions.
Who has done one? What airframe did you choose? What scale?
Do share!

There was a nice one (not mine), of an Apache gunship converted to a VTOL gunship, by ditching the main rotor, and adding on 4 x GW Spacemarine backpacks at various points, low on the airframe.

They looked great (a pair of them were shown in the photos).

Starship Modeler Website is usually a good site for advice. Most of the time you are removing the tail and placing engines on.

Apache, Cobra, Hinds make great gunships

Hueys, Blackhawks,

Skycrane makes a great VTOL heavy lifter/cargo pod transport ala Space Above and Beyond

The Comanche Dropship in ALIENS is pretty much an Apache with a cargo pod and weapon pods added.

There was a HIND used in an episode of Firefly

The gunships in B5 look like Cobras with dual tail booms

I did see a post or two of a proposed Ka-28 (?) converted to dropship. Pretty cool.

I've got a conversion that's been sitting around partially finished based on a Union Gunship from Vor the Maelstrom. The fluff stated that it was built from an AH-64 Apache airframe, fitted with new anti-grav technology and upgunned.

More details on how I made this, here.

addictedtopewter.blogspot.com

I have some V-22 Ospreys that I am converting because they already look the part.

I started to do one on a matchbox for 15mm about half way down the page.
link

I've long wanted an osprey in 1/100 to convert but never found one.

Matchbox has a tilt-rotor plane that looks pretty close to 1/100th (15mm) that could easily be militarized.

2x 1/32 Apache (1 for the body, both for the engines and landing gear) plus 1 1/48 A-10 for the engines on the rear.

For use with 20 and 15mm due to the size of the cockpit glazing (off a old 1/72 Heinkel I think).

You can find her in the Tomorrows War book as well.

Gunbird,

That is an inspired conversion. Pricey but inspired.

I really like it.

-Eli

Wasn't that pricey actually. The Apaches were in the discount bin, 10 euros each, and the A-10 was a scrap kit I picked up at a fleamarket for a few euros. I tend to use loads of 2nd hand carp anyway :)

Bonus!

Great if you can buy clearanced or busted kits. sometimes I find broken down prebuilts.

I should have said expensive if you buy new. Helo and plane kits in 1/48 are notwhere near cheap.

-Eli

I had made one using a 1/72 HIND and 1/72 A-10. It looked similar to the Clone Wars republic gunship, except that mine was built several years before the prequels hit the scene!

Academy usually does some rather cheap 1/48 Apaches -12€,15€. But all the other helos are rather expensive – 30€ or even more.

The Monogram 1/48 kit I had wasn't too expensive. I think I got it a Micheals and used one of their 40% off coupons too boot.

I usually go the other way- I had two microscale starter packs from Eureka and the VTOL aircraft from the packs looked so much like helicopters that they would look rather silly without rotors, so I added some.