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Posted by Bill Oreto on July 3, 2026, 0:14:39, in reply to "If I may..."
I don’t use L’Arsenal or 3D Wild . I have purchased from them both and for various reasons of quality, international shipping or difficult assembly (yes if you can believe that) do not use them.
I have a rather large supply of SNAFU’s helos, of one piece AH-1Ws, UH-1N, UH-1Y and AH-1Z from Shapeways day. Unfortunately no longer available but certainly not the best quality of today’s print technology. They will have to do for my Gator decks until something better comes along.
A Chinese printer prints a 1/700 AH-1Z which is superior to all on present market and for various reasons after speaking to them through their seller have no interest in doing more USMC helos. 
Previous Message
L'Arsenal does 1/700 AH-1Z, and UH-1N and Y:
AH-1Z:
https://www.larsenal.com/ah-1-z-viper-pales-pliees-1-700-x4-impression-3d-c2x40620847
UH-1N, early and late:
https://www.larsenal.com/ah-1-z-viper-pales-pliees-1-700-x4-impression-3d-c2x41960041
https://www.larsenal.com/ah-1-z-viper-pales-pliees-1-700-x4-impression-3d-c2x41960043
UH-1Y:
https://www.larsenal.com/ah-1-z-viper-pales-pliees-1-700-x4-impression-3d-c2x41960467
I could not find the 3D Wild versions, but I did not exhaustively hunt the site. No simple search produced them. Which 3D Wild vendor has them, please? Previous Message
As I said the 3D printed Wasp is probably the best offering in attempting to capture the catwalk and under walkways. The Eduard set was original made for the Revell kit and then was re-issued for the Hobby Boss Kit.
Like all things 3D printers are off scale but considering the supply of relative easy builds of LHD kits with a degree of accuracy I went for the 3D kit.
For after market parts I plan to use the following:
Starfighter Decals for LHD Deck Markings
Tarawa/Saipan LHA decals found on the evil site.
Starfighter Decals for subdued Marine/Navy national insignia for aircraft.
Wula CIWS
EV’s SPS-48
HS Models RIIM 116 RAM Launchers
HS Models AN/SLQ-32 EW suite (the ones on the kit are minuscule)
WULA AS32A Deck Tractor and assorted deck vehicles
Camel Model MK-53 NULKA (could not find chaff launchers)
Northview Foundry CH-53E with tail extended and folded (I have been pleading with the designer for a UH-1N and AH-1W so far no luck. Excellent designer and Richard over at Tom’s excellent printer)You may also want to put a visiting Seahawk from Northview Foundry
CH-46 and V-22 from Amazon (Excellent !)
HS Models QE-82C/QE-570 Satcom antennas
EV Model MK-29 Missile launcher (evolved Sea Sparrow) w/MK-95 illumination
Skywave F-35B Kit # S84
As for life raft containers Fujimi used to put out very nice brass containers that I used to glue to plastic strip and apply but almost impossible to find today. So we are stuck with EVs which are kind of under scale.
The Chinese do 1/700 AH-1Z very nice but like AH-1W and UH-1N nobody does a UH-1Y.
Let me correct myself. 3D Wild does do AH-1W and UH-1N but get ready to build the choppers and a very long wait for them. Some printers have to build 1/700 to understand what drives 1/700 hobbyists insane. Putting pants on flies is one of them.
Most of this stuff I brought over the years for “just in case” well case came up. Hope this helps. Previous Message
Same here with the Hobby Boss kits, they blew it. My solution was to kitbash the Hobby Boss and Revell kits. Use the Revell Hull and catwalks, the the Hobby Boss island and electronics and use the extra hull pieces on from HB and apply as best I could to the Revell hull. Used Hobby Boss decals too. Previous Message
Ok so I took the plunge. Arrived by courier very well packed. Some pluses and minuses to the kit. First the pluses.
1 piece hull
1 piece island base.
3D printed mast
All domes and parts necessary to complete.
Somewhat captured the walkways and catwalks that ring flight deck. Better than Hobby Boss wrong photo-etch and not as intricate as the more accurate Eduard photo-etch set. But better than no attempt in 3D print.
Now the minuses
Printed in orange resin so get ready to prime.
Radars solid no open lattice.
With exception of domes and platforms, radars, weapons, under scale and will have to be replaced by other 3D printed parts.
No air wing.
No hangar deck
No well deck
No decals.
No instructions for assembly
No photo-etch.
Was it worth the expense and the cost of the needed minuses to add? For me it was. I dreaded a Hobby Boss Wasp LHD build because of the photo-etch catwalks and walkways. Why build the kit if I am not expert in photo-etching which I am certainly not. Can do certain photo-etch but not what the Hobby Boss’ kits required with the Eduard photo-etch set.
Over the years I have collected air wing, 3D printed radars, weapons, decals etc. so I am not laying out anymore money than that I already have done.
Just thought I share.
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