Approach Engineering AH-64A Apache-50 User manual

A H - 6 4 A A P A C H E – 5 0
Dawson’s APPROACH ENGINEERING
www.ApproachEngineering.com
Ridgecrest, CA. 9 555

APACHE 50 PAGE # 2
Dawson’s APPROACH EGIEERIG
AH-64A 50 MECHAICS
1.0 Purpose
To establish a process that ensures control and standardization in the anufacturing of AH-64A Apache for use with 46 size
echanics. Part Nu ber AP-100.
2.0 Tools Require
Note: (A) denotes tools required for asse bly and
(T) denotes tools required for testing.
Basic Hand Tools (A, T)
Epoxy 30 Minute (A)
Cyanoacratulate (CA) (A)
3.0 Reference Documents
Exploded view drawing appendix AH-64A Apache part nu ber AP-100. (A, T)
4.0 Limitation of liability
Accessing and using this Product and any infor ation contained therein is at your own expense and risk. Under no circu stances
will Dawson’s Approach Engineering, or any of its affiliated co panies, nor any directors, e ployees and agents, nor any third party
which has supplied infor ation for this Product accept any liability for any costs incurred and/or da ages suffered (including direct,
indirect or consequential da age or da ages, as well as loss of inco e or profits.) by you as a result of your use of the Product or
any infor ation contained therein.
5.0 Intro uction
1. WARIG This aircraft is not a toy. It is capable of serious bodily har and property da age. Every precaution
ust be taken to properly build this kit and install all radio co ponents. It is your responsibility alone to ensure all
safety steps are taken outlined in the Acade y of Model Aeronautics safety codes. If this is your first ti e building a
aircraft kit it is highly reco ended that you find experienced help for the first flights. Consult your local hobby shop
or write to the AMA for further guidance.
Acade y of Model Aeronautics
5151E. Me orial Drive
Muncie, IN 47302 [phone]
2. Please inspect all parts before building. If any parts are broken or issing please feel free to call or write for replace-
ent. The CD includes pictures of the full size aircraft to aid in finish sanding and detailing. If you have any ques-
tions, co ents, or i prove ents please call or write to:
Dawson’s Approach Engineering
220 W. Mariposa Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA. 93555
3. We as the kit anufacturer can provide you with assistance and a top quality kit and instruction anual. When built
light, straight, and true you will have a odel that flies as well as it looks on the ground. However the finished product
depends on the quality built into it. We can not guarantee the flight perfor ance. Take your ti e and read all instruc-
tions carefully before and during construction.
4. During the asse bly procedure the use of the ter CA refers to thin CA glue and CA+ refers to ediu viscosity glue.

APACHE 50 PAGE # 3
Dawson’s APPROACH EGIEERIG
AH-64A 50 MECHAICS
6.1 Punch out the two Vertical Fra es, VF-1, fro 1/8” ply-
wood. Punch out the two Vertical Fra e cross e bers, VF-2
and VF-3. The vertical fra e cross e ber VF-2 is asse bled
into the lower slot. VF-3 is asse bled flush with the upper sur-
face of the vertical fra e sides. Glue the cross e bers into
the slots of the vertical fra e sides.
6.2 Punch out the vertical fin base, F-6, and the pushrod con-
trol horn ount, VF-4, fro the 1/8” plywood sheet. Note,
depending on the tail rotor gearbox used deter ine if the ount
will be best situated on the right or left side. Picture shows
ount on the right side.
6.3 Punch out the tail bulkhead, F-7, fro the 1/8” plywood
sheet. Using CA+ glue it onto the base. Make sure that the
control ount is faced up with the s aller end of the for er.
Trial fit the vertical fin asse bly into place. Using the alu i-
nu tail rotor tube Dre el the edges of the ellipse that it will
protrude through on the base to fit at the angle.
6.4 Using a s all a ount of epoxy, glue the vertical fin as-
se bly into the notches of the base asse bly. Take ti e to
ensure that it is all asse bled square.
6.5 Using 220 grit sandpaper roughen up the tail rotor tube in
the areas that will contact the fra e supports.
6.6 Punch out the two 1/8” plywood leading edge tail rotor
fra e for ers VF-4. Using epoxy glue the into the slots to
hold the tail rotor tube fir ly in place. Make sure that the open-
ing to the tube is facing foreword. The lower leading edge
should co e flush with the botto of the vertical fin base.
6.0 VERTICAL FI FRAME
ASSEMBLY
VF-1
VF-3
VF-2
Roughen Area
Contour leading and
Trailing edge for tail rotor tube.
Open Slot in Tube
Lower Edge of Tube
Flush With Lower Surface
Approxi ately 3/8”

APACHE 50 PAGE # 4
Dawson’s APPROACH EGIEERIG
AH-64A 50 MECHAICS
6.7 Asse ble the control horn as shown below.
6.8 Punch out the two VF-4 bell crank supports. Glue one VF-
4 to each side of the Depending on which side the bell crank is
on double up the support by adding another VF-5 on inside
surface, and two VF-5 1/8” light ply doublers on the outside
surface.
6.9 Put the bell crank with the boss to the side of the ount.
Slide the 5/32” brass sleeve into the ount and position the
3/16” brass sleeve as a spacer. Glue the outside of the 5/32”
tube on both ends to secure in place.
6.10 Attach the pushrod to the tail rotor bell crank aking
sure that the ar is perpendicular to the pushrod.
6.0 VERTICAL FI FRAME
ASSEMBLY
otes:
Clevis
5/32” Brass Sleeve
3/16 Brass Sleeve
Bell crank
VF-5
VF-5
VF-5
5/32” Brass Sleeve
3/16 Brass Sleeve
VF-4

APACHE 50 PAGE # 5
Dawson’s APPROACH EGIEERIG
AH-64A 50 MECHAICS
7.1 Asse ble the side fra es by laying out the A and B sides.
The fuselage side is ade up of three separate pieces. The pro-
vided tabs allow for proper align ent and asse bly of the fuse-
lage sides. Put the tabs together and apply a s all a ount of
CA to the joints.
7.2 Place the co pleted asse blies of the fuselage side fra es
and lay the out to build a right and left half. Place the opening
of the fuselage side so that it will be built up on the right side.
Using 30 inute epoxy glue on the fuselage doublers FD-1 and
FD-1B by aligning the cut outs on the doublers and the fuselage
sides. Set aside and allow to set.
7.3 Cut out the two each upper tail boo filler, UTF, and
lower tail boo filler, LTF, fro 1/4” balsa. Align the edges
and glue into place aking sure to allow the 1/8” slot clearance
between the two for the tail boo fra e.
7.4 Using 3/4” triangle stock, fit along the edge of the fuselage
sides fro the back of the fuselage doublers to the back edge of
the tail boo fillers. Repeat the procedure along the top edge
fro the bend in the side sheeting to the back edge of the upper
tail boo filler. Note, the triangle stock has to be cut at the
bends of the fuselage sides and ate together flush.
7.5 Punch out F-1, F-2, and F-5. Asse ble the fuselage by
installing for ers with the co pleted fuselage sides. Make sure
to have the for ers square to ensure a straight fuselage. Glue
with CA.
7.6 Cut out the 1/4” light ply fuselage botto . Epoxy into
place aking sure that the end labeled “Front” is facing to the
front of the fuselage.
7.0 FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY
PROCEDURE
S-1A
S-2A
S-3A
S-1B
S-2B
S-3B
FD-1
FD-1B
FD-1
FD-1B
Opening in
Fuselage Side
F-1
F-2
F-5

APACHE 50 PAGE # 6
Dawson’s APPROACH EGIEERIG
AH-64A 50 MECHAICS
7.7 Trial fit the vertical fin asse bly into the left side of the
fuselage sides. Make sure to have the notches in the fuselage
side properly fit the vertical fin asse bly. Once satisfied apply
epoxy the left side only and fully asse ble the tail and hold
together with rubber bands or tape and allow to set.
7.8 Install the 36” tail rotor control tube by sliding it through
the holes in F-2 and F-5. The end should co e to about 1.5”
fro the tail rotor control horn. When in place glue the outer
tube to F-2 and F-5 using CA+.
7.9 Asse ble the pushrod tube and slide inside the pushrod
tube. Securely ount the pushrod end to the control horn.
7.10 Cut out the 1/4” balsa pushrod block, PB-1 and PB-2.
Position the block between the fuselage side sheeting and the
pushrod outer tube to allow the pushrod to be as straight as pos-
sible. Once in position glue in place with CA+.
7.11 Install the second pushrod tube down the right side of the
fuselage in the sa e anner as before. Bend the inner pushrod
wire to the shape as shown in the appendix. Feed into the front
lower hole and through the pushrod tube hole on F-7.
7.12 Using epoxy glue the right fuselage side to the vertical
fin asse bly and allow to set. Hold the sides together with tape
until the glue sets.
7.0 FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY
PROCEDURE
Control Tube
PB-1
Hold with Tape
Epoxy only Left Side for now PB-2

APACHE 50 PAGE # 7
Dawson’s APPROACH EGIEERIG
AH-64A 50 MECHAICS
7.13 Using two pieces of 1/4” balsa square stock by 1.5” long
glue between the horizontal fin pushrod tube along the right
side. Keep the pushrod tube as straight as possible.
7.14 Cut out two 3/4” balsa triangle stock by 5.75” long fro
the triangle stock. Turn the fuselage over and tri the triangle
stock as necessary to fit in the aft section of the fuselage. Glue
in
7.15 Cross sheet the lower section of the fuselage using 3/32”
balsa sheet. Set the fuselage up square in order to not build a
twist into the fuselage. Starting fro the aft section of the fire-
wall to the end of the tail boo .
7.16 Slide the driveshaft tube starting fro the top of the tail
boo and slide it through the support. The tube will co e out
of the slot in the tail boo and through the center hole of the
fra e base. Continue to feed it through until the end of the tube
is just above the top of the tail boo .
7.17 Cut two 3/8” by 3” balsa triangle fro the triangle stock.
Glue the triangle stock to the base of the lower sheeting and to
the drive shaft tube. Make sure that the tube is straight down
the center.
7.18 Pull out the two 3/4” by 2.25” balsa triangle stock. Fit
and cut as necessary between the upper triangle stock and the
vertical fra e supports. Glue in place with CA+. The upper tail
boo sheeting will be co pleted later.
7.0 FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY
PROCEDURE
Tail Rotor Tube
Outer Housing
Triangle Stock

APACHE 50 PAGE # 8
Dawson’s APPROACH EGIEERIG
AH-64A 50 MECHAICS
7.19 Apply ¼” x 10” triangle stock on the firewall and fuse-
lage doublers interface. The triangle stock should go full length
of the firewall. Glue in place with epoxy.
7.20 Cut and glue ½” x 6.7” triangle stock between the fuse-
lage doublers and the lower sheeting between the firewall and
F-3. Co plete for both the right and left side.
7.21 Pull out the two 1/2” x 1.5” square lower landing gear
blocks. Slide the 5/16” dia eter brass tube through both land-
ing gear blocks.
7.22 Slide the ain landing gear blocks into place so that the
outside fuselage surface and the landing gear block is flush.
When satisfied with the fit glue in place with Epoxy.
7.23 Epoxy the two 1” by 1/2” balsa triangle stock to the up-
per edge of the landing gear blocks.
7.24 Punch out the 3/32” balsa trans ission backing sheets,
TB-1 and TB-2, and the canopy backing sheets, CB-1 and CB-
2. Align as necessary and glue into place with CA+.
7.0 FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY
PROCEDURE
Triangle Stock
TB-2 TB-1 CB-2 CB-1

APACHE 50 PAGE # 9
Dawson’s APPROACH EGIEERIG
AH-64A 50 MECHAICS
7.25 Install the upper 1/2” by 3/4” long landing gear blocks in
the sa e anner as the lower blocks. Use 1/4” triangle stock to
strengthen the landing gear blocks.
7.26 Install the two 1/4” x 3/8” basswood servo rails. The
foreword rail should be pushed up against F-1. Adjust the width
to acco odate your servos.
7.27 Te porarily install the tail rotor servo, right side, and
optional horizontal stabilizer servo, left side. Drill appropriate
ounting screws.
7.28 ote Depending on the echanics you are going to use
will deter ine if you need this support. Raptor echanics re-
quire the adapter and this step is obsolete. Punch out the ¼”
balsa tail rotor driveshaft support DS-1. Slide it over the drive-
shaft tube into place up against the upper triangle stock and
flush with the top. Glue with CA+.
otes:
7.0 FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY
PROCEDURE
Flush
Triangle Stock

APACHE 50 PAGE # 10
Dawson’s APPROACH EGIEERIG
AH-64A 50 MECHAICS
8.1 Punch out the Nose Sides, NS-1, Nose Top, N-T, and Nose
Botto , N-B fro the ¼ inch balsa sheet. Make sure that the
nose side pieces have the labeling both up to ake sure that the
nose top and botto are glued at the proper angle. Glue to-
gether to for a open box as shown using CA+.
8.2 Punch out the two nose filler blocks, N-F, fro the ¼”
balsa sheet. Note: the filler blocks ust be glued foreword to a
point so that when the nose is sanded they will be sanded flush
as well. As a approxi ate guide it will be about 3/16” fro the
trailing edge. Glue on each inside lower corner with CA+.
8.3 Cut out two 3/4” triangle stock approxi ately 2.5” in
length. Glue in place so that they will overhang both the lower
inside corners of the nose so that when the front and back face
are sanded flat they will be flush as well.
8.4 Sand the front and the back of the nose section flat. For
best results lay a piece of sandpaper on a flat surface and sand
the entire surface at the sa e ti e. Sand until all the darker
laser cut edges of the side pieces are sanded away.
8.5 Cut out two 3/4” balsa triangle stock approxi ately 3”
inches in length. Glue in the upper inside edge of the nose as-
se bly so that the ends overhang the front and rear face to al-
low for sanding. Sand the triangle stock flush with the front and
back surfaces.
8.6 Punch out the TADS/PNVS front plate, NS-F fro the ¼”
inch balsa sheet. Outline the profile of the front plate onto the
nose asse bly. Do not glue on at this ti e.
8.0 TADS AD PVS
COSTRUCTIO
N-T
N-S
N-B
N-F
N-F