As you may know, the Tattoos In Flight headquarters is located just outside of Phoenix, AZ in Mesa, AZ. Mesa is where the former Hughes, former McDonnell Douglas helicopter factory — now operated by Boeing — is located and is the home of the AH-64 Apache helicopter. I regularly see various versions of the AH-64 flying overhead and when I saw this tattoo, I immediately knew what it was!
The AH-64 Apache is the US Army’s primary attack helicopter and is the helicopter that replaced the venerable AH-1 Cobra (though the USMC still uses the Cobra as of 2008). The Apache prototype, the Hughes Model 77/YAH-64A first flew in September of 1975, but it’s usefulness as an all-weather, day-night attack helicopter still reigns as it forges forward as the AH-64D Longbow Apache (the latest, Block III, was flown in 2008 and is currently in production).
The awesome black and gray version of the AH-64 as a tattoo was done by second-time Tattoos In Flight spotlight artist Jason Jones who can be found tattooing in Springfield, MO. Jason was the artist for an earlier black and gray P-47 Thunderbolt tattoo which has become one of the more famous and popular tattoos on our site.
It was noted that the wearer was a mechanic with the US Army and was getting the tattoo to commemorate his time there. He is adding unit insignia and more under the Apache, and what we see here is the result of only three hours of tattoo work - inkredible!
Please click on the image above or the link below for two larger images.
Click the above image for the full-size photo.
Join the Tattoos In Flight Army! - If you have or find any aviation-themed tattoos on the web, send the photo to us along with the name of the artist, studio, location, and a website! Send them along to tattoosinflight@gmail.com, or use the “submit” tool at the right.
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