December 2008

Westland Lynx HAS.3 ICE, 815 Sqn, HMS ENDURANCE, 1997.

Airfix, with minor modifications.

The Airfix Lynx remains the best overall option for a current 1/72 Lynx (we have yet to see if Hobby Boss' imminent release will be better).

Its shape is more accurate than Fujimi's (the Frog & Matchbox kits are both prototypes and well out), but it does have its issues; most obviously:

  • For a current Lynx, the engine cowlings lack the pronunced bulge across the top, which I believe is a hot weather mod. So far as I can tell, this mainly applies to Mk.8s, although I know that some Mk.3s were fitted - fortunately the ICE Mk3 which I am modelling is not.

  • It also seems to sit too far forward on its gear. The tail boom should droop quite noticeably down to the ground. The Airfix "Army Lynx" sitting on its skids looks correct in this respect, so I assume it must be the wheeled undercarriage.

  • It lacks the wire engine intake guards, which are a very distinctive feature of every Lynx I have seen (I did once see an RN Lynx without these, but only once!) - for this build I have attempted a putty substitute.

  • The working door rails are way over scale.

  • The nose also looks too pointed, and it has too much of an angle down (Fujimi's may be better here).

  • The lower cabin windows are the wrong shape (they reflect the prorotype arrangement).

But..... It looks like a Lynx to me !

I am building this one "out a suitcase" away from home (I'm on a 2-week training course) so some of my normal modelling facilities are not available.

Apologies for the poor quality of the phots - most of which were taken on my phone!

Coming together; the wire intake guards still look very crude, but I remain hopeful.

1/72 Airfix Lynx HAS.3 ICE

A little more progress. Plastic card strip added to the putty intakes, and an additional vent added on the engine cowling. As you can see, I have not used the orange crop antennae provided in the kit (including the new undercarriage stubs), partly as I want to use them elsewhere, but also because the nose add-on looks overscale to me - the white metal Airwaves one I used on my Mk8 build is similarly large, so perhaps I am wrong.

I have left the cabin "skylights" off at this stage, because I have forgotten the magic markers that I normally use to give the blue translucent markings; after last month's problems with the Sea King (Klear dissolved the magic marker on the outside of the windows and it ran all down the side of the cabin), I am keen to do the insides of these ones before I attach them!

1/72 Airfix Lynx HAS.3 ICE

First coats of paint applied, and a bit more work done on the intakes.

Lynx HAS.3 ICE

..and a quick reminder of the target!

Westland Lynx HAS.3 ICE - Yeovilton Air Show 2008

Westland Lynx HAS.3 ICE - Yeovilton Air Show 2008

More paint applied; now into the tidying up phase before decalling. As well as making my own Orange Crop add-ons, I am not using the kit supplied BERP blades (like the other parts, I plan to use them elsewhere). I have used the Airwaves resin blades before, but thought I would have a go at scratch building my own. I have sanded down the tips of the existing blades and added some plastic card "paddles". These have been faired in using copious amounts of Tippex. Not completely there yet, but they don't look too bad so far:

Westland Lynx HAS.3 ICE

... and after decal application and a coat of satin varnish:

Lynx HAS.3 ICE

Lynx HAS.3 ICE

Westland Lynx HAS.3 ICE

Not quite finished though. I still want to use my scratch built BERP blades to give me a folded option.
Here are the Airwaves blades back on their original host, and the folded scratch version drying.
The Mk8, built about 8 years ago (before the Airfix Mk.8 was issued), is also getting a quick update:

BERP Blades

Lynx reprise. I have now attached my scratch rotors; handling frames yet to be constructed and added.

Lynx HAS.3 ICE

... and a quick phot of my 3 naval Lynx together. You can see that the undercarriage sit is much better on my most recent one, and I am now more convinced than ever that the Orange Crop nose fairing is too large on the Airfix/Airwaves parts! Mine may be just a little bit too small though.

Three Lynx together

Oh yes - pleased with this; much easier to stow on the shelf too.

Westland Lynx HAS.3 ICE - folded

Westland Lynx HAS.3 ICE - folded

Westland Lynx HAS.3 ICE - folded

...and the updated Mk8 looks good as well!

Westland Lynx HMA.8  HMS RICHMOND

Westland Lynx HAS.2, 702 Sqn, HMS AVENGER, 1981.

Airfix, with minor modifications & Modeldecal markings.

I expect that this will be the last build of the year.

Airfix Navy Lynx Mk2 (1982 issue)

Another Lynx, hopefully one requiring a little less modification this time. It will be the early (1982 issue) Airfix kit, largely out the box (stand-fast more putty intake guards).

Depending on how I feel, I also have a spare MAD drogue that could be attached to a scratch pylon. Decals are from Modeldecal set 56 for HMS Avenger's Lynx, subsequently known as "Purdy".

Decals on and ready for a final satin coat. The port double weapons pylon is a left-over from the Airwaves Mk8 conversion, and the Skuas (which still need their radomes painted) are scratch built from simple sprue & plastic card. At the same time I have felt enthused to finish my 2 Sea Dart Missiles !

Westland Lynx HAS.2  HMS AVENGER

Westland Lynx HAS.2 HMS AVENGER

.. and finished. I decided against fitting the MAD drogue as it made no sense with the Skua weapons fit:

Westland Lynx HAS.2 HMS AVENGER

Westland Lynx HAS.2 HMS AVENGER

Many more Lynx pictures on the Helicopter Pages

Return to Fred's Builds Index

https://www.gengriz.co.uk