Lynx7

Yep, the kraut Lynx are the easiest ones to convert. As for references, tons on here. If you need a steer, let me know.

I would swear but its a family forum.....git. Clive, I pretty much fabricated the bits either from scratch or as Colin says, used the Inaccurate Armour Lynx bits as a template. The main differences as youll be aware is the nose, skids and instrument panel. Skids are pretty simple appendages and the panel is straightforward. The remainder of the sundry differences are subtle but quite easy to change/mod or scratch build. Using the Mk88A as the base is the best option as it has the standard non folding tail and correct tail rotor. If you get stuck with the nose, give me a should and I can bash one out of my mould. Tony

Bloody glad the observer doesnt have access to the controls! Doc, welcome aboard. My area is Army Lynx so couldnt fully comment on the specific fits of the Navy cabs. You are however quite correct in your assumption that 'anything goes' in the back. Very much dependant on the role.

One aircraft I would love to test for sure. Combine the concept with the West's avionics and I believe it would be unbeatable - its an A10 that can hover. I almost persuaded the Kamov chap at Farnboro a couple of years ago that the AAC were serious in considering it as an alternative to the Apache. Trouble was I didn't have enough Vodka to hand to let him let me have a cabby.... The only 'issue' is the potential for disc 'harmonisation' (read - blade collision) with harsh and rapid control inputs due to the co-axial layout. A superior bit of FCS software would negate this though (akin to Airbus FBW type of strategy). If I saw 'KA52' come up on my threat display, I'd quickly land on and briskly walk away from my aircraft. Believe the hype; its awesome!

Looking awesome, Oliver. I'll add my two pence in too. To gauge the correct height for the seat cushion, the base of the black part of the cyclic grip should be around groin height ;-) You can just about gauge the rough height from this pic of a Mk7 with standard seat cushion (the right hand seat isnt adjusted all the way down either. Compare the rear height of the seat to the left seat); As an addendum. Dont know if its too late for you to amend it but the seat height adjuster ( the sticky out bit on the right/front of the base) would tend to be in the retracted position in all occasions except when actually adjusting the seat height usually on first strapping in). You can pretty much see where the hinge on the handle is and it would bend down from that point with the tip pretty much on the floor. Not a biggy as once you put the fuselage together, it can be barely seen.

Oliver, Ive always admired your artistic paint effects as it adds a real sense of depth. And now youve explained how you actually do it. Very inspirational. I guess its in between an artist and a technical drawing. Something we all aspire to. Jose, magnificent that you are providing so many detailed pictures of a lesser photographed Lynx version. As you will no doubt know, the Mk 21A isnt as photographed as some of the European versions and it is great to see. Are you still on exchange at Yeovs? Rubber mapts. Thats posh isnt it?? I Tried to get Lambs wool carpets put in the Wildcat but for some reason it got declined.........

Still possible to retro fit them, Ian.

Olvier, if you look on page 10, post #188 from Jose, page 9, post #169 from Duane and post #170 from me you'll see some good clear pics of the pedal brushes. Fritag. Could your Jag keep up with a Lynx in a 2v1?

The crabs just by being crabs take the piddle out of themselves. Its a given really. PS, Stella build so far Oliver!

An observer has obviously hacked his account! If I found myself doing a low level anti ship strike at night, something has gone very wrong. Bloody daft and dangerous idea flying over the sea. Its just not natural!

Stupendous detail and epic quality. Followed the build closely and the final result has not disappointed. A thoroughly exceptional piece of work.

*Cough* The Royal Navy way. We fly two pilots in the Army Air Corps ;-)

It looks like a CDNU. As well as a 252 in place of TANS on fwd interseat? Jose, how 'integrated' is the Mk21A?

A very cool helo indeed. May I indulge the audience; First clip is from the 01 season with Ray Turner piloting the Lynx. And yes, that is a girl flying one of the Gazelles (And chewing bloody gum!) Julie Charlesworth nee Wiles (Alan Wiles daughter - former QARANC). For several years we did the display with 1x Lynx and 4x Gazelle. A good combination as the aggressive punchy Lynx display was balanced with the grace from the Gazelles. Top tech with the smoke too. We had a cluster of standard smoke grenades attached to the skids of each aircraft with a myriad of lanyards routing in to the cockpit with various ring pulls on each with time cues to pull each. From the 07 season. With Barry 'BJ' Jones piloting the Lynx (he also attempted to fly an Autogyro (Global Eagle) solo around the world and currently runs GyroJet - an autonomous company designing a kickass Autogyro (modesty will allow me to announce I helped with the design and did all his CAD work and promotion ) . The Eagles were now merely a singleton Lynx (defence cuts etc...). But BJ revitalised the display. He reintroduced the barrel roll and invented the loop-roll-loop and the 90 degree nose down with 180 turn. BJ would have a dream of what he could try and do with the Lynx then the next morning go to the Brass and pitch the idea. He really did push the design envelope of the Lynx. I do have few private vids of when it didnt go quite right and we just covered our eyes expecting to hear a large bang as he got it wrong. Not a great sight seeing a Lynx just fall out the sky after cocking up a new move for sure! A superb pilot with a very old school approach to pushing the limits! And to think he used to be an RCT driver...... I did the 2003-05 seasons with Ray as my mentor as well as driving the Bell Sioux with the Army Historic Team (despite what the Lynx could do, the Sioux was a massive challenge and a real Mans aircraft! Limited power all the time and a first gen helicopter where you had to really think about what you were doing - piston engine, manual throttle and hydraulics driven from the engine crank as opposed to the rotor gearbox. 'I learnt about flying' on one occasion when I went off to do so GH - general handling practice - one day over Salisbury Plain and conducted some Autorotation practices. I wound off the throttle too quickly which shut the engine down proper and discovered that the hyd ran from the engine - no hyd, no engine -very heavy controls. Luckily my rate of decent was very low (no idea how much cos it didnt have a R of D indicator) so had to restart the engine (magnetos OFF, prime engine, magnetos ON, hit start - engine fires over, wind throttle on cautiously, overshoot, gallantly return to Middle Wallop having lost about 3 stone through shitting and sweating....On return, re-read the manual properly! In my defence yer 'honour, I was current on four types at the time (three of them gas turbines with an auto goveronor so it was easy to overlook some of the elementary aspects of a 'simple' helicopter...... As a side note, we used to use 5 Lynx during the mid 80s -early 90s. To see five Lynx simultaneously back flip and loop was bonkers and awe-enspiring. (Black Cats take note with your rather bland 'Airtest' routine... ;-) )

And think of the sound proofing as 'design feature' used to absorb all the leaking hydraulic fluid, gearbox oil and bizarrely; engine oil. Again relating to Lynx v Wildcat; if even a speck of fluid is seen anywhere on the aircraft, its a cause for alarm. Its a very dry aircraft. Lynx on the other hand would alarm you if you didnt see copious amounts of fluids all over the airframe. Another design feature from Westlands - a 'self lubricating tail boom' by way of 20 litres of engine oil sprayed over it. Jens, with the collective amount of detailed photos we seem to have, I think anyone could blindly build a Lynx from scratch right down to the last rivet! Oliver, you are doing to the Revell Lynx what AMG do to Mercedes, Overfinch did to Range Rovers and the reverse of what Westlands have done with everything they've produced since the mid 90s. Taking a good package and making it sublime.

I have a few of the AH7. Its quite odd looking at a Lynx cockpit again. It looks such a mess compared to the Wildcat! Whilst searching through my hard drive, I found this old picture. Thought I'd post it just for fun. Taken over Bad Lippspringe I think? Heres a link to my Flickr albums for more Lynx photos;

Holy crap. That looks like an OOB HM.1! Epic work mate.

You git!! The furthest I got on Lynx meetings was bloody Somerset!! Jealousy aside, cracking photos and I'll bet it was a fantastic run ashore, Jens.

Same here, thought there was always a poll.

Excellent job, Bjorn. Lovely finish and a striking looking Lynx.

Good drills mate! The colour looks spot on, ....now hurry up and finish it.....

Oliver, cracking progress mate! All very serious at the time. The pilot spent about 6 months getting his legs sorted (they were a mess - traction and frames to straighten them out) but due to being a Royal Marine, not only walked again but did a few marathons and carried on flying not too long after. His desk is next to mine and he too is currently flying Wildcat (although his legs are still a bit wonky...). I think he still holds the distance record for a CASEVAC/MEDIVAC? I'll ask him tomorrow!

Its a bit of a difficult one to judge due to virtually no photos of it in its original colour (pink). I only have the one and thats the one I've posted. All others are of it in the grey. I did however find this little gem. I knew I had an original Westland brochure dated 1973-74 somewhere around the house and as luck would have it, I found it stored safely in a photo album. It really is an interesting bit of 'salesmanship' and I'm sure it was written by Tom Clancy (pretty sure Agusta Westland still have a group of novelists writing their PR and marketing literature....). What interests me most of all is the photos in the brochure as most havent appeared anywhere that I've found on the net. One in particular is this one: I count 8 prototypes in this picture and have managed to identify them all. From nearest to farthest; 1. XX153 - Camo, first AH1 type. 2. XX510 - second HAS variant. 3. XW838 - Light blue short nose. 4. XW836 - Grey short nose converted to Westland 606 5. XW837 - Red short nose 6. XW835 - Yellow peril. First prototype 7. XX904 - First French prototype in dark blue/yellow scheme (as seen on the box of the old Frog Lynx kit) 8. XX907 - AH1. Not 100% on it being this one but my Hercule Poirot skills deduce it to be this one. If anyone knows any different, please let me know. I've deduced it is these airframes firstly down to visual ID and secondly by the fact the publication is dated 1973. I dont know the actual construction date (only first flights) of the prototypes but the publication date will discount certain aircraft to the rear of the picture. For example, none of the blue ones could be XX469 as this crashed in 1972

Hi Colin, You're correct re the Farnboro pic of XW839 appearing darker. I've matched the colour from how it is currently underneath the grey and it appears to be more of a Salmon Pink. Bear in mind that the colour as it is now, may be a little faded from original too. I've Dropper'd the colour and then filled a square with the hue. If youre interested, its HTML hex comes out as #dd8bc, R 221, G 139, B 92. Hue 15, Saturation 167, Level 157. Nearest colours are: Testors 1170, Vallejo 70.935 #185 (trans orange) or Humbrol 61 :-D

As winnie quite rightly states, step 67 and 68 are the flare (green forward) and chaff dispensers to counter IR and radar guided missiles. The black flat part on top of the forward dispenser is simply a footstep. Look here for my engine intake build tutorial