Lynx to Wildcat 'conversion'

[Lynx7]

I've been threatening to do this for a while and seeing how its my current steed, I thought I'd eventually make a start on it! I was going to do it for the Lynx group build but decided against it for a couple of reasons.

1. I was itching to get it started so started it before the Group Build start date of 1 Dec.

2. Wildcat is not a Lynx!! It may look similar but as you will find out, its a very different cat.

Ok, so here's the task in hand.

Turn this:

In to this:

I'll be using the Airfix 1/48 kit as a 'donor'

Ok, 'Looks similar' I hear you say?

Well, lets have a brief look at some of the main differences.

1. Nose

2. Fwd fuselage/footwell windows

3. Cockpit doors

4. Engines

5. Exhaust

6. Fuselage from aft of the cabin doors

7. Tail boom

8. Tail pylon

9. Tail rotor

10. Sponsons

11. Undercarriage and wheels

12. Cockpit

13. Cabin

14. Front seats

15. Troop seats

16. Antennas and aerials

Prob easier to list the common parts;

1. Windscreen

2. Main rotor blades

3. Mid cabin area

So here's the list of jobs I need to undertake to make the transformation;

Remove rear fuselage

Remove cockpit door area

Reprofile footwell windows

Construct nose

Construct rear fuselage

Construct tail cone

Reprofile tail gb fairing

Construct tail hyd servo fairing

Construct stab and endplates

Reprofile sponsons

Fill fuel caps

Fill flot station front

Fill footsteps

Reprofile door runners

Construct tail rotor blades

Construct engine deck area

Construct exhaust area

Amend sliding fairing

Reprofile knife fairing

Amend cabin doors/rails

Construct EODS

Reprofile centre console

Construct pilot/co pilot seats

Amend instrument panel

Construct IDU x4

Reprofile cabin floor

Construct troop seat

Construct cockpit doors

Construct cockpit footsteps

Add housing for VOR antennas

Furnish nose FACS/TP grills

Reprofile cabin walls

Reprofile under fuselage

Amend nose wheel/Amend U/C

Add fuselage appendages (hoist/FF mount, Form lights, RBACS fan shroud)

Construct ECP

Add toe brakes RH pedals

Construct antennas

Construct stab mounting

Construct CPRA tail boom

Construct cabin footstep

Construct cabin grab handles

Construct cockpit grab handles

Furnish EODS

Construct nav/anti coll lighting

Construct WSPS

Construct tail rotor

Construct MRB

Construct M3M and mount

The items in green are things I've already done (I started 3 weeks ago), the bottom 2 items are kit items straight from the box.

To give those of you with little knowledge of the Lynx or Wildcat some idea of the task in hand, its akin to converting a Comet in to a Nimrod MR4 or a Spitfire Mk1 in to a Spiteful or Seafang.

I'll post some initial progress pictures at the weekend.

[Dave Fleming]

Jack up windscreen insert new aircraft!

[heloman1]

Way to go Tony, as mentioned elsewhere, I saw the bits at Telford and it looks amazing. I'll follow your build with great interest.

Colin

[Alpha Delta 210]

Good grief! You really have your work cut out there! I can't wait to see it progress.

[Max Headroom]

Brave man! Looking forward to this.

That's your modelling schedule for 2014 sorted then.

Trevor

[Cheshiretaurus]

Yep 2014 should be a bit busy for you. Good luck , I shall be watching this one with interest.

[Col.]

This sounds very much like a major project that will be worth watching and if your list is anything to go by it's been three weeks well spent already.

[Col.]

This sounds very much like a major project that will be worth watching and if your list is anything to go by it's been three weeks well spent already.

[Gary West]

So looking forward to this..........

[sniperUK]

Mate , you're mad !!

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Nutter alert!

Mind you I'm keen to see this one progress, it'll be a hell of a build

[DannyB]

Can't wait to see this one come together!

[goon]

(And good luck! looking forward to following this one!)

[Hawkkeeper]

62% common parts between Lynx & Wildcat airframes.

[Lynx7]

62% common parts between Lynx & Wildcat airframes.

Certainly a lot less than that. It may have been the initial aspiration but not the case now.

[LT Motta]

WOW!!!

Really nice subject!!!

[Col.]

Of that 62% how much is internal sub-systems, avionics, small components rather than noticable external shapes? Main reason I ask comes from a previous life working on cars; who recalls the Vauxhall Calibra? Plenty parts in common with the Cavalier but a very different look. Same with the Volkswagen Sirrocco. Basically a reshelled Golf but I'd not like to make kit of one look like the other.

[Lynx7]

Part 1. The plan.

The first thing I had to do was to produce a set of 1/48 scale plans;

Luckily, I have 'access' to the real plans and documents so it made it a bit easier to draw these ones.

As an aside, we were going to get a squadron print done of the Wildcat but the company we approached wanted over £800. So I decided to do it myself. The bonus of me doing it is I own copyright, I can amend it as required and the cost per print is a lot less than using that well known company who usually produces them! There are going down a storm already (If anyone is interested in one, let me know. I've also done the RN HMA2)

Part 2. Bits to remove/chop/bin

Essentially, the only parts I'm keeping are the main rotors, head, windscreen - these items will be unmolested. The parts above are surplus to requirement.

Part 3. Nose

The Wildcat nose is completely different from the Lynx but I was able to utilise a few bits from it. Namely, the area where it attaches to the fuselage.

I kept the area where the nose avionics bay is (that area is also different. Different size access panels) and removed the remainder.

Using my plans, I cut the planform shape of the nose out of .5 plasticard.

This then became the foundation for the construction of the nose plinth (the whole nose looks like one of those African tribal women with a plate stuck in their bottom lip!)

The key to constructing this part was to make sure it was blended to the rear nose section. I cut an appropriate bulkhead to act as the interface so it would attach to the lower rear part of the nose section.

Another major difference is the fairing just aft of the EODS (Electro-Optical Designation System: The WesCam MX15Di camera). Quite a complex shape as it curves in several different areas and angles.

I used milliput and just spend as long as required to make it look like the correct shape.

The final part to the nose construction was to dress it a little, rescribe panel lines and generally fettle it to look right. The white square with two dimples on top of the nose is the housing for the rotor blade tracking camera, the white square on the side is where the mesh for the Tactical Processor cooling inlet and the little white fairing near the bottom is the housing for the LED nav lights. This is now ready to mould and resin cast.

Next - Fuselage.

[DaveJL]

Will be watching this one!

[Lynx7]

Of that 62% how much is internal sub-systems, avionics, small components rather than noticable external shapes? Main reason I ask comes from a previous life working on cars; who recalls the Vauxhall Calibra? Plenty parts in common with the Cavalier but a very different look. Same with the Volkswagen Sirrocco. Basically a reshelled Golf but I'd not like to make kit of one look like the other.

Common parts from the Lynx (actual parts that were on the Lynx) are as follows:

Main rotors, main rotor head, tail rotor drive shafts, tail intermediate gearbox, hydraulic system, fuel system. The fuel system is modified however. Ballistic tolerant tanks and a different fuel transfer method.

Every other component is new design or redesigned. For example, the main rotor gearbox is modified and the windscreen is built using a different method.

The avionics is totally new. It runs off an ARINC system and a duel 1553 databus (mission systems). The twin CDNUS (nav computers) are common to the HMA8 but for us, they are the main interface for pretty much all systems (we also have a Cursor Control Device - a mouse - that allows us to directly interact with all the screens). There are of course, off the shelf items such as radios and IFF but as you will see from the cockpit photo, all that clagage isn't in the cockpit and is accessed from the CDNUs. We also have twin BOWMAN radio fit too. A first for a UK aircraft. We have voice and data for BOWMAN and can pull up the same interface that troops on the ground have (COMBAT view). It really is an avionics monster with all the integration we have. Four lovely large screens where we can access anything, 3 different instances of mapping (any map scale), camera sensor, weapons etc. It is like a branch of PC world up front. Anyone who initially says 'its just a Lynx' soon has that opinion changed after a 10 minute cockpit famil. I've not heard anyone walk away after that and still say 'its just a Lynx'! Ask Justin!

Edited November 29, 2013 by Lynx7

[perdu]

well as you'd expect if you know me and hollowchapters I will be here for the future ongoings

And beyond, the nose is looking as megaimpressive as we've come to expect from you

sign me in for the duration

b

Edited November 30, 2013 by perdu

[Lynx7]

Nose primed and ready to be moulded and resin cast; (I've popped the EODS on to add context)

Edited November 30, 2013 by Lynx7

[PLC1966]

Perhaps you should get the donor Lynx, throw it in the bin, buy a UH-60 and then paint it in AAC colours like the MoD should have !!

But kudos on this build chap. Good Luck.

Edited November 30, 2013 by PLC1966

[Fritag]

Cripes they've managed to turn a beautiful aircraft (the original Lynx) into an ugly machine! Still - I presume it's a whole lot more capable and interesting to operate?

Anyways - gonna be a fascinating project to follow (not to mention admiring all that skill)

Steve

Edited November 30, 2013 by Fritag

[AntPhillips]

Impressive start.

Is the Wildcat intended to equip both Army and FAA units?