PK-108 Westland Lynx

[Mike Dean]

Having just joined the forum, and being a Matchbox kit enthusiast, I thought I'd dive straight into the group build with the Westland Lynx. 

 

The kit itself is of the prototype version (Navy and Army) with the 3 windows in the doors. It's one of the kits I made as a boy, so I'm long overdue for another go at it. It'll probably be an OOB build with nothing fancy, although that may change.

 

Pictures to follow.

[Mike Dean]

There are three different boxings of this kit (although the second version is the same image of the Lynx but with the background changed). It's a shame that neither of the decal options in the kit represent any of the prototype/pre-production aircraft.

 

I picked up a kit with a poor box and damaged/part used decals a while back and has been waiting for an opportunity to be made for quite a while. This is it:

 

And this is what it will look like. The second prototype XW837.

 

It should make a nice colourful build and go alongside the first prototype Lynx XW835 I made from a Matchbox kit a few years ago. It won't be started until the New Year.

Edited December 23, 2017 by Mike Dean

[John_W]

There was a change in box art around 1980 as some European countries banned images that showed weapons being fired on "toy" packaging. 

[TonyW]

The box art is so much better than the first Airfix naval version offering. 

 

I wasn't aware of the prototype being bright red. That's going to be a vivid addition to the collection.

Edited December 26, 2017 by TonyW

[Mike Dean]

Change of plan! It's now going to be the standard out-of-box Naval prototype version, with decals for XX469.

 

 

The interior is a standard light grey, so all internal surfaces have a coat satin light grey. There are no cyclics, collectives or yaw pedals in the kit, it's all pretty basic in the cab. The pilots will be added at the end. The ones in the kit have oxygen masks which looks daft, so the spares box has been raided for two with sans-oxygen. 

 

 

More as it happens

[stevej60]

Good to see a start on this one Mike.

[Mike Dean]

Now all the basic internals have been done, the fuselage halves have been glued together. The doors are on the turquoise sprue, so in order to get a uniform finish, they got a "primer" coat of Humbrol Matt 104. In fact, the whole airframe has got a "primer" coat of 104, so that the gloss finish has a nice base.

 

Here are all the parts laid out. The plastic container contains the smaller painted parts (undercarriage, rotor head etc.).

 

The glass is going in last which is why the nose is not glued on yet, as the windows by the pilots feet would be extremely hard to install with it in place. The pilots orange immersion suits are too glossy so they will be matted down before being installed. Their heads have been re-positioned so that they are both looking out of the side window. There is also more detail to be picked out on their helmets and suits. I'm in two minds as to whether to install the torpedoes as the carriers are just plain wrong, but I can cross that bridge at the end.

 

Next step: assemble the airframe parts and add a top coat of Midnight Blue.

 

 

Edited January 22, 2018 by Mike Dean

[Mike Dean]

Well, after a bit of a layoff, I had a mad burst and got it done. 

 

My first coat of paint was Humbrol Matt 104, which gave me a basic starting point. Then, for some reason, I got it into my head that the finished colour should have been Midnight Blue (Humbrol 15). This was way too dark, so I decided to look at the instruction sheet. The number given was HB.9, Sea Blue Gloss, but that has been long discontinued, but an alternative was Humbrol 181, also long discontinued. After a look around the internet, I came across Revell SM 350, Dark Blue Silk, which upon arrival looked just the job. A couple of coats later and the colour is bang-on for the first prototype Naval Lynx. 

 

The rest of the parts and the few decals that there are went on a treat, and it all came together very quickly. Some of the decals I'm not too happy with and the serial codes are too big, but I'll re-do those later.

 

Here's the finish kit with a picture of the actual thing behind.

 

When the sun comes out, I take some better shots and post them in the "for inspection" section. 

Edited February 2, 2018 by Mike Dean

[stevej60]

She look's great Mike,a nice change from the usual gray schemes.

[TonyW]

With Group Builds like this, it's always difficult to decide how far to go with the model. Straight out the box can look a bit toylike sometimes, superdetailing can go too far the other way.

I think you have nailed this one just right. A very clean build that's easy on the eye and takes you back a bit at the same time.

 

I've just taken a look at the display base you made for the model over in the finished kit thread, it sets the model of to perfection.

 

Tony.