SARowl's Lynx Prototype **Finished**

[SARowl]

I want to build a model of the Westland Lynx. The prototype WG13, XW835, painted in a distinctive overall yellow colour scheme, flew on the 2lst March 1971.

[SARowl]

Anyway, here are the kits that I have available. The matchbox and Frog kits look likelier contenders as they represent the original Lynx




Starting from the top - Frog, Matchbox, Airfix
The 'bullet' on the tail cone of the Frog looks wrong and the windows are too wide, suface detail is not bad.
The matchbox looks a better shape, smoother bullet, better windows surface detail is sparse.
The Airfix Lynx is of a much later mark and is incorrect on many levels, however, it has nice fine albeit raised detailing


Nose cones, Frog left, Matchbox right. The Prototype had a 'snubby' nose cone with an upwards opening hatch. The matchbox is a much better representation.


Airfix left, Matchbox right. The Prototype had a bolted main rotor head unlike the monoblock representations from Airfix and Frog.

So which one to choose? The Airfix is the wrong mark but nice detailing, the Frog is inaccurate and clumsy leaving only :-



Matchbox, some PE, Pavla seats and a few bits pinched from the Airfix!

[JamesPerrin]

Good appraisal. Will follow this with interest.

[Jagewa]

Oh yes, this will be good, great subject, and I do like the Matchbox Lynx.

Cheers
Jim

[ShaunW]

Welcome aboard. I've a feeling that this will be very interesting.

[martin hale]

This looks really interesting!

Martin

[SARowl]

This build is going to break new ground for me, PE, scribing and a bit of mild scratch building. So here goes...

As I said, there is a scarcity of surface detail on the Matchbox kit, so how about a bit of scribing?


This is my scribing stylus, sharpened and polished using a Lady's four sided nail polisher/buffer! Also great for polishing and buffing airbrush needles.


I'm using the finely detailed Airfix fuselage as a scribing guide.


Using the Verlinden scribing template I don't think the results are too bad for my first attempt.


The first dry fit. The model goes together quite nicely and I'm particulary proud of the scribed access hatches on the tail boom.


Nose cone and glazing dry fit.

John

[Jagewa]

Nice scribing, those metal templates are just the job for that stuff.

Cheers

Jim

[ShaunW]

Yes, that is indeed a great bit of scribing. What are you using for the stylus? a sharpened nail or a big needle?

[SARowl]

Shaun,

I bought a big box of craft knives from a store called, "The Range', included were several styli of various diameters. The one I'm using is the smallest.

John

[Dazzled]

Very nice bit of rescribing

[SARowl]

A bit more work on the fuselage.

I noticed that on the prototype there appears to be another short door runner on the fuselage side. This is above the 'middle' runner. To lock the door open?



So I just glued some thin plastic strips in place.



John

[ShaunW]

I bought a big box of craft knives from a store called, "The Range', included were several styli of various diameters. The one I'm using is the smallest.

Thanks for that John. I've heard of "The Range" and indeed I seem to recall some adverts on TV not so long ago. A good find anyway, probably better to use than the old needle I chuck into a pin vice. But then again, scribing is not my strong point! You're doing some great work here.

[JamesPerrin]

Another good thing to use for scribing is a medium sized sewing needle in a pin vice. Very hard steel, very sharp.

[SARowl]

So on to the interior.

The Cockpit /cabin floor is nicely detailed. however, the centre console is the wrong shape and there's no instrument panel, control stick, yaw pedals or collective.



So I started pinching things from the Airfix kit.


The Airfix centre console, the raised detail was sanded away and PE glued in place.


The PE collective is small and fiddly and very flat.



I decided that a little drop of PVA on either end would give a more 3D effect. You can see the actual size of the PE next to the glue bottle!



That should give a slightly more realistic handle and hinge gaiter.


All in place ready for a coat of paint.