discussion Westland Lynx - Matchbox - 1:72 scale

[pjgtech]

Started this one up, nice little heli....
Don't think I've ever made one before, even as a kid?

This is an older kit, Scalemates seems to indicate its from 1983.
I think I got it as part of an auction lot win, where there were several models in the lot, can't remember TBH!

The box has two versions, (Army and Royal Navy) and I think I like the Blue RN version, so am going for that one.

Box and sprues....

 

[pjgtech]

I usually build stuff up then prime the various main and sub assemblies, but decided to paint the parts on the sprue for this one, not sure why really, but hey why not?
There's not a lot of flash etc on the parts, so clean up should be minimal, and as I paint by brush, I tend to have to do various thin coats anyway. So if there's a few seams to paint over and bits to touch up, then so be it, hey ho.

I am also trying out a liquid mask, [Gulp!] the Vallejo one. Never used these before and not sure if they are only meant for airbrush painting, but hell, lets give it a try..... So the canopy was first coated with the mask, obviously trying to avoid the canopy frames.




Apparently you're supposed to leave it for a few hours to set, so I did. Then a coat of the sea blue was applied and that is now drying also.
Then we will see if the mask comes off ok and if we have any sort of decent frame painted around the canopy, [Fingers crossed!]
Here is the canopy now drying, looks messy, but obviously (and hopefully) once the mask peels off it should look better.....

 

[pjgtech]

As I said above, I'm painting parts on the sprue....
I have run out of black primer, so am using a green one (Ammo/Mig one shot)....
Here are the sprues primed up, first coat...


And then after a few hours we started the main top coat, in several thin coats, this is only the first coat so far.
The box asks for a particular naval blue, which I didn't have an exact match for, so I'm using an Ammo Marine Blue, which seems to be a close match (well close enough for me anyway, I tend not to worry too much about being exact, Lol!)

NB: for some reason it comes with two nose cones, not sure why, they appear to be exactly the same, and no mention of two in the instructions?

 

[PaulTRose]

One of my fave helos

Dont i ever did this one either as as a sprogglet

 

[minitnkr]

One on left is Army. The blunter one w/door is Navy. See paint drawings.

 

[pjgtech]

Ah yes, you are correct, very subtle difference, there's also alternative landing gear, eg: skids for Army or wheels for Navy and the corresponding bottom section that holds the gear is also different, so have to select the correct one.
Typically I had just assumed the noses were the same and I had painted the wrong one, Bah! and I would almost certainly have fitted the wrong bottom section, cos I do tend to just steam ahead like a Bull in a you know what!

 

[pjgtech]

Bit of progress, the whole lot has a second top coat and the paints looking quite nice.

Bit the bullet and slowly and carefully took the masking liquid off the canopy, looks ok, not perfect by any means, but not bad for a first attempt!


So I'm now ready to start assembling, first order of business is the cockpit interior, not much to it TBH, just two seats, two pilots and an inner bulkhead.
Needed to finish painting the little pilots, so made some progress with that, uniforms done, helmets done, breathing gear done,


Then needed to do the hands and face (flesh) and decided on a chrome visor on the helmets....


Then added the first side glazing panels, they were actually too small, so kept slipping through, so added a bit of tape on the inside to hold them, then a dab of TET and looks like they have stuck ok...

 

[flyjoe180]

You move quickly Peter! Should be a good little build. Interesting that the serial number on the Army version XX165 is actually that of a Hawk T.1.

 

[papa 695]

Nice work so far Peter

 

[pjgtech]

And on we go....
Pilots are seated, cockpit interior done, fuselage joined.
Pretty good fit just a couple of very slim / fine gaps which will be filled.
And paint will need tidying up.

Liquid filler (Ammo thin Putty Surfacer) applied where needed....





A dry fit of the top engine cover was done to make sure everything fits (side panels already glued to the engine cover).. Seems to fit ok.



Then a dry fit of the cockpit canopy was also done and again, looks like it will be a good fit with not many large gaps.
For an old kit (eg: 1980's) I'm impressed by the quality, fit, lack of flash, etc TBH.



First top coat on the rotor tips, main rotors will have Yellow and the rear rotor will have red. (NB: the box/instructions has very thin red, then even thinner white and then thin red again on the little rear rotor, but thats far too fiddly for me, so it will be red and thats it!)
Rotors were painted white beforehand to help make the yellow/red pop. Main rotor colour will be black.



Wheel assemblies done, will tidy up the paint later, will change the tyre colour to a tyre black/grey, not sure why I riginally painted them gloss black!



So most sub assemblies now done, as I painted on the sprue, there is some minor sanding/paint tidying up to be done, but not much.
The box says the torpedoes should be white, but I've seen a few reference photos of various colours, including yellow, white, dark blue, light blue and grey, so not decided on torpedo final colour yet, they are just primed white for now.



We are getting there, slowly starting to look like a little heli.....

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

This is weird. I built this back in the day, and I truly don't remember that it could be built as either Navy or Army, wheels and skids both their on the sprues

Well, it WAS fifty years ago...

Nice job so far. Are you going to use the original transfers? I mean, they're only THIRTY years old!

 

[pjgtech]

Nice job so far. Are you going to use the original transfers? I mean, they're only THIRTY years old!

Yeah, I'll give it a go, what's the worst that can happen?

 

[pjgtech]

Nuther little update....
After the dry fit I stuck the engine cover and canopy in place. taped up to ensure it stayed in place.
NB: I made a mistake here, I will come back to it further down [Doh!]


Then on to some more painting, the main and rear rotors now in black (matt).



Tape removed and then I realised...... (Best Michael Caine voice - I should have put the bloody doors on!)
What an absolute plonker, I read the instructions as well, but for some reason my tiny mind thought, "yeah I can add those later"!



After looking at the doors, and the heli (several times) and not wanting to disassemble the engine covers and cockpit canopy, as they had been such a nice fit, I decided to carry out surgery on the doors instead. Did not look too hard?



Added some chrome paint to brighten a few metal bits up, wheel suspension, rotor connections, etc.



Painted up the torpedo's, went with yellow in the end, did not really like the white ones, I was considering a pale blue (saw a reference photo of one with pale blue torps) but did not have a close enough match, so yellow it is.



The doors did require some quite major alterations! Had to cut a lip off the top, then shorten the door height a bit and also "thin" the upper door edge to get it under the top cover section. The doors will now not open or slide, but at least they look like they belong there, (ish).



Started the bit I have been dreading, the main rotor assembly.
The central (gimble?) section has two overlapping struts/supports which were very, very fiddly to get in the right position, mainly due to how small they are and the fiddly position they need to be in, and also the tiny connection points they have. So made sure it was clean and got good contact before applying TET.

Decide to go with Revell Contacta glue rather than TET for the main rotor connections to the central sections. As above made sure the connection point was all clean, dust free with good connection before glueing. First two done...



Then the third, with judicious use of the set square. to try and get the angle right.



Then the fourth, they are now sitting and drying, letting the adhesive fully set before I even think about touching them.