Lynx Helicopter
White Ensign Models Airstrike Range -1/700 resin

By: Mike Dunn

Another in the WEM Airstrike 700 range is the Lynx helicopter. Used widely in the Royal Navy since the 1970s, this is still the main workhorse of the Fleet Air Arm's range of helicopters, serving mainly on frigates and destroyers. The replacement for the Wasp helicopter on the Type 21 frigates, it too will be replaced shortly by the Merlin.

On opening the package, you are presented with a small sheet of instructions, a small click-lock bag with five resin Lynx in (while practical, I dislike this as I find the narrow top awkward to open, especially as the plastic often splits along the click-lock), a photo-etch sheet on cardboard backing and a small rod of plastic - more on that later.

The instructions are, as usual for WEM, clear. There is a diagram of the various parts, numbering them; two exploded views of the model showing where the parts fit (one is a wheeled version, the other is fitted with skids); and a section on how to attach the brass to the resin, and usual warnings.

The helicopter itself is nicely moulded and detailed (as far as you can this small). Apart from the resin sprue attached on the nose, you have the rotor attach point on top of the fuselage; a set of "wings" on the sides, and another set at the rear by the start of the tail.

The photo-etch is, as we have come to expect, well-done. There are five sets of main rotors; five sets of tail rotors; five sets of skids; five pairs of wheels; and six tail fins. I mentioned a piece of thin plastic rod earlier - this is for a nose-wheel.

Once more, a well-made accessory for any ship model needing a replacement Lynx 'copter (I would go so far as to say all of them do!) or an addition to one that does not have one (for example, the Skytrex Type 23 kits). Well done to WEM.