Airfix has returned to the forefront of modeling with the release of the Westland Lynx family. This release is the naval version of the Lynx. Airfix has also released an Army version. Typical of most naval aircraft, the helicopter can fold its blades and tailboom for storage onboard ship.

This release contains 331 pieces of light blue/grey plastic. My review copy had no flash that I could see. The parts are all packaged in a heavy gauge cardboard top-opening box. The box is packed with the parts and decals. The parts are sealed inside a plastic bag inside the box. Thankfully, the clear parts are packaged in a separate plastic bag. The decals are on a large sheet inside the instructions book, so be careful when opening it up.

The instruction booklet is 23 A4 pages thick, and that doesn’t include the painting and decal placement sheets. Those are on included on a double-sided A4 page with each aircraft being represented, one side with the aircraft painting and markings and the other side with the appropriate stencils for that particular aircraft. That is the level of research done.

Before you even begin, you have to decide which markings you are doing. Then you have to decide the armament load. Now, this looks intimidating and confusing, so make sure you pay attention to what goes where. You can build a Counter-Piracy, Air-Sea Rescue, and Anti-Surface Warfare versions. In the anti-surface version, there are more decisions to be made, like which armament is going to be used. Still not enough options? How about armored seats or unarmored? Which kind of rear seating and its orientation? Still need more? Well, it is a naval aircraft so you can pose the tailboom and main rotor blades in the folded or opened position.

OK, so now that you’ve decided all those things, you want to look at the parts. Let me say, Oh My God (that would be OMG for those computer-friendly), what a beautiful amount of detail everywhere. There are rivets which are restrained and simply the best I’ve ever seen. The cabin floor even has some great texture to it. The quilted walls are impressively represented as well. If this is any indication of the quality of the kit, the modeler is in for some great fun.

By now, the quality of the kit has become quite evident and the decals are no different. They are perfectly printed and in perfect register. Printed by Cartograf, these decals are the best in the world. The artwork is very impressive. I’ll be doing fellow pilot and modeler Jamie Haggo’s HMA 8 of the No.815 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Somerset in 2010.

Sturdy packaging, first class plastic, world class decals, and extensive instructions – I don’t know how to make the kit much better. I’ve never seen such a complete kit directly from a manufacturer. I wasn’t sold on the clear ‘screen’ for the intakes, but I’m not sure how you would get by on that, maybe an intake cover. You get a world-class model and decals for a very reasonable price. Great job, Airfix. Keep up the great work. I can’t wait to see what is next.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Airfix and IPMS/USA for the review copy.