Westland Lynx
Westland · United Kingdom · first flew 1971 · helicopter
The Lynx is a fast, agile British twin-engine military helicopter that once held the world helicopter speed record.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 15.2 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Compact angular cabin with a four-blade semi-rigid rotor
- Skids on army versions, wheels on naval versions
- Agile airframe known for aerobatic ability
Look for the compact angular cabin and four-blade rotor; naval versions sit on wheels with a deck harpoon, while army versions use skids. It is smaller and more angular than a Merlin.
Specifications
- The Westland Lynx has a length of 15.2 m (50 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.8 m (42 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 324 km/h (201 mph).
- Typical crew: 2-3 (pilots plus crew).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Westland's WG.13 Lynx first flew in 1971 as part of an Anglo-French agreement, entering British Army and Royal Navy service. A specially modified Lynx set an absolute helicopter speed record of over 400 km/h in 1986.
Variants
British Army AH7/AH9 utility versions on skids and Royal Navy HAS2/HMA8 shipborne anti-surface variants on wheels, with the developed AW159 Wildcat succeeding it.
Where you'll see it
A long-serving UK type, the Lynx flew with the Army Air Corps and Fleet Air Arm for decades before retirement; surviving examples are preserved and the Wildcat now carries on its naval role.
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