Lyn Haywood

Lyndon (Lyn) Haywood - Military Illustrator, Mine Warfare Expert, Firearms Expert, Model Maker, Graphic Artist, Teacher, Whaler, sometime Mercenary, packed more adventure into his life than most people would experience in three lifetimes. Lyn’s unique combination of military knowledge and artistic skills enabled him to design items used to educate and train most of the professional protective security staff in government and other agencies world-wide. However it is for his work as a military illustrator that he was best known, particularly in his contribution to numerous mine clearance projects, where his clear and concise illustrations of mines and other ordnance are a vital training and identification tool. Lyn had an illustrious military career which included the following campaigns: Korea, Algiers and also as a Military Advisor in the Congo. Other career choices included comic strip artist, merchant seaman(Whaler), Fine Art magazine editor and of course Actor - with a beautiful operatic singing voice.

Lyn was a founder member of an organisation which produced Military training aids such as precision models of mines that allowed the method of disarming to be safely taught to Military personnel. The company also produced Scale models of Military vehicles to allow safe recognition of opposing forces technology. Lyn was one of the key figures in making sure that all the tiniest details were correct and produced many, many prototypes, which set the quality standard for future production.

In 1992 Lyn saw an area in the Security Industry that had not been developed to its full potential, and that was the need for more realistic training aids in the field of Counter Terrorism. A company was therefore formed, producing precise replicas of the devices used by terrorist organisations around the world, the unique feature of these replicas, being that the image under X-ray conditions is practically identical to that of the real item.

One could not mention Lyn without thinking of the illustrations that he was famous for, ( Janes Infantry Weapons/Mine Clearance and Small Arms Review articles to name just two, and the many "standalone" books that Lyn did drawings for), Also the intricate hand drawn technical diagrams and paintings that he produced effortlessly and the cartoons that were drawn in record speed to mark special occasions.

On a personal note, Lyn was always there when a friend was needed or advice was sought, he had ability to look at problems with a calm perspective and was very much a believer in lateral thinking. Lyn was a great prankster and enjoyed nothing more than the correction of mistakes by a razor edged witty remark followed up by a cartoon just in case the point was forgotten.

If you ever met Lyn, then you knew what the phrase "Larger than life" meant.

Born 18th August 1936 Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Died 29th July 2001.

Lyn has submitted some great work to this site, which again I'd like to draw to your attention.

You can find several cartoons of his here (the world famous U.P.Grade series), a Luper P08 review, and also a great MP44 review here. - Arnie

Last modified: Wednesday, May 9, 2001 9:37 AM
Except where noted copyright 2001 ArniesAirsoft