ADVANCED BUILD
Trumpeter’s splendid 1/144 Tu-16 Badger receives an Egyptian makeover from Juanjo Dominguez, who adds 3D-printed air-to-surface missiles for a finishing touch.
Designed in the early 1950s as a strategic bomber, Tupolev’s versatile Tu-16 (NATO codename Badger) was also built in numerous variants, from reconnaissance to electronic warfare and even a civilian version; the Tu-104.
Its service with the Egyptian Air Force didn’t start well, as most of the new unit was lost to Israeli air attacks during the 1967 Six-Day/Arab-Israeli War. Egypt then assumed the task of rebuilding its Tu-16 fleet by all possible means; during the 1973 Yom Kippur/October War, these formidable bombers were relocated to safe bases away from Israeli borders. As a result, the Badgers were fully prepared to deliver a ‘Pharaoh’s revenge’ against the opposing country’s radar and other ground targets.
The type was also used successfully by Egypt against Libya in 1977, and the Badger’s operational service continued until 2000. Incidentally, Hosni Mubarak, the former president of Egypt, commanded a regiment of Tu-16s during his military career, prior to entering politics.
Trumpeter’s 1/144 Tu-16K-26 Badger-G was used as a starting point for…
