Trumpeter 1/72 scale Tu-16K-26 Badger G/Chinese

Manufacturer: Trumpeter, sample provided by Squadron Mail Order, 1115 Crowley Drive, Carrolton, X 75011-5010, 972-242-8663 www.squadron.com
Kit: No.01612
Scale: 1/72
Price: $29.96
Comments: Injection-molded, 316 parts, decals
Pros:Accurate, easy-to-build kit
Cons: Fit problems, no intake trunks, cockpit interior sits low

I just love the "Post-Cold War" era, don't you? Now kit manufacturers have reliable information on Soviet aircraft. Trumpeter's new Badger is a welcome addition to my Tupolev collection. The big twin-jet bomber was used by several air forces, including Iraq's. Some were destroyed on the ground by laser-guided bombs during the Gulf War (we all remember the vivid videos).


The kit has recessed panel lines that are shallow and indistinct in some places. Ejector pin marks mar the insides of the gear-bay and bomb-bay doors. Some gear doors are molded on the duplicate weapons sprues. The light gray plastic is soft, but sands well.


The instructions provide a brief history with specifications, a color key, 12-step assembly illustrations, a decal and paint schematic, and a parts map. The assembly sequence is logical and the illustrations clearly show the part locations.


The fuselage is molded in left and right halves, and the cockpit section is divided in top and bottom halves. There is no detail inside the jet intakes, but Trumpeter provides intake covers.


The engine pylons are attached to the fuselage via locator tabs inserted from within the fuselage, allowing a tight fit. The wings plug into the pylons and need no filler. The rudder, elevators, and ailerons are molded separately; although they aren't hinged to operate, they fit OK.


The cockpit is detailed, but it's also undersize - the pilots' headrests are just level with the bottom of the side window panes. To correct this, raise the floor and move it forward to place the instrument panel under the coaming. However, once the canopy is attached and painted, the interior detail is hard to see anyway.


Some parts of the kit fit together fairly well, but the joint between the cockpit section and the fuselage needed filling and sanding. The fit of the bomb-bay and landing-gear-bay assemblies is loose, causing problems when attaching the doors. I inserted styrene strips to fill the gaps.


The clear parts are well-molded with crisp raised detail; this helps when masking for painting. The upper and lower turrets fit snugly inside their locator tabs. The landing gear struts are well detailed but the wheel and tire faces lack relief.


Kit options include opening several of the crew entry hatches. Ordnance includes AS-6 Kingfish and Type 601 Silkworm cruise missiles, along with several free-fall bombs. Decal options provide markings for machines of the Soviet Union (Afghanistan service), Egypt, Iraq, and China. Trumpeter's paint guide says to paint Soviet Badgers light gull gray over white and the Chinese versions aluminum over white. I believe the Soviet ones were aluminum, the Chinese gray. In any case, I camouflaged mine to represent an Iraqi Badger. The decals were applied without any trouble and reacted well to Solvaset.


The model took 35 hours to finish, with most of that time spent masking and painting the camouflage scheme. It measures accurately according to Squadron/Signal's Tu-16 Badger in Action.


Despite battling the fit problems, I'm happy the Badger is now available in 1/72 scale. I recommend this kit to modelers who have experience with fit problems and complex assemblies.