Honey Badger
![Album image #1 Album image #1](/albums/img/9/0/6/1293906-117801-63-720.jpg)
Final form. Aftermarket parts can be seen here: L-39 pitot tubes, AIM-9 missile, ACMI pod, and MiG-29 seat belts.
![Album image #2 Album image #2](/albums/img/3/3/3/1306333-117801-61-720.jpg)
This is the kit after extracting the parts. It's the Tigger 1/32 scale L-39. Not shown here is the clear part.
![Album image #3 Album image #3](/albums/img/3/3/4/1306334-117801-57-720.jpg)
I first tried thickening up the rudder so I can sand it down later, then I decided to instead 3D print new control surfaces all the way around. Also, the nose is cut off here - awaiting a new 3D printed extended nose.
![Album image #4 Album image #4](/albums/img/3/3/5/1306335-117801-44-720.jpg)
The real Honey Badger when based at Nellis AFB. As far as I know only one of their L-159Es is painted like this. They have some others with a white/grey/black scheme in the same pattern.
![Album image #5 Album image #5](/albums/img/3/3/6/1306336-117801-81-720.jpg)
Rear end of the real Honey Badger. Mote that the very rear of the L-159 is shaped a little differently than on the L-39. I carved the new shape with Milliput.
![Album image #6 Album image #6](/albums/img/3/3/7/1306337-117801-12-720.jpg)
Getting the fuselage mostly done before attaching wings. The dorsal hump on the fuselage is scratch built, as is the vertical tail extended cap, the intake splitters, cockpit rough-in. I 3D printed the nose, seat, canopy bow, fuel tanks, inner intakes, elevators, rudder, cockpit panels, stick, rudder pedals, combing with HUD.
![Album image #7 Album image #7](/albums/img/3/3/8/1306338-117801-99-720.jpg)
Shimming the tip tanks to make them parallel.
![Album image #8 Album image #8](/albums/img/3/3/9/1306339-117801-58-720.jpg)
Final cockpit. I 3D printed the electronics bay, based on photos I got from a Draken insider. Note that the sun shade for the electronics bay is attached to the rear canopy. I vacuformed the windscreen on a 3D printed form. The canopies are built up from the kit-provided clear part.
![Album image #9 Album image #9](/albums/img/3/4/0/1306340-117801-92-720.jpg)
Final: view from left rear. Decals are all home made.
![Album image #10 Album image #10](/albums/img/4/3/7/1306437-117801-56-pristine.jpg)
Cockpit decals ready for printing.
![Album image #11 Album image #11](/albums/img/4/3/8/1306438-117801-52-pristine.jpg)
The flaps droop a little after shutdown, but I made them flush.
![Album image #12 Album image #12](/albums/img/4/3/9/1306439-117801-89-pristine.jpg)
One of the benefits of building this airplane is that you don't need to make wheel wells 🙂
Comentarii
17 30 August 2022, 23:59
![](/profiles/img/117801-899-s.jpg)
This is the Tigger vacuform L-39 in 1/32 scale converted to an L-159E "Honey Badger" as operated by Draken International. Many scratch built and 3D printed parts, plus some aftermarket (seat belts, pitot tubes, missile, ACMI pod).
31 August 2022, 00:07
![](/profiles/img/117801-899-s.jpg)
Thanks, Robert. That was a year of hard work, and I'm still recovering from it 🙂
20 September 2022, 23:05
![](/profiles/img/118183-835-s.jpg)
Don't do that, keep momentum. I suggest the old 1/32 F-102 vacuform kit. Should only take a few years!
20 September 2022, 23:24
![](/profiles/img/117801-899-s.jpg)
I have the 1/32 E-2 Hawkeye, which looks like a multi-year project. I'm afraid to look at it. It might bite.
21 September 2022, 01:57
Album info
Tigger L-39 converted to L-159E Honey Badger. Scratch built and 3D printed extra parts, plus some aftermarket.