Subject: Re: 1/72 Testors XR-7 Thunderbold / Aurora
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2007 15:44:10 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: [email-masked] 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 6:22 AM
  Subject: 1/72 Testors XR-7 Thunderbold / Aurora

  "1/72 Testors XR-7 Thunderbolt / Aurora" 

  by "René Zass"
  --------------------

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  It is said that the SR-71 "Blackbird" needed a replacement - capable of stealth, Mach 6 , and high altitude operation
  It is said that this plane was first flow in 1989.
  It is called "Aurora" - according to a Pentagon budget request from 1985 (it appeared right under the budget request for the SR-71 and the U-2).

  Well this and even more astounding information can be found in the internet concerning this CIA spyplane.
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  The Testors XR-7 Thunderbold model is representing the "Aurora" hypersonic mystery plane of Groom Lake, Area 51 - or not... It is of course much more a fictional model than anything else. As a fan of science-fiction and airplanes it makes the best of both worlds for me and a nice change in the showcase - or on ARC.

  The fact that this is a fictional kit prevented any rivet-counting and was a good excuse for building it straight from the box.

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  I do not recall bigger problems during construction, except that the large fuselage halves where a bit warped. Despite of that the construction went on forward very quickly. 

  Testors suggests an overall black paint scheme, which makes sense: The hypersonic X-15 was also back on most of its missions because of the high temperatures which the air friction is creating - the black paint was capable to absorb some of the heat and to withstand it. There was also an overall pink and an overall white X-15 paint scheme - the later one was used on the speed record flight actually. 

  And finally Auroras precursor spy plane is a black bird - sorry for the pun. So I decided to use predominantly black which also makes Auroras lines even more nasty. As a reference to the X-15 I made the canopy framing white (I saw this on some pictures of the X-15), which brakes up the monotone colour and was easier than to use different shades of black. I can be awfully lazy sometimes. 

  I decided to close the canopy and to give it a gold "heat shield" coating. This perfectly hides the simplified cockpit of the kit. 

  The kits decals where used and everything was sealed with a flat coat from a spray can... I did not find out what happened but the clear coat frosted! I suppose that the humidity and temperature (I sprayed it outside) was causing this, but I am not sure. I could have tried Future on this frosted coat to make it clear again, but I decided to be very happy with this unexpected result, because it reminded me on the Bell X-15 when it was full of propellant - the fuselage was frosted then. 

  So my XR-7 Aurora Thunderbold whatever what-if is filled up and prepared for a short flight around the world.

  Click on images below to see larger images

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  Photos and text  by "René Zass"