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1/72 Aurora Aero Commander


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Hey gents,

A friend mentioned they were going to build one of the old Aurora 1/72 Aero Commanders, which prompted me to go dig out the one in my stash....

auroracommander.jpg

.... and before you know it, it's nearing completion! This one's going to be buzzing some people in a field...

commander1.jpg

commander2.jpg

commander4.jpg

For such an old kit the fit was incredibly good, especially the window panels, which dry fitted into the frames so nicely, I just added some windshield cement to the insides and let them be!

Currently working on the base scene... will post more when I get it finished.

Thanks,

Take care,

Frank

Edited by oldHooker
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Looks great, Frank!

I'd like to find one of those old kits but, alas if I did? I couldn't afford it. They used the Aero Commanders for lead planes. In fact, they may still be using some, I am not sure.

Again, nice build. :thumbsup:

Randie

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Thanks Steve, Holmes, Gregg, Randie, Fuster, and Eduardo.... :doh:

Steve: Yes, it's just half of a plane. A Mirror Image of itself. :worship:

Holmes & Gregg: This makes my eleventh MID aircraft; it's going to reside in a little town in western Kentucky! :worship:

Randie & Eduardo: I got this one several years ago at a yard sale for $5.... it was still taped closed and had the original .49 cent price tag on it! Wasn't going to open it but temptation got the best of me.

Take care,

Frank

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I luv it! I was a PR guy at Commander in the mid-70s. Beautiful model. Buzzing people was a fun thing to do in an Aero Commander. With those props up on the high wing, a good/clever/brave/experienced pilot could do an awesome low pass.

You've done a great job of capturing that model 680.

Rick in Maine

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Nice job on an old classic, and your mirror mounts are a neat way to display it.

Looks great, Frank!

I'd like to find one of those old kits but, alas if I did? I couldn't afford it. They used the Aero Commanders for lead planes. In fact, they may still be using some, I am not sure.

Again, nice build. :crying2:

Randie

I've been looking for one, but no luck finding one in my budget either. The Sierra National Forest uses the current turbo prop version of the Aero Commander as an air attack platform.

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Thanks Rick, VADM, and Aaron... :wave:

I put the Commander into the dio scene late last evening and was able to make a couple photos before the inside of the case started fogging up. (lesson #297 - allow dio scenery to cure completely before taking the enclosed case into a different temprature)

Without further ado, "Foré!"

commander7.jpg

commander8.jpg

Enjoy,

Frank

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Thanks Ray, it represents a time in General Aviations' past when a stunt like this wouldn't make front page news or land the pilot in a prison cell.... the good ole days. :)

Take care,

Frank

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:crying:, Frank, Thank you for sharing this little diorama with us. It's so funny and it reminds me of an incident that occurred near Newcastle some 30 years ago. I'd decided to go for my twin endorsement on a Grumman American Cougar. I booked the first lesson on Saturday for the next Saturday after my ride in a Cessna 182 and the instructors all agreed I was ready for it. Was watching the NBN 6 oclock news on the Wednesay evening when on comes an article about an aeroplane that had crash landed on the Belmont golf course that afternoon. The golf course is directly across the highway from where the airfield was, (hopefully to be re-activated again soon as a club field) and the two instructors flying were lucky enough to walk away from the prang. When the aeroplane was shown, guess what? It's the Cougar.

When the investigation was held it turns out that other pilot witnesses saw and heard them doing assymetric touch and goes and they had just lifted off on one of these when the "good" enigne decided "I've had enough of this silly game. I quit." They weren't able to get power back onto the idling engine quick enough (hadn't reached single engine safety speed) so they had to put her down on the gold course. They apparently flashed directly across in front of a semi trailer and when other pilots reached the truck driver he was stopped in the middle of his lane staring straight ahead and shaking like a leaf with a car jammed under the back of the trailer. The two instructors were dismissed immediately this came out and both copped a Form 225 (Flying Safety Breach). That was the end of my twin endorsement, the Cougar was a right off. And it would have been such a cheap way to get a twin endorsement. $A100 per hour dual from memory. These days you don't get a single engined dual hour for under $A200 anywhere in this neck of the woods.

:thumbsup:,

Ross.

Edited for typos.

Edited by ross blackford
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What a nice model!! My company used to have one of those planes waaaaaaaay before my time, but it would be nice to build one one day. Thanks for the inspiration! Great work, Frank! I always like something a little different!

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Thanks Ross and keyser... :worship:

That's an unfortunate story about how the Cougar came to grief, but I'm a bit confused as to why the instructors got a Form 225 for practicing single engine operations? When I got my twin rating, in a B-55 Baron, several hours involved single engine manuevering and emergency procedures, including touch and go's. But for the grace of God, we'd have all bitten the dust!

Thanks fellas,

Frank

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