A friend mentioned they were going to build one of the old Aurora 1/72 Aero Commanders, which prompted me to go dig mine from my stash…
… before you know it, it’s nearing completion! Yes, another MID diorama; this one’s going to be buzzing some golfers out on the links…
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 some more when I get it finished.
It has a detailed interior, with two female passengers in the aft bench seat and their husbands up front. [:)] My former Dentist used to own an AERO COMMANDER 560 that he and his wife used to vacation in twice a year, and he was more than happy to take joyriders out for a trip around the patch when he’d come down to the airport to check on it. After he died, his estate didn’t attempt to sell it and it sat down there and rotted away into junk. Sad indeed.
That is a cool looking plane. If I find one of those kits I think I’ll need to pick it up, which may be a task as it looks a little old. Is that a military version on the box cover?
Yes, the old Aurora kits are expensive and short lived when they are on the market. I got real lucky finding this one where i did… still conflicting if I done the right thing by building it, but oh well… [:)]
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)
That’s really cool. A great looking aircraft. I was wondering, just how did you do the props, they look real good. I’ve just recently used prop blur photo etched props on a project, they’re pretty good.
The whole thing looks great Frank, but I especially like your method on the props. I made some molds from one of these kits but haven’t cast any yet, the wings are going to be a challenge unless I find a way to do them under pressure. It is a very nice kit. The Commander is one of my favorites of all the types I’ve flown, I flew a 500B for a while. It was expensive to maintain and noisy in the cabin, but from the pilot’s perspective it just made me feel good. But I never buzzed the golf course!
Mike, it certainly is a great feeling to be able to turn the proverbial sow’s ear into a silk purse, and strange how those particular builds seem to always come out as our favorites… [Y]
Brad; from one old Scratcher to another, thank you sir!
Darwin; yes, if one of the Golfers that day worked for the FAA, ace pilot there would find himself grounded for sure! I have had the privledge of being on the Flight Line at Oshkosh to thrill to Bob Hoover’s work in person, and it’s an experience I will never forget!
John, out of all the GA aircraft one can see at the airport, the Aero Commander was the one I would stare at the most! For me, to see one taxi by, sitting low on the ground as they do, just got my attention. It must have been great to get to fly them!
Awesome dio, Frank! I love the two-tone blue markings on the aircraft, as well.
I never knew that Aurora kitted a Twin Commander… I may have to track one down sometime. My old CFI is now flying cargo in Twin Commanders, he absolutely loves the airplane.
I wonder how difficult it would be to turn that kit into a 500s Commander, the type that Hoover made famous. I have about 1,000 hrs. in the 500S flying as an air attack for the BLM or Forest Service. Great airplane. The only thing bad about it is it is a little underpowered for air ports above 3,000 ft. MSL. You lose and engine and you probably not get back to the airport. Other than that the airplane was great to fly.
