Area 51 - What aircraft to display?

A51dude

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Right now, I am starting a large project called "The Aircraft of Area 51".

This has been something I've wanted to do for a long time.
The easy part of this large project will be building the models. The hard part will be doing all the research to find out what actually was flown and flight tested at Area 51 vs. what wasn't. Trying to separate fact from rumor if I can which won't be easy. This is why I am posting here on this forum to ask other members who are more knowledgeable about secret aircraft/projects for their help. Another hard part might be painting the Soviet aircraft which were flight tested at Area 51. Some had camouflage, while others didn't. Some had metal paint schemes while others didn't. I need to find out which aircraft had what.

Models I already have. Most of these are 1/72 to 1/144 scale.

a) Revell 1/72 scale SR-71 Blackbird w/ D-21 drone. I only need the D-21 drone from this kit to use. I already have a smaller 1/144 scale SR-71 I plan on using.
b) Dragon 1/144 scale pre-built and pre-painted U-2 desktop model.
c) Eduard 1/144 scale "Dual Combo" MiG-15 (2 MiGs in one box. Though I'll only be using one. Were any MiG-15's ever exploited at Area 51? I don't know?)
d) Academy 1/144 scale MiG-29 Fulcrum (Rumored to have been flown from Area 51.)
e) Minicraft 1/144 scale MiG-21 (Actually flown/flight tested from Area 51 during 1960's and 70's.)
f) Academy 1/144 scale MiG-23 Flogger (Actually flown/flight tested from Area 51 during 1960's and 70's.)
g) Tamiya 1/100 scale MiG-19 Farmer (Were any MiG-19's ever exploited at Area 51?)
h) Academy 1/144 scale Su-22 Fitter (Rumored to have been flown from Area 51.)
j) Trumpeter 1/144 scale Su-27 Flanker (Rumored to have been flown at Area 51.)
k) Minicraft 1/144 scale MiG-25 Foxbat (There are reports that during the 1st or 2nd Iraq wars/invasions, that MiG-25's were found buried in the sand and that they may have been subsequently taken to Area 51 for study. Any truth to this?)
l) Atlantis TR-3E triangular UFO model kit. (Can't have an Area 51 display without a UFO model, right? ;D )
m) Unicraft 1/72 scale RQ-3A Darkstar UAV (Rumored to have been flight tested from Area 51?)
n) Planet Models 1/72 scale Northrop Tacit Blue stealth test plane (Actually flight tested at Area 51.)
o) Unicraft 1/72 scale Boeing Bird of Prey (Actually flight tested at Area 51.)
p) Mark 1 Models 1/144 scale MiG-17 (Actually flight tested at Area 51 during 1960's or 70's)
q) Re-using the 1/144 scale Hopeless Diamond, Have Blue, Northrop XST, and F-117A from a previous model display of mine. https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4479/26344250979_f4d7e66727_b.jpg
r) Re-using the base and some of the Aurora spyplanes from a previous model display of mine. https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4513/38089140442_08d3cb593e_b.jpg

Are there any other aircraft people think I should or should not include for any reason? Anybody know of any decent and factual references I should check out for more information in helping to make this model project?
 
A51dude said:
a) Revell 1/72 scale SR-71 Blackbird w/ D-21 drone. I only need the D-21 drone from this kit to use. I already have a smaller 1/144 scale SR-71 I plan on using.

If you want to be accurate, modify an SR-71 into an M-21. It had a *distinctly* different forward fuselage than the SR-71.

Then add a YF-12A to the mix.

So you should end up with *at* *least* an SR-71, an M-21/D-21 and a YF-12A. Probably also an A-12.
 
royabulgaf said:
IIRC they used a 737 shuttle between the Vegas airport and area 51.

Yes, the current JANET airliners being used from what I understand are 737-600's. I'm currently trying to find a 1/144 scale kit of one to build/use.

Orionblamblam said:
A51dude said:
a) Revell 1/72 scale SR-71 Blackbird w/ D-21 drone. I only need the D-21 drone from this kit to use. I already have a smaller 1/144 scale SR-71 I plan on using.

If you want to be accurate, modify an SR-71 into an M-21. It had a *distinctly* different forward fuselage than the SR-71.

Then add a YF-12A to the mix.

So you should end up with *at* *least* an SR-71, an M-21/D-21 and a YF-12A. Probably also an A-12.

Well, I'd like to add an A-12 and a YF-12A if ones can be found in 1/144 scale. I can't use 1/72 or 1/48 scales as those will be too big for my display base.

Other aircraft I'd like to maybe add or that I don't know if they were tested at Area 51:
DRAGON 1/144 scale "Operation Geronimo" UH-60 Stealth Helicopter
Lockheed RQ-170 Sentinel UAV
Lockheed RQ-3A DarkstarUAV
Lockheed UCAR:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_Combat_Armed_Rotorcraft
http://fantastic-plastic.com/lockheed-martin-ucar---catalog.html
 
There is also the Hughes 500P CIA/Air America helicopter that flew there in 1972 prior to going on its wire-tap mission in Viet Nam.

https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/air-americas-black-helicopter-24960500/

500 Fan.
 
If your looking for speculative aircraft to include from Area 51, don't forget:

Boeing YF-24
Northrop Switchblade
Northrop Senior Citizen C-41SR
Flying Artichoke
Flying Pumpkinseed
Senior Peg (B-2 Competitor)
Model 100 Sneaky Pete

However, I think HALSOL flew at Area 51. The Red Hat's F-16s (MiG technical evaluators) are based there as well as the UH-60 GHOSTs (SAR support).
 
Pumpkinseed:

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,814.0.html

Artichoke, IIRC, was supposedly an F-117-like aircraft with a complexly serrated trailing edge, reminiscent of an artichoke.
 
Comedy would have been a good choice: security tackling a ' Naruto' runner...Art Bell's ghost looking disappointed...a pilot with two flat hands discribing a maneuver as another descends a Foxbat after junking the engines blowing out every pane of glass in 3 states.
 
Comedy would have been a good choice: security tackling a ' Naruto' runner...Art Bell's ghost looking disappointed...a pilot with two flat hands discribing a maneuver as another descends a Foxbat after junking the engines blowing out every pane of glass in 3 states.
yeah You are right.
 
The answer is simple and obvious: build a diorama with a row of hangars, each with their doors partially open. Visible just within the doors are a series of different "flying saucers." But when you remove the roofs of the hangars, the back side of the flying saucers are shown to be simple plywood and 2X4 constructions covered in tin foil.
 

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