Aurora spyplane

[chico20854]

With all the news lately about hypersonic weapons I decided to write up my take on the US's (fictional?) hypersonic spy plane, the R-5D Aurora. Thanks to Paul for some inspiration on his writeup of that aircraft on his website; I took some of his concepts and some research on hypersonic aircraft and the SR-71 and came up with this. Enjoy!

(My website is currently transtioning to a new host, so this document won't be up there for a little while).

[Raellus]

I really dig your stuff, Chico. The documentary style and content verisimilitude give it a "real history" vibe that makes T2k seem less like a game and more like an alternative reality. That's a testament to your meticulous research, and writing ability.

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[pmulcahy11b]

Thanks for using some of my stuff, Chico. That's what it there for! Anybody can use it.

(I think it's really funny, though, when otherwise legit military or firearms research sites use it without checking out the home page, though...)

[chico20854]

Thanks Guys! Glad you enjoyed it. I've got a bunch of other projects in the hopper that will keep trickling out...

[Rainbow Six]

I stuck a plot hook for Aurora in to my Alt SGUK (there was a rumour at one point in time that Aurora aircraft were based at RAF Machrihanish IRL. It was also an emergency landing field for the Space Shuttle).

Aurora
In early 1998 HMG decided to evacuate the RAF base at Machrihanish on the tip of the Kintyre peninsula in Argyll. A Royal Navy warship picked up a small number of British and American personnel still there and made for Portsmouth, but the ship was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine en route and went down with the loss of all hands. Rumours have persisted ever since that several days before Machrihanish was evacuated a hyper secret US reconnaissance aircraft code named Aurora made an emergency landing at the base and remains hidden there. In particular, one rumour states that the Aurora‟s pilot survived the sinking of the ship and after making it to shore, is living and working on a small farm somewhere on the Kintyre peninsula, near the Mull of Kintyre.