This is Italeri's big SR71 kit built almost straight out of the box.  The kit requires filler where the forward and rear fuselage parts connect but otherwise goes together OK.  The cockpit detail is rudimentary but, unless you pose the canopy open, there is little visible through the windows.

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I used satin black Halfords auto spray primer for the entire kit and applied Superscale decals to represent an aircraft of the 9th SRW when based at Beale AFB.  Getting the "star and bar" decals to conform to the corrugated upper wing surfaces was a lot of fun - requiring copious amounts of Microsol/set and some basic Anglo-Saxon phrases of encouragement!  A coat of Johnson's Clear made them stay put.  Finally I "polished" the wheels with SNJ powder to represent the metallic content of the tyres on the real
aircraft.

There are many good references on the SR71 and Lockheed's Skunk Works but my personal favourite is the book "Skunk Works" by Ben Rich and Leo Janos, which tells the stories of the F117 and U2 as well as the YF12 and SR71.

Darius Aibara