An interesting aside:

Russian Test Shuttle, BOR-5
Truly a collector's dream. The BOR-5 is to be considered the
strongest point in the creation of the "Buran" spaceship and the
whole "Energy-Buran" system as well. A high interest item in each
museum in which is has been displayed, the BOR-5 is the high-tech
result of Soviet and Russian concerns about the nuclear missile
launch capabilities of the United State's Space Shuttle program. The
Buran program cost at least $10 billion as the Soviets tried to find
a space-based solution to counter what they perceived to be fourth
U.S. platform designed to launch nuclear missiles (the first three
are submarines, missiles, and aircraft). For years, Soviet engineers
were baffled to find a countermeasure for the only U.S. missile
program that did not involve ballistic trajectories. The threat of
missiles launched directly at the Soviet Union from space was never
successfully countered and only after the conclusion of the Buran
program did the Soviets learn of the peaceful intentions of the U.S.
Shuttle program.
The BOR-5 is a 1400 kg exact 1/8 scale model of the Soviet space
shuttle Buran and it was used to validate the aero-dynamic
characteristics of Buran at hypersonic speeds, between 1983 and 1988.
The BOR-5 was launched on probably five sub-orbital trajectories from
Kapustin Yar, in the direction of Lake Balkhash, using SL-8 (Cosmos)
rockets (Russian designation: K65M-RB5). BOR is the abbreviation for
Bezpilotnyy Orbitalnyy Raketoplan (Unmanned Orbital Rocketplane).
At an approximate 110-120 km height, the Kosmos booster pitched down,
driving at full thrust for several minutes, accelerated the model to
Mach 18.5 at 45 degrees, before separation. The craft landed using a
parachute landing system after a flight of 2000 km. BOR-5 flights
also tested carbon-based and quartz fibre heat-shield material so
paving the way for Buran.
Russian sources are contradictory as to the number of BOR-5 flights.
Novosti Kosmonavtiki recoreded the following dates/flights:
7/6/84 - Model 501 (Failed. Due to an electrical problem, the model
did not separate from the launch vehicle.)
4/17/85 - Model 502
12/27/86 - Model 503
8/27/87 - Model 504
6/22/88 - Model 505
The spacecraft displayed in Florida is maintained in post-test flight
condition, still displaying its distinctive designation number
(88045G505). Apparent to all that have examined the BOR-5 are the
various striations, scorch marks and burns on its various mineral
fibre glass coatings. In addition, the tungsten molybdenum nose
fairing and leading edges of the wings contain evocative ash markings
caused by the intense heat experienced during re-entry.
Based on the information from Novosti, this BOR-5 could be the last
one that was launched in a series of five (6/22/88. However, in the
case of six flights, with a first flight on 7/4/83, it could be the
fifth one that made a sub-orbital test on 8/27/87.
The Space Museum has the BOR-5 on loan from Mr. Ray Ganoe, a former
teacher in space science and the owner of a tire store in Merritt
Island, Florida for over thiry years. Mr. Ganoe, together with two of
his brothers, Bill and Dick, bought the space vehicle as an
investment in 1997, through the Russian Molniya company, the designer
of the Buran and BOR spacecraft.
We were told that the BOR-5 was put up for auction in 1991 by
Superior Stamp & Coin, Beverly Hills, California. In the same year it
was shown for the first time to the public at Moscow's 'To The Stars'
exhibit. It is strange that the spacecraft was transported to the USA
so shortly afterwards. Obviously, there was a reason to suppose that
the BOR could be sold but the 1991 auction did not motivate any
meaningful offers. After that the BOR-5 was stored in the Mohave
Desert for about four years.
In 1995, the space vehicle was brought out of storage and put in the
Santa Barbara Museum of Flight. It seems that the people from the
museum had Superior Stamp & Coin try to auction BOR-5 again but the
highest bid was $700,000, below the minimally acceptible bid so
Molniya -- they thought it should have brought at least two to three
million dollars. The spacecraft was sent back to the museum and there
it stayed until Mr. Ray Ganoe purchased it in 1997 through an
intermediary. Mr. Rob Simpson, also from Merritt Island, Florida.
(Mr. Simpson had been informed by a friend from Russia that Molniya
was still interested in selling the BOR-5.)
The spacecraft is still for sale. If interested please click on the
link below.
Acknowledgement: Many thanks to E. Rudolf van Beest, Gerard van de
Haar, Mr. Charlie Mars, Mr.Rob Simpson, Mr. John Gourley and Mr. Ray
Ganoe.
Full Russian Government Documentation Available upon Purchase

http://www.spacehardware.com/Boran5.html

http://www.buran.ru/images/jpg/model5

http://www.heavyliftgroup.com