Polish, Then Wax?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Polish, Then Wax?

    I should know this, but having never been around a polished aluminum airplane, I don’t know the answer.

    After polishing a bare metal surface, do you then wax it.

    This question was raised concerning a recent photo of the B-29 “Doc”.
    Tom Tyson-A&P

    Pilots without Mechanics are just Pedestrians with fancy watches . . .
    ( . . . and Mechanics without Pilots are Unemployed.)

  • #2
    Yes, polish to make look pretty. Then "wax" to protect the surface so you don't need to polish again that soon.

    I saw "wax" as there are better products that a true wax these days.

    Comment


    • #3
      Wax on, wax off, Daniel-san.

      Comment


      • #4
        When I see this thread title, I'm reminded of the old joke "Remember, it's pillage then burn. The other way doesn't work too well."

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Tom Tyson View Post
          I should know this, but having never been around a polished aluminum airplane, I don’t know the answer.

          After polishing a bare metal surface, do you then wax it.

          This question was raised concerning a recent photo of the B-29 “Doc”.
          Speaking of Doc, the Fifi guys were saying this past weekend that Doc is beginning to tarnish.

          Fifi has a new paint job that is absolutely spectacular.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Bruce Gorrell View Post

            Speaking of Doc, the Fifi guys were saying this past weekend that Doc is beginning to tarnish.

            Fifi has a new paint job that is absolutely spectacular.
            Chuckle, recall many moons ago when I first brought 44-62070 (FIFI - for Vic Agather's wife, Josephfine) out'a that desert pile at China Lake NAS, where the USAF had given 30 or so old B-29's airframes to the Nighhhhvee to use for target practice, it had the weathered look of old aluminum - so we painted her. Years later Tony and his guys got DOC out's that same junkpile and got her back to ICT. Tony phoned me and sent me some photos of it and I called him back - said "Wow, Tony, she sure looks good all polished like that, I'll bet that it won't be too long before you just paint her grey just like we did FIFI".

            IIRC, 20th Century-Fox (or whoever that movie company was) wanted it painted before they made that movie that I took her out to LA/Hollywood/Burbank for.

            best, randy

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Bruce Gorrell View Post

              Speaking of Doc, the Fifi guys were saying this past weekend that Doc is beginning to tarnish.

              Fifi has a new paint job that is absolutely spectacular.
              Bruce,

              I never realized that Fifi was painted. I know this is a dumb question, what color?
              I Earned my Spurs in Vietnam
              48th AHC 1971-72

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Bill Bridges View Post

                Bruce,

                I never realized that Fifi was painted. I know this is a dumb question, what color?
                IIRC we painted her originally with the paint we'd gotten for nothing, :"battleship grey" - I assume they used the same color now.

                I'd typed something elsewhere here on Avsig yesterday about telling Tony that I pretty much figured that they'd end up doing the same with DOC, whole lotta work to polish (volunteers) her. We just discussed this at our weekly 8th AF memorial deal this noon.

                best, randy

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Bill Bridges View Post

                  Bruce,

                  I never realized that Fifi was painted. I know this is a dumb question, what color?
                  It's gray, but it almost looks silver in the sun.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Metallic silver if I remember correctly. It’s been two years since I last saw her.
                    Tom Tyson-A&P

                    Pilots without Mechanics are just Pedestrians with fancy watches . . .
                    ( . . . and Mechanics without Pilots are Unemployed.)

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Tom Tyson View Post
                      Metallic silver if I remember correctly. It’s been two years since I last saw her.
                      New paint job. It's gray now, but very shiny.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Bruce Gorrell View Post

                        New paint job. It's gray now, but very shiny.
                        Yup, like you said somewheres - "time flies when you're having fun" (tiempo volando). I forget now (used to know) just how much weight that original paint job added, I do recall now that some company donated it but I forget now just who it was that did. T'wuz in the north hangar at MAF, I believe that paint technology's gotten far-far better over the years in that now it's more silvery than back then.

                        best, randy

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I remember the paint on a Cessna 150 weighed 26 pounds.... On Fifi, a lot more...

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X