Fabric and paint story

[JW Scud]

Have you done any fabricing and painting Mr. Colonel? An interesting story.

"Positive Proof that I Don’t Hold an A & P Certificate
OK, Ok … here comes a really dumb pilot-induced maintenance problem that only a guy who has 350 hours of flying experience could pull off.
The Champs were all fabric covered airplanes … a bag of rags as an American Airlines pilot friend of mine used to call it. When I bought it, the airplane had just been recovered and repainted, apparently I’d find out later by someone who was practically clueless about what paint to use on fabric.
Within a few months of buying the airplane, the paint began peeling on the top of the wings right at the high point of the ribs. Little by little, it got worse and worse until I thought for sure the exposed fabric was going to start to rot.
Enter America’s favorite product that holds everything to everything else … Silver Duct Tape. I thought if I taped over the fabric at the wing ribs, that everything would be perfect … a little ugly maybe, but better than rotting fabric.
So here’s my precious little airplane with what looked like stripes of Duct Tape on the top of the wings, ready for a four-hour cross country. What I didn’t know was that even the mighty Duct Tape won’t stand up to 115 mph wind. After just a few hours, the silver coating began to peel.
By the time I got back to KPWK, the tower asked me I was in trouble because of the things flying along behind. I had no idea what they were talking about until after taxiing in, I watched a bunch of folks on the ramp walk up to me like I had lost my mind.
There, hanging from the back of the wings were at least six or eight large silver streamers of Duct Tape following behind like I’d just left a birthday party.
People still laugh at that one.
Boy I miss that little airplane. It was more fun than getting paid to fly.
And one of the dumbest decisions I will ever have made was to sell N9MK.
I thought at the time it was a pretty good deal. I bought it in 1974 for $2500. I sold it three years later for $3500 after having logged over 600 hours. Today, my friend Brian Jacobson at the National Aircraft Appraisers Association says my bird would be worth about $26,000.
Go figure.
You Can Go Home Again … Maybe
The good news is that my old airplane is alive and well living around the Minneapolis area. I’ve got to stop in and have that owner take me for a ride.
For those of you with a license, think back. What airplane stands out most in your memory?
If you’re still learning to fly or hope to, tell us what gets your blood pumping?
Fly safe!

[Colonel]

Have you done any fabricing and painting Mr. Colonel?

Far too much

An interesting story.

Steve Whittman was killed when his fabric came unstuck.

Pro Tip: Don't have an airport named after you.

[Colonel]

Nobody gets it. The other day, I commented

"Black dogs look better in the shade"

and not one comment. Crickets.

[Nark]

I thought you might have been talking about this little guy:

2667C7BA-F546-4930-808E-6F26270F0154.jpeg

[digits]

On metal wings duct tape has no problem staying on in 115 mph winds.

Even electrical tape lasts a few hours in 140 mph winds.

It won't work if you stick it on flaky paint of course...

[Colonel]

If you're messing with fabric, get a gallon of MEK and a quart of this stuff:



I remember an old fabric warbird, and the paint was lifting really bad. So I
filled a syringe with glue (above) and squirted it between the paint and the
fabric, and put pressure on the paint. Next day, it was solid as a rock. Hell,
that's probably 10 years ago now, and I'm sure it hasn't been touched since.

Hey, it wasn't my airplane!

That glue is magical sh1t. You gotta get some. Just because the paint is peeling
from the fabric, doesn't mean that you need to change the fabric. Or what's
underneath it. Use the MEK to thin the glue so you can use a small brush with
firm bristles, to work it into the paint cracks. Magic!

In my experience, people don't like to see those brush marks, which is how you
work the primer into the fabric and make it fucking stick, esp in the prop wash
area. Everyone wants that fucking shiny glass look, which is about as authentic
on an old fabric airplane as a news anchor whore with fake hair, fake teeth and fake tits.



Fabric on that Maule fuselage and tail feathers is original 1967. Perfect condition.

To the TC lurkers: we had 3 miles vis that day. 1.5 miles looking north and 1.5 miles
looking south :^)

Oddly, the Maule pilot didn't have any problem flying in those conditions, because he
was one of those really shitty ex-104 drivers, eh Arlo?