Warbird Information Exchange

This may seem like sort of a dorky question but the last time I was at NMUSAF I kept thinking "How the heck do they keep all of the aircraft so clean?"

How much time? How many people do they have dedicated to just keeping the aircraft and exhibits clean? It must be a monumental task just keeping everything from being completely covered by a thick layer of dust.

How often do they clean inside the aircraft and do they use any special techniques to keep things clean without playing havoc with what is sometimes original paint finishes? Also, with everything being inside there aren't nearly the concerns but are there any additional measures done to preserve the aircrafts paint etc from oxidation?

just curious,

Ryan

Yeah, keeping them clean is an ongoing thing. You guys all know how the Golden Gate Bridge is always being painted all year round? Kind of the same thing. We have a company that cleans the facility it self, and they are only allowed to use approved chemicals. The aircraft are kept clean with several types of dusting equipment including believe it or not the normal feather duster. The aircraft are cleaned with a cleaner wax as well. As for the interiors they are kept clean by staff as well. You have to wear rubber soles over your shoes to enter the aircraft. The interiors are sealed for lack of a better term with a chemical that prevents corrosion. But I am not sure what that is called. The same is done to the engines as well. If someone moves a prop in the museum, it breaks that seal and the team has to to it again. Another reason why the metal bars are up. The tires for the moset part have been filled with a material that preserves the tires and never let's them go flat. It saves the tires from dry rotting because we consider the tires museum exhibits as well. I hope that this clears things up for you some.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Maybe a slight digression, but the National Automobile Museum here in Reno uses sponsors to keep the exhibits clean, different local clubs and groups.
Once a year our Corvette club gets a group together for a complete cleaning of the car we sponsor, under the eye of a museum staffer.

That is pretty cool. I would love to have someone comeout and help keep my Charger and Mustang clean.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Ok...so how do you guys clean the B-36 or the B-52? Someone climb up there with a hoover?

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Dont tempt me I have an unhealthy fascination with detailing strange cars, hehe.

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I am not kidding. Washing them is part of the fun. Driving them of course is the other part of it. Here is what is funny. I am one of those guys that always says that both museums are needed flying and not flying. But a few years back I was one of the people that said don't fly any of them, let's put them all in static museums. Then I got my first muscle car. I spent time, money, and effort to put the General Lee back together. Once it was back together I didn't want to drive it, but keep it in the garage. I took a trip to a car museum and there was a real General Lee from the show restored and on static display. So at that point I promissed myself to drive my car more. Once I started doing that, I found out what it was all about. The sounds and smells of an old car are great. Then I got the Mustang, and the same logic goes there. It is strange but these two old cars changed my outlook on flying warbirds. AS long as there are some preserved in static museums, we should also fly some. As for you washing my cars, anytime bud. You can check them out in the off topic area in the my car with an airplane thread.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I couldnt agree more. Leave some in museums and fly (or drive) the others.

I have two low mileage T/A's that only go to and from shows. I have a few others that I drive daily. best of both worlds.

Seriously though...how do they clean those big birds? (the 36, 47, 52, etc...) Id imagine the museum has a good HVAC system that keeps the dust down, but do they try and clean tha a/c hanging up or the bigger ones? Thanks.

I have enough trouble trying to dust my models hanging from my ceiling.

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Just for the sake of the discussion: How many aircraft should be preserved as static versus how many should be 'allowed' to fly? What ratio would be appropriate? 1 to 1??

The static birds would be almost always kept clean, while the flying birds would be out getting 'road dirt'. It takes almost 8 hours to do a quick clean/polish on the Mustang; it takes almost 20+ hours to do a deep clean and polish. During the show season, we do the quick clean, whereas at the end of the year, we do the deep clean.

(Simply curious what the opinions would be........thx).
VL

I don't know as far as a ratio. What I think is that keep the aircraft with actual combat history, one of only three remaining, historically significant, restoration only able to be to static, or if a museum does a great restoration, but can't afford to fly it place it on static, and fly the rest. Just my opinion. Now as for cleaning the big birds, they are cleaned the very same way the small ones are. Remember that each aircraft is cleaned several times a year, and as someone guessed the museum has a great air system.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Interesting question Vlado, especially from a real gentleman pilot that flies m-a-n-y events each year, complete with terrific formation work.

As long as at least one bird of a type is safely stored in a real museum (one with security & fire systems, etc. - not picking on any museums here), fly whatever is left and people are willing to maintain as flyers.

Thanks for flying Vlado.

That would be a never ending task for sure.

I like the ones that are in good enough shape to be unrestored. I would LOVE to see a Mustang or a Jug flying as war weary. But hey, I drive this...

DJango...1936 Ford 5 window coupe. Right? Man, does that bring back memories! My first car was exactly like that picture. (No, I didn't buy it new. ) Mine had a "Rumble seat" and the spare mounted on the back.
Do I see Virginia plates on it?

Mudge the geezer

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Land of the free because of the brave

Yep, '36. Illinois plates. My Dad bought it in '64 as his first car. He gave it to me about 10 years ago. I also have a '36 cabriolet I'm collecting parts for.

any pics of yours?

Well. . . since we're now showing off our cars. . .

Here is my 1972 Ford Mustang convertible:







Cheers!

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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida