The International Cessna^® 170 Association

blueldr wrote:Anyone that would try to polish a "Gooney Bird" must have a death wish.

I though about that and started wearing a safety harness.

Hell, I'd a damn sight rather fall off of the airplane to a quick death rather than work myself to death tryng to get the "Goon" to shine. I didn't mind flying them, as long as it wasn't in the rain, but I certainly never loved one enough to have a desire to polish it. The raincoat, to cover his lap, was invented by a pilot who was the first one to fly a "Dizzy Three" in the rain.

blueldr wrote:Anyone that would try to polish a "Gooney Bird" must have a death wish.

YEAH ELDER - - IF MINE WASN'T POLISHED ALREADY I SURE WOULDN'T TAKE ON ANOTHER ONE ! ! !

In the past 30+ years of "sheltering" 93D, I figure I have spent 2 or 3 years on the wrong end of numerous polishing machines! In 1972 we started out with SIMI-CHROME and small polishing cloths. This stuff is what we took the "blue" off our motorcycle exhaust pipes! It came in 4oz tubes and cost only two bucks a tube!

We graduated to MetAll and bought a Cyclo Polisher in '75. This came about after working with the volunteer group at TWA, rebuilding and polishing the Northrop Alfa that now hangs in the Smithsonian.

Met-All, Rolite, Nuvite etc. etc. are all about equal in end results - - just require different tools, techniques and quantities of material.

My biggest problem has always been the link between the machine and the aircraft skin. There are several different devices (bonnets) that fit several different machines and they are the weak link. Many of the "fleece" ones ( real or synthetic) twist up very quickly. Build up of used up compound makes them short lived and a generous supply of new ones is mandatory for a successful end result. Micro fiber bonnets for the Cyclo Polisher are great for finishing out but pretty expensive per...

Polished planes are real beauties but require a willingness to devote the time and expense to keep one in "top" presentation condition.

A friend of mine one said that wire wheels and polished airplanes are beautiful things... as long as they're someone else's. Once upon a time I stripped the paint off of my cowling and polished a spot about the size of a tennis ball... then went shopping for paint shops.

Miles

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