Letter 11947

Cleaning the exterior of a 50 year old airplane 

A friend of mine is in the process of refurbishing a 1950's vintage airplane. The exterior plating of the airplane is unpainted, 2024 Al-clad aluminum. In general, the plane is in excellent condition, but has been stored under wet, humid conditions for the last five years. As a result, the exterior of the plane has developed a rather thick layer of aluminum oxide. The oxidation does not appear to go through the Al-clading. My friend is looking for a relatively easy and safe way of removing this oxide film. Currently, he is polishing the film off using a mild abrasive, but he has told me that this method takes forever. Do any of you know of any commercial products that would be suited for this application? How about anything home-made?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Kindest regards,

Quinn C. Horn
- Westlake, OH

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