Painting the Fabric Covering of Snoopy's Fuselage

Suomeksi

The cotton fabric attached to the steel-tube fuselage of OH-XEA “Snoopy” was tautened with NC-Speed nitrocellulose dope. The fabric was tautened in stages, starting with a 10% dope solution and progressing to full-strength nitrocellulose dope. Diablo thinner was used as the solvent. The dope was pigmented with iron oxide, which turned the fabric red. As a result of the tautening process, the fuselage covering became tight like a drumhead. It was time to begin painting the fabric surfaces of the fuselage.

An alkyd- and linseed-oil-based Isotrol paint was used on the fuselage. Isotrol paint has several good qualities. A single coat produces an evenly smooth finish, comparable to spray painting, even when applied with a brush. When painting by brush, it is important to use varnish brushes with synthetic bristles. Varnish brushes are designed to produce a smooth, even finish. We had previously used the same Isotrol paint on the repaired new surfaces of Snoopy’s plywood-covered wings. We determined the original blue-grey shade from the wings’ original paintwork. In the RAL colour system, the shade was RAL 810-2.

Painting Snoopy’s fuselage fabric began by placing the aircraft on its left side and protecting the landing-gear tubes as well as the lower end of the control stick, which protrudes through the fabric on the underside of the aircraft, beneath the cockpit.

We first painted the underside of the fuselage and then continued with the right side of the fuselage and the right side of the vertical stabilizer. We were pleased to find that a single brushed coat produced a smooth finish with excellent coverage. A week later, Snoopy was turned onto its right side, and the left side and upper surface of the fuselage covering were painted. The finish coating of Snoopy’s fuselage fabric was now complete.

The sides of Snoopy’s fuselage originally featured a streamlined red arrow motif, resembling a speed stripe. It still had to be painted. The shape and size of the arrow motif were determined precisely from a side-view photograph of the aircraft. Its dimensions were scaled to full size so that the motif could be transferred onto the fuselage surface.

Key reference points for the arrow shape were marked on the fabric surface on both sides of the fuselage. Using these points, the arrow motif was outlined on the fabric with masking tape. Before painting, the taped-off area was lightly sanded, and the sanding dust was removed with a cloth moistened with denatured alcohol. The area surrounding the arrow motif on the left side was protected with masking paper before painting. On the right side, the arrow motif was masked off using only wide masking tape.

The arrow motif was painted with the same red Isotrol paint that we had previously used for the original-style vertical stripe on Snoopy’s rudder. The motif was applied with a narrow brush intended for varnishing. Once again, the finish was extremely even and smooth, as if it had been spray-painted.

After painting, the masking tape outlining the arrow and protecting the paintwork on the fuselage side was carefully removed. Masking tape should be removed soon after painting. If left in place for too long, it adheres to the paint underneath and may damage the surface when removed.

The painting of Snoopy’s fuselage was now complete. All that remains to be added to both sides of the fuselage are Snoopy’s black aircraft registration markings, OH-XEA, and the black word “Experimental” beside the cockpit door.

Photos: Lassi karivalo

Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen