World War II AircraftCAse study: duPont IndustrIAl CoAtIngsPeArl HArBor MuseuMHonolulu, HI

DuPont™ Imron® Flies High for Aviation Museum

DuPont Industrial Coatings (DIC) has long been recognized as the industry

leader by providing Coating Solutions That Work for a wide array of industrial,

commercial and institutional applications. More recently, however, DIC

has been making news for its ability to preserve history. Case in point: The

Pacific Aviation Museum – Pearl Harbor.

Opened in December of 2006, the museum consists of three phases that,

when completed, will cover everything from the tragic events at Pearl Harbor

to the technological advances in aviation through the Cold War and Vietnam.

The initial challenge for Restoration Director, Syd Jones, was restoring the

six aircraft on display in Phase I, which is housed in one of the actual hangers

under attack on December 7, 1941.

To help return the planes to their vintage state, Jones called on a trusted

resource: DuPont™ Imron®. He explained, “I’ve spent a lot of time behind a

spray gun. I’m familiar with a variety of aircraft paint types and primers, and

I’ve had very good luck with DuPont. Even though the planes are displayed

within an air conditioned hanger, we’re still in a high-corrosive environment.

We’re only a few hundred yards from salt water and with the heat and

humidity, we needed a system that was good for stabilizing metals. I was

very comfortable in choosing Imron®.”

The planes, which include a Japanese A6M2 Zero, a Curtiss P-40 fighter, and

a Douglas Dauntless SBD dive bomber, presented a number of difficulties

during restoration—the greatest being color matching. “We didn’t have a

standard number or code for matching,” said Jones. “Plus, we had to deal

with chalking and fading issues caused by decades of sunlight. So it took a

lot of research, hard work and patience.”

Fortunately, Jones had the invaluable support of Hi-Line Distributors, a DuPont

distributor based in Honolulu. Brian Umamoto, Hi-Line Account Manager,

explained, “Syd expected nothing less than perfection—especially in regard to

colors. We shared his passion, and worked closely with him to get it right.”FAcIlItIes

Coating solutions that Work!

11860_WWII_aircraft_r3.indd 1 8/20/08 1:23:49 PM

Copyright © 2008 DuPont. All rights reserved. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™ and all products denoted with ® or ™ are registered trademarks or trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates.

This mutual passion really paid off when it came to matching the unique tint

of the Japanese plane. The Japanese used a lacquer-type primer and Jones

needed to replicate this in DuPont™ Imron® because he required the durability

of modern urethane paint. It required a bit of effort, but with help from Hi-Line,

Jones achieved a “great end result.”

The same can be said for each aircraft featured in the museum. While hard

work and determination played a major role, Jones gives plenty of credit to

the products themselves, which include DuPont™ Imron® 3.5 HG, SG, ST,

and FT, as well as DuPont Tufcote® 3.3PR. Jones commented, “The color

matches are fantastic. Plus, the paints are durable, economical and they go

on extremely well.”

Standing behind these products is Rod Maffett, DuPont Western Region

Industrial Manager. “We’re honored to help preserve a big part of American

history,” said Maffett. “The commitment by Syd Jones and the people at

Hi-Line is an inspiration. Their drive to restore these planes to their absolute

original state is something special. And it shows in each aircraft.”

With Phase I complete, the work on Phase II & III continues. But for Syd

Jones, it’s less about work and more about an opportunity. “We feel

privileged to represent America’s history and we hope the aircraft and the

stories that surround them offer some perspective into the sacrifices made

during World War II. With products from DuPont and support from Hi-Line,

we’re able to better preserve this history, and allow people to turn back the

clock and see for themselves.”

E-R5002 / K-17895 9/2008

11860_WWII_aircraft_r3.indd 2 8/20/08 1:23:56 PM