Technical data

5.5.4.6 The aircraft skin temperature must be at least 60°
F prior to any application of coatings. During extremely cold
weather, this may require placing the aircraft in a heated paint
facility several days in advance to ensure proper skin tem-
perature.
5.5.5 Test Panels. To test suitability of materials, con-
ditions, etc., spray test panels prior to beginning operations.
The suitability shall be determined experimentally on a panel
approximately 10 x 32 inches in size coated under prevailing
conditions with the finish system that is to be applied. If the
finish system applied to the experimental panel is satisfactory,
then full scale operations may begin. Defects found in the
experimental application such as blushing, poor adhesion,
excessive orange peel, sagging, etc., shall be corrected prior
to large scale application. Application of catalyzed (2-
component) coatings having a long drying time usually
cannot await inspection of completely cured and dry films, so
use the best information available from the test panels at the
beginning of the application. Test panels are not required for
component/part or maintenance painting (touch-up).
5.5.6 Material Requirements, General. Materials used
on Air Force aircraft and equipment should normally conform
to Military or Federal Specifications and shall be applied as
directed in this technical manual and other pertinent technical
publications.
NOTE
Unauthorized material shall not be used by Air
Force activities on aircraft and associated
equipment.
5.5.6.1 Proprietary non-specification materials may exist
on aircraft and equipment as supplied by the manufacturer,
and the maintenance of these may offer special difficulties.
Normally, the repair and maintenance of proprietary coatings
should be with the same material. However, if a material cited
in this technical order is determined by the ALC corrosion
manager or the weapon/item manager engineering function to
be compatible with the proprietary coating, use the cited
material for touch-up. In case of complete unit stripping and
recoating, only Air Force authorized specification materials
shall be used.
NOTE
Avoid the possibility of incompatibility of mate-
rials under the same specification but of different
manufacture by not mixing them. Primers of
different manufacture but under the same speci-
fication shall not to be mixed in the same area,
but may be applied separately to areas which are
to be overcoated. Every effort shall be made;
however, to assure that an entire topcoat is
restricted to the product of a single manufacturer
and, where possible, to the same batch in order to
maintain uniformity of color, gloss, etc.
5.6 THE AIRCRAFT PAINTING PROCESS SE-
QUENCE OF EVENTS.
a. Clean and mask the aircraft per Chapter 3 of this
technical order.
b. Apply conversion coating to bare aluminum surfaces per
Chapter 3 of this technical order.
c. Allow at least 2 hours for the conversion coating to dry
and set up. Then, move the aircraft (if required) to the
paint hangar, with no delay in the outside environment.
d. After the aircraft is situated in the paint facility, begin
application of the primer after 2 hours minimum to 48
hours maximum has elapsed since applying the conver-
sion coating to the aircraft.
NOTE
If the aircraft was not prepared in the paint
hangar and was moved to the paint hangar the
aircraft must be allowed to dry (if necessary) and
the aircraft skin to warm to room temperature and
solvent wipe the entire aircraft surface per Para-
graph 3.1.4. of the technical order.
e. Allow the primer to cure for the time specified in
Chapter 3, but no more than 8 hours, and apply 2 coats
of the required topcoat in the appropriate paint scheme
per Chapter 8 of this manual, aircraft drawings, or -23
manual or equivalent manual. If more than 8 hours
elapse (not to exceed 24 hours) between priming and
topcoating, the primer must be solvent wiped for reac-
tivation per Paragraph 3.1.6 or scuff sanded with 320 or
400 grit sandpaper or A-A-58054, Type I, Grade A,
abrasive mat per Paragraph 3.1.3 to reactivate the primer
for adhesion of the topcoat. If the primer is scuff sanded,
solvent wipe per Paragraph 3.1.4 must be reaccom-
plished prior to topcoat application. If 24 hours elapse
between priming and topcoating, solvent wipe only for
reactivation is not permitted and scuff sanding is man-
datory.
TO 1-1-8
Change 3 5-7