An F- 4 Phantom fighter jet on display at the New England Air Museum was restored with coatings and technical talent donated by PPG Industries’ aerospace business to
honor the jet’s U.S. Air Force service during the Vietnam War.
PPG donated high-solids DESOTHANE HS/CA 8211 military and defense topcoat in camouflage, Desothane HS/CA 8800
topcoat in gloss white and DESOPRIME HS/CA 7700 primer.
Kevin Lee, PPG senior account manager, aerospace, provided
the technical talent and a personal connection to the aircraft
manufacturer, McDonnell Douglas.
NEAM volunteer and restoration technician Jim McGuire contacted Lee, with whom he had worked in the past, to ask for PPG’s
help in repainting the F- 4, which is on loan to the museum from the
U.S. Air Force. McGuire wanted it restored with its paint scheme
from December 1972, when the aircraft was flown in a mission
that downed an enemy MiG fighter jet. He knew what it looked
like from a photo provided by the mission’s pilot and copilot.
“I wanted to use the true military coatings that met the federal standards,” he said.
The assistance by Lee proved to be serendipitous. “My first
experience in the aerospace industry came back in 1978 at
McDonnell Douglas, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where we completely
refurbished the F- 4 aircraft, including repainting.”
Lee selected PPG coatings that would provide a durable sys-
tem with good ultraviolet (UV) protection that should retain its
gloss and color for years. “This would most likely be the last
time this historic airplane is renewed,” he said.
McGuire and a team of volunteers painted the aircraft
with Lee’s guidance. McGuire credited Lee and the financial
and technical support from PPG for the restoration’s completion. “Words can’t describe the immense pride the crew and
I take in having been able to get the lady back in her rightful
colors and restore the essence of what this plane was and is,”
McGuire said.
“The project was an amazing success,” Lee said, adding,
“I worked for McDonnell Douglas for 16 years on the F- 4,
F- 15 and F- 18 fighter programs. To this day, for me, there is
not a more beautiful airplane in the sky at 600 miles per hour
than the F- 4.”
The restored F- 4 was unveiled this summer for a Vietnam
50th commemoration exhibit at the museum, where it will be
on display through September.
PPG Aerospace is the aerospace products and services business of PPG Industries. PPG Aerospace – PRC-DeSoto is the
leading global producer and distributor of aerospace coatings, sealants, and packaging and application systems. PPG
Aerospace – Transparencies is the world’s largest supplier of
aircraft windshields, windows and canopies. For more information, visit www.ppgaerospace.com.
About the New England Air Museum
The New England Air Museum is owned and operated by the
Connecticut Aeronautical Historical Association, a private,
nonprofit educational institution organized in 1959. Located in
Windsor Locks, Connecticut, adjacent to Bradley International
Airport, the Museum is the largest aviation museum in New
England. It is dedicated to preserving and presenting historically significant aircraft and related artifacts, engaging visitors through high-quality exhibits helping them to understand
aviation technology and history, and inspiring students through
innovative and hands-on educational programs. The Museum
houses one of the world’s most outstanding collections of historic aviation artifacts and more than 80 aircraft, including a
Sikorsky VS-44A donated by actress Maureen O’Hara and a
Silas Brooks Balloon Basket (1870), believed to be the oldest
surviving aircraft in the United States. For more information,
visit www.neam.org. CW
PPG Aerospace Donates Coatings
To Restore F- 4 For New England Air Museum
F- 4 PHANTOM jet that flew in the Vietnam War on display at the New
England Air Museum was restored with coatings donated by PPG Industries’
aerospace business. High-solids DESOTHANE HS/CA 8211 military and defense topcoat in camouflage, Desothane HS/CA 8800 topcoat in gloss white
and DESOPRIME HS/CA 7700 primer were used to recreate the F- 4 jet’s paint
scheme from 1972 when it was flown in a mission that downed an enemy MiG
fighter jet during the Vietnam War. (Photos courtesy of Jim McGuire)
