ColinB
As a former Air Radar Fitter, who cleaned many a Rebecca aerial, in my day the tool of choice was a ground down hacksaw blade. The 'handle' being made with insulation tape.
The purpose of the seaplane varnish was to prevent insulation breakdown. If left uncovered, the aerial would be covered with dirt, a proportion of which would be conductive. A standard check was to use a 'Wee Megger' to measure the resistance between the disconnected aerial and the a/c frame.
The access to seaplane varnish by radio tradesmen had certain advantages. While at Marham and a member of the Sailing Club, those of us on a certain Valiant squadron, used seaplane varnish to maintain our allocated Firefly during the winter 'off season'.
Just how our demands for seaplane varnish got through the stores system, when ordered by a squadron that were flying a/c with no external aerials I don't know. But they were never queried.
