It was bad enough Wadpoling a Ten on a VIP

Yeah, straight after, "Fall out the Hofficers"!:= (Refers to RAF hicopleters)

CG

On 110 in Burma, there was a superstition that a washing would always be followed by an accident to the airframe involved. This did seem to happen, more frequently than pure chance would suggest.

Moreover, a good coating of oil-soaked dust and mud improved the (already very effective) jungle camouflage, and was better left alone.

Nevertheless some VV-proud crews did do it - with 100 octane, as it was more plentiful than water down on the Flights. Never did it myself.

I can't speak for anything but UK C-17s which get sent here to San Antonio for depot maintenance. But when UK C-17s arrive here we (the contractor) do a thorough post flight inspection and then a very thorough wash. And by thorough I mean using hot water/detergents and pressure washers. The wash is so thorough that the aircraft needs to be regreased before leaving the wash rack. The aircraft then go to the depaint hangar to have the paint either scuffed or entirely removed.

CHC Scotia Heliport, Aberdeen, I regularly see the helicopters being cleaned at the end of the day's flying. Some sort of sudsy liquid on a long hose, brushes on similar extension and then pressure washed.

charliegolf - and the origin of 'hicopleters' for helicopters was ... Handling Squadron at Boscombe Down. Their AL (10, I think) for the Whirlwind 10 was quickly followed by an AL11, which was almost entirely composed of " for hicopleter read helicopter" :O

Wadpol! - there's a blast from the past. I always remember Queens Flight at Benson used to spend hours with cans of that stuff polishing away like mad while us scrotes in ASF lounged around and laughed.

.......and then again the VIP Britannia and Comet, never be around the crew room on Aircraft Prep at Lyneham when a minor VIP was scheduled to go somewhere unimportant. Many hours spent using Wadpole to get the undersides nice and shiny. Then to our amazement the powers that be had the aircraft painted with a rough finish, explanation, the rough surface would catch air in the pockets and make the plane go faster.................. believe that if you will:ugh:

Hicopleter
 

The origin of "hicopleter" was a mid-60s amendment to AP 129. 'Er indoors did the amending while I swotted up my JP3 Pilots' Notes.

It *could* be true (I'm not saying it was in this case, but it's plausible). Think of the dimples on a golf ball...

Cornish Jack:-
I don't know when AL11 for the Whirlwind 10 was, but my AP129 Vol1 Pt1 Sect1 Ch16 (Basic Helicopter Aerodynamics) was amended by AL8 April '59 in exactly the same way. Chicken or egg?

Press a GS into the drain valve of one of the wing tanks. To get some avtur onto a sheet of blue roll. Then wipe the fin where the reverse thrust buckets have deposited loads of soot. Usually it was to rub out the "comedy cock" somebody had drawn in the soot with their finger.

Amazing how it sticks. I wonder how many aircrew of that period don't remember Hecopleter

Energises the boundary layer and provides lift, but only if the ball is spinning.

Err...….aeroplanes ?

Also reduces drag, even if the ball isn't spinning - link

Untill a tame rock RSO ran his geiger counter over a tin of well used Wadpole. After that, power washing only.

In late April 1986 (at the time of the Chenobyl disaster) we were deployed to Andoya from SM on a routine detachment. We returned the day after the disaster and were met by the groundies all in full NBC kit!!! No auto wash at SM. We were told to stay on board, and the ac was give a thorough hosing down. the crew were half expecting similar treatment as there was a 12 by 12 tent clearly marked PERSONAL DECONTAM at the side of the pan. Fortunately, the groundies got fed up of being masked up and allowed us off the ac with just a gentle spray down! Good spoof and typical of the good spirits of the time!

Which explains the radiation tags all the groundless wore, but never aircrew! Private scared we would find out how much we were zapped.