Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

Hi guys - a bit of a strange question.
On board HMS Reaper en-route to NYC in 1945, the German aircraft captured in Europe (and secured on deck) were cocooned in what appears to be black shrink-wrap plastic. Does anyone know for certain what this mysterious substance actually was?

thanks
Rich

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

I have looked as the Do 17 being offloaded and it looks more like protective paint.

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

*edit*
I think I solved this - most probably Saran Wrap:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saran_(plastic)

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

It was some type of "shrink wrap." Such material is usually made to conform tightly by brief heating.

http://www.indianamilitary.org/Freem...S%20Reaper.htm

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

thanks guys

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

Similar if not identical material was used to protect US fighters carried as deck cargo to the UK during the Battle of the Atlantic.

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

For what it's worth, from Smith & Creek, Me 262 Volume Four, (2000), p. 853:

"Left: A series of 'Rhino' barges ferried the German aircraft captured by Watson's group from the port of Cherbourg to the waiting aircraft carrier HMS 'Reaper'. Prior to this they had been 'shrink wrapped' in plastic sheeting, not covered with the greasy petroleum-based small arms preservative known as Cosmoline, as has been widely stated previously..."

Is the name of this plastic sheeting known?

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

very interesting! Thank you..

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

Cosmoline ( the heavy Petroleum/ grease compound) was replaced for deck deliveries in 1943 by Par-al-ketone a petroleum derivative useful for the Atlantic but hard to remove;
replaced in 1944 by a plastic coating called Plastiphane, easy to peel off. Transport on deck was much more economical than dis-assembling and crating.
I think the latter was also called Eronol. Crated aircraft parts were covered with plastic sheeting called Pliofilm.
P-47s on deck had props, tail assemblies and wing tips removed before Plastiphane applied.
Nick

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

Thank you, Nick

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

cheers Nick - what's the source for the info?

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

"The Army Air Forces in WWII" Vol.VI Chapter 12 (Craven & Cate).
"P-51 erection & maintainance instructions" ( Section II Shipment & erection procedure)
Various Lend-Lease books.
"Aircraft carriers of the World 1914--present" (Chesneau).


Incidentally REAPER (ex. AVG-54) served in the Pacific as an aircraft transport and support carrier , returning in May 1946.
Regards
Nick

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

many thanks, excellent research & a great help to me

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

Hi Rich,

I think Chris Goss was right. This "plastic coating" was a black rubberised substance that was sprayed on, manufactured by a company called Plastiphane. It had nothing to do with shrink-wrap.

After googling 'Eronol' and 'Plastiphane' I learned that "...the first substance used was called Eronol. This was a very 'bitchumen' [sic] black application that was sprayed on, and was later considered both labour intensive and dangerous due to it needing to be removed by hand, using paraffin!! Later (from 1944 onward) the contract was given to the Plastiphane Co. who devised a solution that was more hard-wearing, easier to apply and remove, and was protective in a wide range of climate conditions...".

It took about 54 gallons of "Plastiphane" to coat a P-51.

best regards,

Jim

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

cheers!

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

Rich. The "Saran" you mentioned in Post 3 was used to wrap the guns when removed when the aircraft was crated.
The procedures for treating components for on-deck transport were applied when the aircraft was carried on a carrier deck, or hatch cover or steel girder frames on a merchant ship.
Pliofilm was an actual plastic bag which could be used to secure (smaller) aircraft assemblies in crates eg. for P-51 / P-40.


Nick

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

Nice clear photo thanks for posting.
On P-51s spinners, props, wing tips, tail assembly , flaps and ailerons were removed and stored separately. All joints sealed with waterproof tape, cowlings covered with oilcloth then a canvas cover, openings with greaseproof paper or waterproof tape. The open-ended tail section had a canvas cover (then the covers sprayed with the compound).
These Mustangs are being "de-greased" on arrival in the UK (probably by CVE) note the tapes.
Nick


Edit---US National Archives photo.

Re: Luftwaffe aircraft on HMS Reaper
 

:)