Surface World June 2019 Surface World June 2019 | Page 18
INDUSTRY NEWS
AkzoNobel and United Airlines
help inspire US students
Science students in the
US are getting a daily
dose of inspiration from
a retired United Airlines
Douglas DC-8 aircraft which
has been lovingly restored
with coatings supplied by
AkzoNobel.
After flying more than 18 million miles in
14 years, the plane – named The City of
Los Angeles – was donated by United Airlines
to the California Science Center in 1984.
It’s now on static display by the entrance to
the Dr Theodore T. Alexander Jr. Science
Center School. “We are proud to be part
of this project and had no hesitation in
donating our Eclipse coatings for such an
incredible aircraft,” explains Robert Mather,
Strategic Account Manager of AkzoNobel’s
Aerospace Coatings business. “The DC-8
has a remarkable history, which can’t fail
to inspire the young people who see this
one every day.”
The newly restored plane was retired in
1980 after carrying more than a million
passengers. Four years later, its wings were
removed and it was towed through city
streets before being reassembled at the
museum, eventually being mounted on
a pedestal in 2002.
Due to the easy application and with
the aircraft being located outdoors,
the coating was rolled on, rather than
sprayed. The low emission Eclipse system
was applied by International Aerospace
Coatings (IAC) to ensure that the DC-8
looks as good as the day it first rolled
out of the hangar.
“United is thrilled that the DC-8 is being
preserved to educate future generations
on the history of air travel,” says Janet
Lamkin, United’s California President.
“We have been part of Los Angeles
and California for more than 90 years,
and I’m proud to see this important part
of our heritage restored so beautifully.”
Adds Dr. Perry Roth-Johnson, Assistant
Curator for Aerospace Science at the
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JUNE 2019
California Science Center: “We’re thrilled to
see our DC-8 airliner restored. With its new
paint job, the plane is starting to shine again
for the enjoyment of our guests, as well as
the students and staff at the Science Center
school. We are grateful for the support of
AkzoNobel, IAC, and United Airlines in this
important project.”
Continues Dave Patterson, IAC’s Executive
Vice-President of Sales and Marketing:
“IAC has painted hundreds of aircraft for
United Airlines over the past 20 years.
When approached to lead the restoration
and repaint efforts for their DC-8 static
display, we jumped at the opportunity.
To revisit this historic aircraft and have
the chance to paint the retro United livery
was an honor.
We’re grateful to be part of this effort and
to support both our premier customer
and our Southern California community.”
Only a handful of DC-8 airplanes are still
in use today as cargo carriers. The DC-8
also has a littleknown claim to fame.
It is one of only two aircraft – along with
the Soviet Tu-144 – to have flown supersonic
before Concorde.
To learn more about
AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings,
visit https://aerospace.akzonobel.com/
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