[Series] How the US-2 is made (10)

Close coverage by a professional writer
The yellow primer-painted aircraft will finally be painted in dark blue!
After the assembly of the fuselage was completed, the surface of the US-2, such as bulges and fairings, was installed. This color makes it difficult to see from the air when flying at low altitude or landing on the water.
At the Konan Factory, there is a painting booth that fits the entire aircraft, adjacent to the area where the aircraft is assembled. When US-2 enters here, scaffolding is assembled to make it easier to work, and the screen is lowered to prevent dust from entering from the outside.
Areas that should not be exposed to paint are completely masked, and workers also wear protective clothing and dust/gas masks to protect themselves from the paint, ensuring that no skin is exposed. Although environmental can be very harsh in the summer, multiple workers work together to apply the paint to ensure that the paint is even. The entire aircraft is covered in offshore camouflage, and after the paint dries, the letters and Japanese flag that will be on the aircraft are painted over.
When the yellow primer turns dark blue and comes out of the paint booth, it instantly looks like a US-2.
*Outfitting: The process of installing the engine and equipment inside and outside the aircraft, or the equipment itself.








Writer Hidenori Itakura
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