Some questions about an F4-Phantom canopy

[ChemicalChaos]

Evening all,

A friend of mine who deals in vintage plane bits has got a selection of Phantom front and rear canopies. However, most of them have been stored from new, and the "glass" is covered in a milky brown preservative whitewash courtesy of the RAF. Unfortunately, over the years this stuff has dried and set as a hard crust on the canopy glass and we'd like to get it off.
My first thought would be to turn to solvents - acetone, white spirit, petrol etc. However, we're both well aware the the canopies are in fact a perspex/plastic and not glass, and thus we need to be careful that we do not dissolve the canopies!
Can anyone please tell us what exact material the canopies are made from? Also, would anyone have a clue what chemicals the preservative was is made up of? Hopefully, with a correct answer to both I can then draw up a table of chemicals that will dissolve the wash, and only the wash!

thanks,

Matt

[Jamesgt]

Have you tried rubbing it really hard with your hands? This stuff is awful to get off. It was only really friction I can remember using to get this stuff off in the past. Blisters all over the hands!

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

Matt,

I'll have a word with my OH when he is back. He used to be an Engineer on F4s in RAFG, so should be able to give you the party line.

[ChemicalChaos]

James - shirley the RAF had a better prescribed technique than that?!

GGG - thanks

[MartG]

Try oven cleaner e.g. Mr Muscle - I use it on scale models to remove paint without affecting the plastic - spray on and leave for several hours then wash off with water

Edited by MartG on Friday 14th November 18:09

[TheEnd]

Sounds like cosmoline, white spirits should do it, it's an oil/grease based compound.