Warbird & Antique Aircraft Detailing.
Specialty detailing for T-6 Texan, P-51 Mustang, Stearman, Waco, and other restored warbirds and antique aircraft.
Warbirds and antique aircraft have original or restoration paint that's irreplaceable. Some have fabric covering. All deserve specialty care — we work with restoration owners and museums.
Service specs
Why warbirds is different.
Warbirds and antique aircraft are not GA aircraft — they're historic objects with wings. A T-6 Texan still wearing 1942-style paint, a P-51 Mustang restored to combat-finish, a 1940s Stearman with fabric-covered wings: these aircraft have paint and surfaces that cannot be replaced. The wrong product strips finish. The wrong polish lifts decals. Heavy water-based cleaning swells fabric. We work warbirds and antiques only when the owner has full confidence in the chemistry we're using, and we always test a hidden area first. The Confederate Air Force, Commemorative Air Force, EAA chapters, and private warbird owners across South Texas know us by name. We treat every job as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make the airplane look right for an airshow weekend.
Warbird paint is often oil-based or lacquer-finish, not modern polyurethane. Standard aircraft cleaners (Aero Cosmetics, Granitize) work on modern paint but can soften lacquer if dwelled too long. We pre-test every product on a hidden area first. Fabric-covered wings (Stearman, J-3 Cub, Citabria, fabric-covered Pipers) need fabric-safe cleaners — Stits/Polyfiber-approved products only, no water-based detergents that can swell the fabric or attack the dope finish. Period decals and squadron markings are irreplaceable; we polish around them, never over them. Drop tanks, gun ports, panel lines, and access panels all need careful attention. Owners typically watch us work and appreciate that we explain each product before applying.
Texas reality check. Texas has a deep warbird community — Confederate/Commemorative Air Force operates restored aircraft, Lone Star Flight Museum maintains a fleet, EAA chapters around San Antonio fly restored Stearmans and Pipers, and private owners across the Hill Country fly restored T-6s and P-51s out of Fredericksburg (T82) and Boerne Stage. Airshow season runs spring through fall — we get a surge of warbird requests before each event. Hangar work, sometimes outdoor work at events.
The warbirds protocol.
Pre-detail consultation with owner — discuss paint type (lacquer vs polyurethane vs original-restoration), fabric panels, period decals, drop tanks or armament.
Test every product on a hidden area first, document with owner present.
Mask all decals, squadron markings, pin-stripes, and period art.
Mask sensors and engine intake covers.
Pre-soak leading edges with appropriate (paint-type-matched) bug remover.
Hand-wash with paint-appropriate aviation soap or dry wash with Aero Cosmetics — slower, gentler, single-panel-at-a-time.
Fabric-covered wings (when present): fabric-safe cleaning only, never wet wash. Stits/Polyfiber products if owner approves.
Hand-polish painted surfaces extremely gently — no rotary buffer, no aggressive compounds.
Bright-polish polished aluminum (P-51, Mustang highlights, exhaust collectors) by hand with metal polish suitable for vintage aluminum.
Acrylic windshield and side glass cleaned with Plexus — fresh microfiber per panel.
Cockpit interior: gentle vacuum, period-leather conditioning (often original-spec or carefully restored), instrument panel wipe (vintage gauges).
Final walk with owner — all masking removed, all decals confirmed intact, photo log shared.
What's included.
Every item on this list runs on every warbirds job. No upsells at the door.
Common add-ons for warbirds
- Decal-only restoration (deep clean and polish around squadron markings)
- Cockpit period-leather restoration coordination
- Pre-airshow rapid prep (express same-day detail)
- Pre-buy detail for warbird transactions
- Annual airworthiness photo log handoff for owner records
Models we see most.
WWII warbirds
North American T-6 Texan / SNJ / Harvard, North American P-51 Mustang, North American AT-6, North American T-28 Trojan, Boeing-Stearman PT-13 / PT-17 / PT-18, Vultee BT-13 Valiant, Beechcraft Beech 18 / C-45 / AT-11.
Antique civilian aircraft (1930s-1950s)
Waco UPF-7 / YMF-5, Beechcraft Staggerwing, Cessna 195, Howard DGA, Spartan Executive, Ryan PT-22, Travel Air biplane, Stinson Reliant, Fairchild PT-19 / PT-26.
Postwar trainers and recip fighters
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor, North American B-25 Mitchell (limited tail-down access), Grumman F8F Bearcat, Vought F4U Corsair (private), Hawker Sea Fury, Yakovlev Yak-3 / Yak-9, Polish PZL TS-11. We've worked on several at private airshow ramps.
What owners always ask.
Yes — both. We test every product on a hidden area first, with the owner present and approving. We don't use generic aviation cleaners on lacquer or oil-based restoration paint without confirming compatibility.
No — we mask every decal and marking before any cleaning or polish work. We polish around them. Vintage decals are irreplaceable and we treat them as such.
Yes — fabric panels (Stearman wings, J-3 Cub wings, some Citabria models) get fabric-safe cleaning only. We use Stits/Polyfiber-approved products when the owner approves the chemistry. Never wet wash on fabric.
Yes — aviation liability rider with hull-value coverage available. For warbirds, we recommend you confirm coverage matches the aircraft's appraised value before the appointment. We can provide a COI for your owner's records.
Yes — for owners flying to Sun 'n Fun, Oshkosh, Wings Over Houston, or Hill Country Airshow, we do pre-airshow rapid prep. Expedited timing, full detail, photo log handoff. Add 15-20% over standard pricing.
Yes — we've worked at private airshow ramps and the AirVenture flightline conditions. We bring our own water and power. Coordinate with show management or your owner ahead of time.
A T-6 Texan or Stearman standard detail starts at $800. A P-51 Mustang with full restoration paint and polished aluminum runs $1,500-2,000. A Beech 18 or larger multi-engine warbird with cockpit and exterior restoration runs $2,000-2,500. Quote after walk-around.
Park it. We'll handle it.
We come to your driveway, dock, RV park, or hangar. Same care, every job.