Ford Airfield Market's Hawker Hunter benefits from a much-needed clean

The local landmark was infested with organic growths like algae and lichen after years of sitting on its iconic pole, exposed to the elements.

But local firm Crystal Clear Cleaning Exterior Cleaning specialists stepped up to help free of charge, with owner Jon Moreby volunteering his time to make the decommissioned training plane look as good as new.

"I wanted to just put back into the community,” he said. “It’s something that’s dirty, and I have the specialist equipment to clean it, so I came forward. The owners have covered the cost of the chemicals and organised the cherry picker, and I’ve volunteered my time for free. We’ve worked together to get it clean.”

Rather than use a pressure cleaner or a steamer to clean the plane, though, Mr Moreby opted for a much gentler, more natural solution. “I used a chemical treatment which will attack the algae and the lichen, but it will keep it cleaner than if I pressured washed it because we’ve actually killed the organic growth, rather than just cleaning it off. This way it will stay cleaner for longer.

"I could have steam cleaned it quite easily. I could have filled the tank in my van, stuck it on a low pressure, a low flow rate and steamed it. But I didn’t want to damage the plane. This is the lowest impact treatment we could do.”

A quirk of this particular method means that, although Mr Moreby cleaned the plane last week, it will still look dirty. That’s because, unlike a more traditional wash, the chemical treatment takes time to work, breaking down the algae over a period of months.

"We’ve been trying to get it cleaned for some time,” added Rod Haque of the Hunter Ford Trust. “So it’s really nice to finally get a date and get everything all done.”

The Hawker Hunter was a British fighter jet developed in the late 1940s and early 50s and remained in use for training and secondary roles until the 1990s.