There are many mysteries in aircraft building, secrets that have gotten lost in the mists of time. One of these must surely be the Dunlop Crackle….
Dunlop manufactured many of the RAF spade grips, including those of the Spitfire and the Hurricane. The grips had a non-slip covering with a very particular pattern applied and was known as the Dunlop Crackle finish.
The knowledge on how this was made or applied has now seemingly been lost. As a result, many replicas and restored originals now carry a variety of coverings, including tape, string, leather and numerous others. None of these solutions regrettably reflect the look of the original Dunlop Crackle.
Many hours of texturing on the Heritage Flight Simulation Spitfire Spade Grip have now rendered a satisfactory finish which closely resembles that of the original. We like it, we hope you do too š
