Wrapping tips for racing cars and fighter planes
2024.06.20 - What should you pay attention to when wrapping a racing car or a fighter like an F16? Car wrapper Johan shares tips & tricks!
Wrapping a vehicle is quite a challenge, even for the most experienced wrappers. But what if the vehicle is on a demanding race track? Or what if it is an aircraft reaching extremely high speeds? What challenges does that pose? Our former car wrapper Johan shares tips & tricks from his years of experience wrapping F16s & racing cars for Team WRT.
Wrapping a racing car
The challenge
One of the challenges is timing. With all types of wraps, good preparation is half the battle. Thoroughly degreasing, cleaning and acclimatising your surface is the key to a smooth, seamless wrap. But that is precisely the common problem on the race track. “The car wrapper often has to get a wrap done last-minute. Conditions are certainly not optimal then,” Johan says.
As with any sport, racing teams are also sponsored and we at Grafityp have been sponsoring team WRT for many years. A typical challenge when wrapping a race car is therefore ensuring that all sponsors are clearly visible on the wrap and in the right place. “A race brings a lot of media attention, it is therefore essential to position the wrap correctly so that the sponsors are satisfied.”
The film
PU50C, wrapping folie Fluo Racing
“Actually, you can use any car wrap film from Grafityp. Thanks to the extensive colour range and the good quality of Grafityp’s cast films, wrapping becomes a lot easier.”
Wrapping an F16
The challenge
An F16 reaches extreme speeds in the air, the conditions are completely different from those of a (racing) car. So it is very important that the film can take a beating and sticks well under the G-forces it is exposed to. It is also a challenge to apply the film. An F16 is high, so you have to work with scaffolding. As a result, wrapping is slightly less fast.
The film
S38P
“The S38P is the only option for wrapping a fighter aircraft. One of the important properties of the film is its flexibility. This allows you to wrap deep indents and curves smoothly. In addition, the film has thicker adhesive layer than other films, allowing you to deform it easily and still keep it in place. Moreover, the film also releases well when you heat it up, which is also important,” says Johan.
Tips & tricks
- “Since the plane is on a scaffold, you cannot easily reach everything. That is why it is important to always print a bit larger. That way you can cut off the surplus afterwards.”
- It is also important to respect the order in which you apply the film, especially on an F16. You start from the back and work towards the front of the aircraft, so that the overlap of the strips of film goes with the wind and not against it. That way, you can be sure that the film will not come loose when exposed to the G-forces.”
Want more wrapping tips for fighters and race cars? Check out the video with Johan below! 👇
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