Duncan Aviation recently shared the results of a one-of-a-kind aircraft painting project that features a creative design scheme.

The newly painted Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Citation 560XLS+ features unique design elements like:

• Pink cartoon pig with wings, a nose ring and a rubber-chicken earring
• Oversized graphics
• Vivid color scheme of blue, yellow and red
• Ripley’s Believe It or Not! branding on the engines

To ensure the results aligned with the customer requests, Duncan Aviation teams worked closely with the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! designer to develop and execute the design.

Duncan Aviation’s team used its extensive technical expertise to conduct the project safely and effectively, completing steps like:

• Removing aircraft panels for inspections
• Maintaining sealant
• Selecting materials for long-term performance

Duncan Aviation’s Lead Designer Hannah Mann said, “They came to us with their scheme already designed. From there, my job was to take their concept and work through the details needed to actually make it happen on the aircraft.”

Mann outlined these responsibilities, including:

• Refining the artwork and placement
• Working through color and finishes
• Coordinating with the paint team

The aforementioned color scheme used 17 different colors across the fuselage, wings, engine and other surfaces of the aircraft.

“The biggest challenge was taking such a detailed design and translating it onto a three-dimensional aircraft,” Mann noted, “Something can look great as flat artwork, but once you start wrapping it around the fuselage, wings, engines and other contours of the airplane, there are a lot of things you have to account for.”

Duncan Aviation Sr. Completion Sales Representative Angie Coleman said, “The opportunity to paint the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! aircraft actually originated through the chief pilot of another aircraft we had recently delivered.”

Coleman continued, “As I was walking the crew out to their aircraft prior to departure, the chief pilot asked whether we would be interested in painting a unique scheme he had seen.”

“He explained that it was for Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and that they were searching for a paint vendor capable of bringing their artwork and vision to life. Naturally, I encouraged him to have their team contact me,” shared Coleman.

Coleman explained, “When I saw the paint scheme they selected and submitted for a quote, I immediately knew this was a project our paint team needed to take on.”

“With the talent, experience and attention to detail of our highly skilled paint crew, I was confident they would be fully capable of delivering the unique and detailed finish Ripley’s Believe It or Not! envisioned,” added Coleman.

“Working with their team has been one of the true highlights of my sales career,” Coleman commented, “Their team brings an incredible combination of creativity, energy and positivity to everything they do.”