229 guy, more than likely, the rash you got wasn't from the donut at all. I know that trying to get to the upper rotary latches, my forearms would rub on the the engine shroud aft of the donut. It IS made of fiberglas and your arms will get a rash and itch whenever you rub against it.

Panel 4309 is the panel number. The panel is made of Aluminum(sp). The pain depending on year will vary. The newer jets with the HAVGLASS paint, has some glass particles in it for a feature I will leave out of the discussion. That area doesn't get touched very well during the pain process, so the particles will be more loose and have a tendency to come off when rubbed like when you stuff your arm up there to rotate the panel lock. I have had the same thing, but I don't remember getting it on the older models.

I thought Have Glass was the gold colored canopy?

Hi Roscoe. The information I gave is from open sources (specifically, Janes IDR, Feb 2003) so I didn't think it would be inappropriate.

IDR learned that the F-16C/D Block 52M + will incorporate low observability technologies derived from the Have Glass I/II classified programs (radar-absorbent materials and coatings).

Have Glass covered insertion of RAM into the inlet duct and on other elements of the airframe, addition of a metalized canopy and foam behind radar. Have Glass consisted of two separate programs:

the radar cross section reduction-oriented Pacer Mud that led to creation of the radar absorbent material called FMS-3049 and

the infrared signature reduction-oriented Pacer Gem that resulted in incorporation of the new top coat paint (FMS-2026) matching the shades of the current paint.

The new RAM was implemented on 60% of the structure, generally on selected upper and lower surfaces, where 10-20mils of RAM was sprayed, adding about 100kg of weight to the aircraft. Polish aircraft are also to be the first or one of the first equipped with new color moving map provided by Honeywell.