So.

A man retires from the Lockheed Skunkworks sometime in the 60s (probably) and his colleagues sign a leaving card for him – a photo of a YF-12 mounted on a 20 x 12 inch piece of matting board.

Sadly, it’s in a bit of a sorry state at the moment and I’d like to get it stabilised and preserved – even, absent any real understanding of the terms involved, perhaps the most gentle level of restoration?

The photo is cracking up, delaminating and is curved. The board is curved, creased and torn in one corner. Some lettering (the black printing under the photo) is coming away from the board.

Can anyone offer any advice or recommend someone to take this on?

Thanks!

Cant help with restoration suggestions,but that pic made a little bit of wee come out.

From the look of some of the staining to the matting, you’re not the first person to have reacted like that :/ 😀

I can recommend someone if you’re in Mid Wales. Otherwise, search for a local conservator here: http://www.conservationregister.com/

Thanks gozarch, much appreciated. Tucked in the middle of England, so will search through the site tonight!

Duckman +1

Mmmmmm, skunkworks…

That’s really sad, a shame it hadn’t been framed, or had been removed from its original frame, then the mount would still be intact. The photo, however, is showing typical fading, going a blue-ish colour due to the red pigment fading along with some of the green. A copy of the photo with a bit of good photoshop work could bring back a lot of the faded colour, and a quality digital archive print would look really good, while with care the mount should be restorable.
Not going to be cheap, but, frankly, such a thing is a historic as well as a family treasure, and needs to be saved.
The original photo should be put into a special archive bag for safe keeping to preserve it and prevent any further fading. Putting it back on a wall will only cause more fading, unfortunately.

BTW, Nasa’s Dryden FRC isn’t the “Skunkworks”……….. (although the Skunkworks did a lot of windtunnel tests there in the supersonic facility during development of the A-12)

Later on, Lockheed loaned two SR-71’s to Nasa for high altitude/speed flight research activities.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/history/index.html

btw, article 937, the Blackbird shown in that picture is a bit of a ringer, originally tail #17951, but renumbered 937 on being loaned to Nasa in 1971> more info here:

http://www.habu.org/a-12/06937.html

Cheers maxtorque! You’re totally right, he was an engineer at Dryden. My calling it skunkworks came from linking names on the card with names from ‘The Lifting Body Story’ (there are a number) and attributing them incorrectly (that and the Blacbirdesque plane, natch!)! 😳

CountZero, I don’t think it was ever framed. From the holes in it, I think the best it was ever treated was when it was pinned to workshop wall! At present, I think I’ll be aiming to (get someone to) get some of the acid out of the board, try to relayer the folded corner, frame it behind some heavy glass and then hang it in a darkened room! 8)

Thanks!

My wife is a paper conservator and can repair items like this. I can ask her for some advice if you would like and some recommendations of people if you are in the midlands. Be prepared for it to be costly, but you will be amazed by the finished product. Drop me an email if you want.

Can I ask where your located? I’m a picture framer and have used
A restorer by the name of Kenny Mackenzie. He’s located in
Central Scotland and is truly a genius. Granted it is fine art that he mostly deals with but I’m sure he could offer guidance.
Pm me if you want his phone number.