The concept of having an intermediate coat between the primer and topcoat in an airliner exterior paint scheme has enabled the selective removal of the topcoat by chemical stripping leaving the primer unaffected.
This principle has opened up the possibility for chemical stripping of a paint scheme using less aggressive, more environmentally friendly chemical strippers and the possibility of being able to chemically strip paint from composite parts.
The theory and historical development of this concept is explained, including comparative stripping results with different strippers and different paint systems leading to further future developments.