Summary

Small slim bottle, corked, containing Model Aeroplane Dope used by airmen who were billetted in the Exhibition Building, Melbourne, during World War II. Used in the making of model aeroplanes. Found under the floorboards of the Gallery, Great Hall, Royal Exhibition Building when the floor was replaced in 1989. Dope is not glue but acetone based 'paint' (with cellulose dissolved in it) for sealing and tightening covering material like tissue or silk used in the manufacture of model aeroplanes, or for sealing balsa wood.

From 1940 to 1945 the Exhibition Building was occupied by the Royal Australian Air Force as a training school. About 500 to 700 men lived in for varying periods of time. When the floorboards on the balcony level of the Great Hall were replaced as part of the restoration program, many items dating back to the 1940s were found. These provide an insight into the lifestyle and interests of RAAF personnel stationed in the building.

Physical Description

Small slim bottle, corked, containing Model Aeroplane Dope used by airmen who were billetted in the Exhibition Building, Melbourne, during the Second World War. Label mouse eaten. Buff label with black text. Maximum volume of the bottle is approximately 50mL; bottle contains approximately 15mL of liquid and solid green/blue material identified by FTIR as cellulose nitrate based.

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