Damage repairs

[JG1_Vonrd]

Does anyone have photos of aircraft after having damage field repaired? I can find lots of damaged ones before being repaired (most of them pretty alarming... i'd need a new set of underwear!).

 

I'm an A&P/IA and I know how the repairs would most likely be done (refer to "Aircraft Inspection, Repair & Alterations: Acceptable Methods, Techniques & Practices (FAA AC 43.13-1B and 43.13-2B").

 

I'd just like to know if they bothered re-painting, left bare aluminum or just applied primer? If primer, did the Luftwaffe use zinc chromate (green) primer? I would imagine all of the above depending on the urgency / time available.

 

I'm sure there was also common cannibalization of unserviceable wrecks which would mean paint mis-matches.

[BlackHellHound1]

Repaired planes are often hard to spot. They have repainted parts to match the existing camouflage or parts from planes with the same camo in the first place. However, if you know what to look for, you can find some planes with replaced elements.

The best examples I can quickly think of are Hubert Mutherich's E-7 (left aileron) and two IL-2 AM-38F model 1943's (mismatched paint all over the plane) (one of these is in the game). Both of these show mismatched paint on various panels and control surfaces.

 

 



 

 

http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/il-2/il2-camo/8gvshap-24al/8gvshap-24al.html

 

 

BlackHellHound1

 

 

 

[JG1_Vonrd]

Thanks BHH!

 

Yeah, the repairs are pretty subtle. This is what I think it would look like:

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000823168L.html

 

but this isn't really battle damage repair.

 

Kind of sad that there aren't really any examples of the efforts of the ground crews to repair the extensive damage. Plenty of images of how bad the damage was... but none to document how the crews managed to "Keep 'em Flying".

 

Guess I'm biased, but Maintenance never gets the glory.

[BlackHellHound1]

It is often not worth repairing. Replacing is much faster and more reliable.

Heavily damaged parts need nearly complete rebuilding in order to become safe again. That could take days while replacing could be done in a few hours.

There was simply no reason to repair a plane unless it was light damage. Small bullet holes that only affect the thin metal skin of the plane are usually patched and repainted. They are done quite quickly. Larger repairs take too long. 

 

You have to keep in mind that this is wartime. Replacement parts are often widely available and the quicker a plane can fly the better.

 

BlackHellHound1