Storm damaged RAF E3 returns to service soon!

Admin Location : Abu Dhabi

An E-3 damaged in a storm at RAF Waddington when a towing arm struck and punctured the the aircraft, should shortly be back in service after 2 years of repairs.

Pictures were circulated on the net showing the damaged aircraft, but soon disappeared... Storm damaged RAF E3 returns to service soon! 294955

Storm damaged RAF E3 returns to service soon! 294955

Full story on MOD Website

Moderator Location : Between Coventry and Leicester

2 years to repair a hole is a bit of a joke.

Location : Lincolnshire Spotter Watch Member : Yes

vulcan558 wrote:: 2 years to repair a hole is a bit of a joke.

When i was on a tour of waddington last year we were lucky enough to have a look around grumpy and they said it got hit at the worst possible place. Thats why its taken so long

Had its first test flight after repair on 2nd Sept

Subject: Re: Storm damaged RAF E3 returns to service soon! 2009-09-22, 12:59

bolty wrote:

vulcan558 wrote:: 2 years to repair a hole is a bit of a joke.

When i was on a tour of waddington last year we were lucky enough to have a look around grumpy and they said it got hit at the worst possible place. Thats why its taken so long

Had its first test flight after repair on 2nd Sept

2 Years !!!!!

Location : Nearly in Cambridgeshire

As Bolty has pointed out it was a big job. I was also lucky enough to be given access to the aircraft under what was reconstruction rather than repair last year. Each piece of new metal was hand formed and had to be approved by the appropriate authorites, and we all know how quick they can be. Futhermore there was a large amount of damage done to the internal structure, and to several wiring looms, all of which had to be removed to allow repair, then reformed and replaced.

All in all two years was quite a good turn around considering the work that had to be undertaken. Rather than bemoan the fact, perhaps praise should be bestowed on the personnel who took this task on, and completed it to such an exacting standard.

Location : London Spotter Watch Member : Not yet

The contract to repair the Airframe was only awarded to Boeing from memory in Dec 07, and they stripped the airframe out completely, as was mentioned in the post by father when it made its first flight wherever that thread appeared.

TS

Location : Lincolnshire

Considering the structural damage and the fact that the jet was very close to being written off and the fact that a large number of components had to be manufactured from scratch by the Workshops team at Waddo, I would say that 2 years fairly good going. Take into consideration that the RAF is fairly stretched else where, 2 years to get the job done right is better than having the jet scrapped.

Dinger.

Location : E Dereham Norfolk Spotter Watch Member : No

Yes but..no but!!....Isn't there some talk of 'reducing/mothballing' some of the E3 fleet ???

Location : Lincolnshire

The aircraft will remain, however the number of crews will be reduced.

Dinger.

Location : Anglesey Spotter Watch Member : no

vulcan558 wrote:: 2 years to repair a hole is a bit of a joke.

Nothing suprising from rss.. Lets see how long it takes to fix the red painted hawk sat in Gib with a huge hole in its nose eh... Storm damaged RAF E3 returns to service soon! 294955