Military AI Works

Scavenged Parts Put Bone in Air Again: Airmen-blue suit and civilian-have taken some extraordinary steps to get a damaged B-1B bomber in condition to fly from Andersen AFB, Guam, where it has remained for about two years since it suffered a brake failure and subsequent extensive fire damage, to Tinker AFB, Okla., where Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center technicians will fully restore it to operational service. First, the workers had to remove parts, including a right wing, from B-1s at the Boneyard at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center in Arizona, getting them ready for transport to California, where they transferred the parts to a ship for the two-month journey to Guam. Once at Guam, the workers carefully choreographed movement of the wide load to avoid traffic and power lines and other encumbrances. Meanwhile, USAF had to airlift needed tools from another Bone repair job in Diego Garcia. Once the replacement wing was at Andersen, airmen from the 554th RED HORSE moved it into position via a large crane. And, MSgt. John Stemple reports this was the first occasion in which USAF has replaced the wing on a B-1B in field conditions. The ALC expects to have the bomber repairs completed at Tinker by summer 2008.

From AF Daily Report 5 Dec 07

that should have been a nice sight to see i guess!! but why put that wing on a boat when you have c5 and c 17's at your disposal?? you could deliver that wing next to your broken down plane and save a couple of months and hassels with transporting it from a harbour to the airfield

greetz jw

I don't know that it would fit. IIRC some wings are moved with some kind of external carriage device. I may be wrong, but I thought Airbus wings were moved that way.

Marv is right. Airbus use barges for the A380 wings:


http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pr ... Tests.html


Other wings are air freighted using the Beluga aircraft built by Airbus for that use.

John

ok good point, the transport dolly for that one wouldnt fit inta a c5 i guess. ah the wonderful world of logistics......

greetz jw

Now maybe if Lockheed had that heavy lifter blimp ready, they could have saved some time Of course, a blimp trip from the continental USA all the way to Guam does not sound like too much fun.