F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue - Gizmodo Comments

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

TrevorAutomedon — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:22:58 EDT

It's difficult to see, but it appears Raptor AIM-9 launcher opens the bay doors and articulates the missile out into the airstreams and holds it there to allow AIM-9 seeker head acquisition. Video seemed to show bay door open, missile away, bay door closing; in one smooth motion ~ 3-4 seconds. Helmet sighting in F-22 future requires open weapon bay doors. Fair enough. Regarding ultimate (future) missile seeker head fields of view(s), nod would have to go to Flanker. Please understand that available video material is/has been crucial in conjunction with the vast volumes of written material on allowing some depth on the subject. I am forced at this point, to stand behind my outlines and observations. As with any complex engineering problem, unique capabilities can pose unique challenges and always involve compromise. In my view Raptors 'elements of surprise' will diminish quickly within the lifetime of the airframe in the realities of the global arms market(s), and what we're left with is...the compromises. - Olaf Brescia / Sacramento, CA

TrevorAutomedon

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

TrevorAutomedon — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:14:42 EDT

The new Lockeed-Martin F-22A Fighter Plane tactical use issues (never mind F-35, as they are too numerous to warrant discussion) may be: 1) Primary main weapon range / Newton's second law of motion. 2) ECM detection of mid-course update transmission(s) for main weapon. 3) Thermal signature(s) of platform & main weapon. 4) Daylight/Moonlight contrail(s) of platform & main weapon. 5) Super-cruise only at high altitude / Afterburning turbo-jet like engines. 6) Kinematics 7) Detect Radar Resolution Filtration Reason(s): 1) Primary main weapon range / Newton's second law of motion: Primary weapon is a medium-range-class missile. That's too short. F-22 proponents recognize this but say Raptor fly's so fast/high it 'pushes' (effectively extending the range of) the AIM-120 missile, into opponents. Issues are: combined closure rate (attacker vs. defender), pilot maneuverability limits because of speed/G-loads (if Raptor still moving +550 knots after "push"), thermal airframe heating due to air friction and hot exhaust exposure (during merge). Effectively F-22 presents itself as a target by hurtling towards an opponent. This whole this boils down to this. If F-22 press their attack, closure rates are so high and air-to-air weapons malfunctions (missiles fly wide) such a regular occurrence (on both sides) that F-22 aircrews will be in a dogfight (the merge) within moments after calling "fox-3". Against the advanced Sukhoi Su-30, 33, 35 Flanker series fighter, this is truly a nightmare scenario for DoD. 2) ECM detection of mid-course update transmission(s) for main weapon: Flanker will most certainly be equipped with a Threat Warning System that listens for Raptors AIM-120 mid-course update (data burst/handshake transmission) after F-22 weapon release. From here two (2) things could happen: First, Threat Warning System triggers automatic release of expendables (chaff/flares). See reference, pg 41 (a). Second, Flanker pilot then initiates a defensive 'beaming' / 'beam-turn' / 'Doppler turn' maneuver to defeat the AIM-120 shot. See reference, pg 36-37 (a) & pg 97 (b). 3) Thermal signature(s) of platform & main weapon via IRST. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infra-red_search_and_track Flanker uses IRST as primary system for gun firing solution. Development/advancement cycles for IRST systems languished till the mid 80s. Now these systems have seen resurgence. Improvements now would be orders of magnitude more frequent than possible F-22 airframe changes, combined with IR-versions of the R-77 (R-77T) missile being the first problem. The second is Flanker radar (slaved to IRST). The IRST may see something and then point its radar straight at F-22, (straight to 'track'). 4) Daylight/Moonlight contrail(s) of platform & main weapon: Self-evident (anything that goes supersonic at higher altitudes creates contrails, even smokeless rocket engine of AIM-120). Raptor engines also produce contrails. These can be seen for miles. Plane/pilot/weapon telegraph not only their presents, numbers, tactics, but behaviors(s). 5) Super-cruise only at high altitude / Afterburning engines: F-22 engines (the key to its high altitude super cruise capability) are low bypass engines. They require more use of reheat (afterburner) at lower maneuvering speed and/or altitudes, more a throw back to the older turbo-JET engine. Turbo-jets are thin air engines. Raptor proponents say it has the best thrust-weight ratio of any current/future fighter. What they fail to mention is only-at-high-altitude (!), otherwise its engine performance is more akin to say a Mig-25 (afterburner behavior). Hence heavy reheat use (and soot) is plainly evident, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUgPscDjf7U 6) Kinematics: The F-22 is described as having superior Kinematics. They may mean it can roll and change flight direction in the (positive-G) pitch axis very quickly. This augment is a bit of a mystery, since kinematics is the study space-time relationship of a given motion without the action of forces; no friction (drag), no gravity. Also F-22 unusual 'speed-brake' control scheme (taxing existing control surfaces with no additional aerodynamic 'pop-out' device) may reveal its true nature. What we are likely dealing with the F-22, is an aircraft more akin to the Lockheed YF-12, than the plane it's said to replace, the F-15. 7) Detect Radar Resolution Filtration: Radar resolution can be adjusted so every object from a raindrop/hailstone/dragonfly can be seen. Computer power may already be available to filter any objects with non-organic-like-motion, like an aircraft. These should be your F-22s. (or inversely the 'False-Positive'; pointing radar at contrail producing object and NOT getting the expected radar return). Raptor uses something called Top-Coat on its airframe. How long this coating lasts with repeated excursions (sandblasting) through the Mach.understandably they aren't saying. Lastly: If Raptor is to be flown at high altitudes/speed verses planes like Flanker a situation similar to what occurred in the early stages of the Falkland conflict could emerge. Argentine Mirages stayed at high altitudes while Royal Navy Harriers remained at medium altitudes (neither side content to give away his advantage) in what is best described as a series of 'non-engagements'. All Flanker (and Mig-31) really need to do is scare off our AWACS, Joint Stars, and tanker aircraft. Bottom line is the next war will likely start and end during the flight time of say an ultra long range Russian Ks-172 and/or Kh-31. - Olaf Brescia / Sacramento, CA Reference(s): a) Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units In Combat- Cooper, Tom; Bishop, Farzad; Osprey Publishing, 2004. b) ...And Kill MiGs, Air to Air Combat From Vietnam to the Gulf War (3rd), Squadron/Signal Publications, Lou Drendel. c) Air War South Atlantic - Ethell, Jeffrey L.; Price, Alfred - New York, NY, USA: MacMillan, 1983. d) Iranian F-4 Fhantom II Units In Combat- Cooper, Tom; Bishop, Farzad; Osprey Publishing, 2003. e) Arab Mig-19 and Mig-21 Units In Combat- Cooper, Tom; Nicolle, David; Osprey Publishing, 2004. f) Wings of the Red Star; Box set, NTSC; Rating: Discovery Channel; VHS Release Date: March 17, 1998. Narration by Sir Peter Ustinov. g) Fighter Wing: A Guided Tour of an Air Force Combat Wing - Clancy, Tom; Penguin Group, 1995.

TrevorAutomedon

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

r1chard — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:38:29 EDT

@yehoni: Umm. the F-14s are not ALL scrapped, just on their way. I drive by 30-40 of them on my way to work. They are stored at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson and are just a 100-yards in from the fence along Kolb road. They stopped scrapping about 6-8 months ago.

r1chard

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

kevman90 — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 05:22:26 EDT

@chilicoke: You obviously have no sense of humor at all.

kevman90

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

The7-2Experience — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:34:03 EDT

@mno-net

F-22's haven't been flown in any Red Flag exercise because they're too good that it would ruin the training for the other pilots. The AF is still trying to figure out the best way to incorporate them (that and there weren't really any F-22s to participate in 2006--AK didn't get them to this past summer).

When they do participate in exercises, the F-22s shoot down everything before they're even seen. As an F-15 pilot, Swedish pilot, or a pilot of whatever plane, you can't fight what you can't see, and you can't see F-22s. Not to mention the fact that F-22s do things (reach higher altitudes, pull more gs, bank harder, etc) that no other plane can do. It wouldn't be a fair fight even without the stealth technology. Of course, that's kind of the point.

The7-2Experience

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Frumious_Bandersnatch — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:25:57 EDT

@mno.net:
This information about the Gripen seems to be erroneous/fabricated. I couldn't find any specific information about how the Gripen performed other than that its "small radar cross section caused problems for the red team (who's members were not named)". Nothing about the F-16 and how the Gripen totally dominated it or whatever you were saying. I found some he-said she-said that the Gripen pilots said they could out turn the Vipers and the Viper pilots said they could out turn the Gripen, but that's it. And this was off a Swedish site.

I also don't think its presumptuous at all to say the F-22 the deadliest and most survivable fighter in modern combat. The F-22 has a powerful radar and is the stealthiest plane yet produced, combine that with AMRAAM missiles and combatants are likely to be destroyed long before visual contact is made for a dog fight. When you research it thoroughly you can't come to any other conclusion.

As a side note, Europeans constantly stereotyping Americans as cocky/fat/ignorant is itself cocky, fatheaded, ignorant and arrogant.

Frumious_Bandersnatch

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

chilicoke — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 13:49:30 EDT

I honest can't believe most of the comments in this section. This isn't your typical "glue" we are talking about here, but adhesive specific designed for its given task.

There are many cases when adhesives (or if you want to call it "glue") holds better than other methods, especially on areas that have irregular shapes. Boats/yachts are glued together, even Lotus Elise's body is glued onto its chassis with adhesives.

chilicoke

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Seanross — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 13:09:51 EDT

Like a COD4 quote said.
"Always remember you weapon was made by the lowest bidder"

Seanross

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Ednonymous — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 22:39:43 EDT

Scrap them all and buy SU-35s with Prat & Whitney engines and all-western avionics.

Ednonymous

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

mno.net — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:35:31 EDT

@bigMoneyMIKE: I'm not saying that the F-22 isn't bad ass. Despite ever having flown one, I'm pretty certain that it's an excellent plane. ;)

However my previous comment stands. I find it presumptuous to call the F-22 "The Best". Especially since previously many American voices has called the F-16 a superior fighter to JAS 39... which in any and all exercises has proven to be incorrect.

None the less, I will agree to the F-22 looking really bad ass. How it performs remains to be seen.

mno.net

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Razta — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:23:51 EDT

What tape does Nascar use to keep thier cars together??

Razta

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

zenpoet — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:07:17 EDT

@Auld_Lang_Ziety: Care Bear blood. Its both highly adhesive, and difficult to detect with modern equipment.

zenpoet

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

bigMoneyMIKE — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:55:06 EDT

@mno.net: Dude, I hate to burst your bubble, but the Raptor is one seriously bad ass motherfucker of a plane. Dual engine, very fast coupled with advanced weapons systems and the best use of stealth in the world. Im sure the plane you are referring to in Sweden is nice and all, but you can not say the Raptor isnt bad ass.

Optimus Prime: AUTOBOTS, roll out!

bigMoneyMIKE

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

bandit — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:53:40 EDT

@faabshaam: That wasn't duct tape, it was "speed tape" and it is permitted to be used on airliners for temporary repairs.

[en.wikipedia.org]

bandit

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

rihahn — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:41:19 EDT

I was in the US sub force for several years and was on the commissioning crew for the USS Pennsylvania - so I spent a lot of time in the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard... Anyways, the duct-tape comments are funny and all, but we're dealing with a government contractor here and they have *much* better tape.

GenDyn has something we called "EB Green" - kinda looks like green duct tape, but you could unroll a couple feet, stick one end to the side of an overhead beam, and immediately swing from the other end. I could tell you some really fascinating stories about EBGreen's ability to withstand water pressure, but it's classified. :)

Even the public sector has some amazing tapes. 3M has a clear, double sided tape that they use to hold the bodies of buses onto the frames.

So as shenanigans61 points out, this isn't some case of grade school rubber cement failing, this was probably some kind of highly scientific (read "expensive") adhesive purpose-built for the job... They'll just re-design the adhesive, pull the panels off the planes, and re stick them.

rihahn

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

shenanigans61 — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:59:44 EDT

@Git Em SteveDave: You know, there's an interesting story to that, too.
During development, Kelly Johnson actually offered ANYONE $100 out of his pocket for finding a substance or way to truly seal the tanks. That offer was never redeemed. So it was bumped to $500, which was also never redeemed. Thus, leaving the majestic Habu leaking JP7 everywhere. :)

Give it a break people.
This isn't like "Oh, doop. We need to put 4 grams of Elmer's here instead of 3.5. Duh."
It's more like, "Oh, poop. Our research team found that beyond 200*F, and above 50,000 feet with humidity at less than 3%, the glue we use can fail at 900 lb of force instead of 1000 lb."

shenanigans61

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

ninjatales — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:52:49 EDT

Where's macgyvver when you need him.

ninjatales

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

gqcarrick — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:22:56 EDT

Gee I hope the same thing doesn't happen when the Air Force awards the contract for the new Air Refueling planes to Lockheed since the airframes are coming from Airbus!

gqcarrick

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Git Em SteveDave is a poor substitute for LindsayJoy — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:10:15 EDT

@frigg: It's not as easy as you think. You have to make a glue that withstands thousands of degrees, and also freezing temps. And it has to be able to cycle as the sun comes into and out of view.

Just for everyones info. The SR-71 takes off with fuel dripping from almost every seam of it's tanks. They have to take-off, build up some speed, and wait for the friction to heat up the airframe. Only then do the tanks seal, and they proceed to mid-air re-fuel. Since it's design, they have YET to create a sealant which can withstand the normal operating temps a SR-71 goes through.

Git Em SteveDave is a poor substitute for LindsayJoy

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Digital Freak — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:06:59 EDT

Hmmm, billions of $$$ later and it's a piece of crap?!?
Sad, def. sad!

Digital Freak

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Claystil — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:03:15 EDT

@mcowan3: don't worry, no-bid contracts even things out.

Claystil

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

phantam — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:55:48 EDT

how did they manage to run off 30 of the damn planes with the bad glue? i mean jesus their charging over 130 million a piece and using crap glue...

and no counter sunk screws cant hold the shielding, even those would resonate radar signatures instead of absorbing it.

phantam

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

yehoni — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:50:28 EDT

@rdldr1: You're off by almost an order of magnitude. The cost for one F-22 beyond the number Congress has already committed to buying (meaning the production costs are virtually identical, but the R&D costs have already been covered) would be $138 million. Not a cheap plane, by any means, but over $860 million shy of your figure.

yehoni

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

misterwho — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:50:19 EDT

There is big profit in this. Who wants to go take a tube of JB Weld to the Pentagon? You'll never have to work again.

misterwho

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

yehoni — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:47:03 EDT

@uberfu: The F-14s are all scrapped. The F-15s are still around, but since one of them fell apart in mid-air a few months ago (and I don't mean lost some coating, like this, I mean fell apart, as in cockpit went right, wings went left), I'd say we need a replacement for them soon.

yehoni

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

rdldr1 — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:26:51 EDT

That is terrible, especially each F-22 costs about a $billion each, not counting research costs.

rdldr1

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Bos'un's Mate — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:26:50 EDT

Bos'un's Mate

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

tegronin — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:21:58 EDT

@mcowan3:
yes, this is a good reminder that your wepaon is always made byt he lowest bidder.
why?
because if the public knew of an offering to build the plane for less, we'd all bitch and moan about the fact that the more expensive contract was selected.

$5000 toilet seats? sure, you have to think about all the committees and all the chains of procurement, the background checks to make sure the seat isn't molded c4, etc etc etc.

didn't some tiles fall off the shuttle a while ago? all the billions of dollars and nasa can't get tiles to stick either.

tegronin

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

hoselshaft — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:07:03 EDT

the ejection seat works fine...'trust us'

hoselshaft

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

atomx — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:01:51 EDT

Crap! How are we supposed to take over the world NOW?

atomx

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

frigg — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:49:42 EDT

Has there ever been a shuttle mission where the glue holding on the outer tiles didn't fail for at least some of them on reentry?

Anyone who flies an aircraft and expects to land with all the parts they had when they took off is just a big fat wuss. As long as it's got one engine and its cup holder intact, what's the harm?!

frigg

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

mcowan3 — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:39:56 EDT

Thank God for the lowest bidder policy of Defense Contracting. Like my Dad always told me "You get exactly what you pay for." Thats why I buy the $5,000 toilet seat from the Army contracting company. Even though it looks just like the one down at Home Depot, you just know it's better. Is there any other reason people can think of why the US went with Airbus (I think) for their new tanker, as opposed to using old (un)reliable US companies that think they are entitled to the contract. I would otherwise agree that it should go to a US company because of security issues, but you need to feel secure that the product will be able to perform and get to its destination in one piece. These companies are in it for the profit (which is what their shareholders want), but there has to be some amount of national pride and knowing that you did a complete and functional job for a reasonable price, as opposed to gouging the government. End Rant.

mcowan3

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

m4ximusprim3 — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:35:13 EDT

I was hoping for a pic of the villain from the rocketeer when he realizes there's no bubblegum on the hole in the fuel tank.

m4ximusprim3

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

rainfever — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:21:12 EDT

wait wait, isn't this the airplane that supposed to serve as lead-baddass until 2040?

I guess everyone has to go through puberty...

rainfever

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Evangelion — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:16:09 EDT

@JumpinJ: lol! Duct tape FTW!

Evangelion

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

ripfire — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:14:29 EDT

That's what they get for using sticky rice as adhesive. Damn these budget cuts.

ripfire

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Git Em SteveDave is a poor substitute for LindsayJoy — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:14:17 EDT

You see, it's called 100mph tape for a reason. You need 1000mph tape.

Git Em SteveDave is a poor substitute for LindsayJoy

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

riqgeez — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:09:00 EDT

Home Depot has Gorilla Glue!

riqgeez

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

FredicvsMaximvs — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:08:32 EDT

Oooooh, I see: it's 'cause they used metric glue on an imperial plane.

FredicvsMaximvs

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

mno.net — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:04:14 EDT

The F22 Raptor is supposed to be Air Superiority fighter.
It's proclaimed to be "The best in the world".

I guess that it's just "normal" American cockiness. Sweden has produced the JAS 39 Gripen. Gripen was a part of Red Flag Alaska 2006 and beat out all the other planes, F-16 (both old and new versions) and F/A-18. Partly due to extreme difficulty for the American fighters to lock on to the "small" Gripen. Also partly due to the Gripen's communication link not being hindered by adhering to old NATO standard, which helps giving the Gripen way better SA.

I'm certain that the F-22 is a very good plane, but to call it "the best" is a tad presumptuous until it's tested in a Red Flag event or something similar.

Then again, being a Swede I'm pretty biased in favor of the Gripen. ;)

Fun facts:
A lot of the parts on the Gripen are actually American, but not extremely central components like the avionics.
Sweden is one of the few countries that have the same cooperation regarding defence material with USA as for example the UK.
Sweden produces alot of excellent war material, like the HMS Gotland a sub that managed to sink the USS Ronald Reagan in simulated war game. A first I believe.

mno.net

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

NutManIV — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:59:23 EDT

Wow good job lockheed martin.

This will really help the US military choose american companies over foreign ones in the future. /sarcasm much

NutManIV

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

JChristopher — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:48:42 EDT

@68newyorker:

Patch over? LOL. So 70s in technology.

Actually the adhesives are super strong. If stuff is coming off:

Bad batch of adhesive
Misapplied or not enough/too much
Pilots pulling more g's than spec

Catch it now before going to war!

JChristopher

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

CODIFEROUS — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:43:18 EDT

Bad glue?

Did we have the Russians build them for us??

CODIFEROUS

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

wjousts — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:42:10 EDT

@faabshaam: My second cousin used to work for Rolls Royce and he once told me of a plane that was in for engine work from a major Asian airline where some enterprising mechanic had apparently taken the belt of his pants and used it to strap part of the engine together. Apparently it flew like that at least back to Rolls for an engine overhaul.

wjousts

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

68newyorker — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:41:28 EDT

@JChristopher: Nah, they still show up. A perfectly smooth (or as near as is possible) surface is part of the technology.

OTH, idiot gaffs are nothing new to the weapons industry. I'd be shocked if stuff hadn't started to fall off the new birds.

68newyorker

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

JChristopher — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:31:32 EDT

@Auld_Lang_Ziety:

Counter sunk screws?

JChristopher

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Auld_Lang_Ziety — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:28:59 EDT

C'mon guys - part of the airframe did NOT fall off. The glue failed on the Low Observable coating - in other words a piece of the stealth skin came off.

Question - if you want a plane to be stealthy and metal rivets or bolts show up on radar reflections, how do attach the radar-absorbing skin if you don't use glue?

Auld_Lang_Ziety

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

packetsniffer — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:26:02 EDT

MacGyver could have fixed this during his prime.

packetsniffer

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

brianhatch — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:25:46 EDT

Looks like I picked the wrong day to quit sniffing glue

brianhatch

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

strider_mt2k — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:16:13 EDT

cRaptor?

Not good. :(

strider_mt2k

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Munch the BanNail — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:09:01 EDT

With the way the govt spends our money, they probably payed $13,478.19 per fl oz of that glue.

Munch the BanNail

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

faabshaam — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:02:08 EDT

A good friend of mine is an aircraft mechanic, he once told me of an aircraft (for a major airlines company) that he had to fly back to the main hangar. It had a hole in the wing, his temporary fix so he could fly it for the 1 hour flight? Duct Tape.

You'd be surprised how much of a plane is held together by glue.

faabshaam

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

JordyO — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:59:07 EDT

Who in the sweet-blue-hell thought it was a good idea to glue a fighter jet? Hell, model planes can't even withstand abuse let alone something that's going to be shot at!

JordyO

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

Colonel35 — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:59:00 EDT

In Lockheed's defense, each delivered plane goes for only $135M. You can't honestly expect them to go all out with SuperGlue for that kind of budget.

Colonel35

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

SalParadise — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:50:47 EDT

*sniff* Man, that glue was *sniff sniff* WAY too good to *sniff* waste on an airplane!

SalParadise

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

uberfu — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:26:15 EDT

Hopefully they haven't scrapped all of the F-14s and F-15s just yet_

Anyone know how long it take to re-glue all 30 F-22s back together again?

uberfu

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

ViperBorg — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:13:14 EDT

Holy crap. That's generally not a good thing.

ViperBorg

F-22 Raptor Airframes Falling Apart Due to Bad Glue

JumpinJ — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:06:14 EDT

Sounds like a job for duct tape.

JumpinJ