ASM: Providing around-the-clock repair for Team Mildenhall, transient aircraft

  • Published
  • By Karen Abeyasekere
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  When an aircraft here recently suffered a birdstrike - causing a 10-inch hole - it was quickly put back into operation by the 100th Maintenance Squadron Aircraft Structural Maintenance shop.

"We had to cut out the damage, remove the bird, and manufacture parts to refit and repair the hole," said Master Sgt. Michael Turner, 100th MXS Aircraft Structural Maintenance corrosion control NCO in charge of the 24/7 shop.

Having this capability meant the aircraft was quickly back to being mission-ready.

The aircraft structural maintenance shop is divided into corrosion control and sheet metal, and between them they provide required structural maintenance for airframes including KC-135 Stratotankers and MC-130 Combat Shadows and Combat Talons.

Located in Hangar 814, corrosion control has one prep booth and two individual paint booths. The prep booth is used to perform sanding and masking of equipment parts, including transforming aerospace ground equipment from green to grey. According to a change in the technical manual, the new grey color better matches the flightline and doesn't stand out as it did when painted green.

The team uses orbital sanders along with an aluminum oxide blaster in the main (prep) blaster booth. One of the paint booths can be made into a curing room, allowing parts to be put under extreme heat, like a giant oven, which ensures the paint is properly fixed and set.

Having separate paint and prep booths allows for better paint jobs, so the newly-sprayed equipment doesn't end up covered in particles from the sanding.

Structural maintenance is also responsible for printing the decals and stencils, such as the 'Square D' on RAF Mildenhall's KC-135 tail flashes, which are used to put numbers and nose art or tail flash designs onto the aircraft.

"Every time we get a 'new' aircraft rotating through, we have to redo the nose and tail for local markings," Turner said, explaining how the KC-135s here are transformed into the familiar Square-D-marked jets.

He added that they also make aircraft parts, manufacture new 'skins,' install fasteners and perform composite fiberglass work. Additionally, the aircraft structural maintenance members assist with painting the aircraft in Hangar 814. During the isochronal inspections, they perform corrosion prevention touch-ups and beautification of the aircraft. This is done off-shift so only corrosion control personnel will be in the hangar, locating bare metal areas, prepping, priming and painting aircraft parts.

Tech. Sgt. Robert Madsen, 100th MXS Aircraft Structural Maintenance corrosion control craftsman, said he enjoys his work.

"I chose this career field because of how hands-on with the aircraft it is," he said. "It instills a sense of pride when you finish repairing a (jet)."

Madsen said as well as running day-to-day operations and ordering supplies and equipment, he's also responsible for scheduling aircraft painting and washing, and mentoring younger Airmen, passing on his pride and knowledge of the job.

"We have a great team here," Turner said. "This is one of the few career fields where we have to physically make something out of nothing - and these guys do it very well every day."