bearfoil:
...there is no visual evidence the joins were supported other than by mere attachment to the HOOPS...
Brawn is much more than skin deep!
Just the female lugs that are situated between and joined to the massive frames (not mere hoops) are each 82 kg of forged AlZn5.5MgCu/(B).
Here's how the frames for the (smaller) A400M appear:
You can get a glimpse of them within A6-ERG's (Melbourne tailstrike) section 19:
