... though the page ironbutt57 linked to is somewhat useful as it very often used for those still peddling the idea AF447 entered the storm.
Originally Posted by Tim Vasquez
Some examples of weather-induced inflight breakups at higher altitudes are Northwest Flight 705 which was downed at FL250 in the Everglades in 1963; NLM Flight 431 which crashed in the Netherlands inside a thunderstorm; and Pulkovo Aviation Flight 612.
Northwest 705 was high altitude upset that resulted in low altitude break-up
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The unfavourable interaction of severe vertical air drafts and large longitudinal control displacements resulting in a longitudinal "upset" from which a successful recovery was not made."
Who would have thought it is possible to make large longitudinal control displacement with yoke?
NLM 431 hit tornado, not something you meet at high levels. I can't find exact reference what was its altitude at the time but I don't expect that flight shorter than 100 km would climb very high.
Pulkovo 612 is example of trying to climb above ceiling in aeroplane that is prone to deep stalls. I couldn't find any reference to in-flight disintegration or any damage prior to ground contact in flat spin.
I cannot doubt Tim Vasquez's expertize on meteorology but filing these accidents under "high altitude weather-induced breakups" is quite a bit of stretch.
While AF447 operated in the area of storm activity, all the data collected so far point that the crew was aware of the severe weather and circumnavigated it successfully. "Don't fly into storm" is valid lesson yet it was heeded by the AF447 crew so you can't make them poster-children for it.