Well, coming out of Split in a C130 a few years ago we had a similar incident. Following a procedural departure, a route check as well, nothing severe showing on (lets face it a crap e290) radar. We hit the most severe turbulence and hail I have experienced going back some 40 years!. The pax, all marines, were strapped in and thought it was great fun. We had no indicatios of damage in the cockpit so continued to Edinbrough. On taxying in the marshallers eyes were like organ stops!! When we looked the nose cone was completely shredded, spinners dented, IR pods trashed and leading edges dented in a few places!!! There was no change to the radar picture even with this nose cone damage. If there was an easy way of posting pictures I could show you this lot.
The point is, don't blame the pilots, there may not have been anythign showing on the radar. Its all too easy these days to point the finger without knowing the full facts.
