Kilwhang,
Back in the day, being employed as a "tank rat" came with the bonus of MIS04 (Pay for work of an objectionable nature). Curiously, the many layers of skin I lost from fuel burns paled to insignificance when later I was payed the same allowance every day I was "down route" as the A/F schedule required the Elsan was "revived"
I have no doubt that those of us who ground out the corrosion were convinced that it originated from within the material. Particularly when we found the same problem in the lower planking of the dry bays. Here's one for your memory, and I admit I can't be sure, did the externals have the strontium cartridges fitted ? My suspicion is that they did not, and that because the material quality was of a higher standard, and obviously, externals were rarely used, except when the Falklands came along. I offer something of a tragedy from Circa 1972 ;
An engineering disaster had occurred at mighty Lyneham field. Some numpty had been doing some pressure tests on the wing tanks on an Albert. Having completed the tests, the aircraft was taken outside for refuelling. Our hero failed to remove the vent Bungs which allowed the tanks to be pressurised (with me yet ?). Bowser starts pumping, slow rate of fuel flow, bowser driver revs up and bang goes a large section of lower wing plank. Corrosion ? No, he left the blanks in. So, Colerne are detailed to supply an outer wing for the aircraft from the last aircraft we received for service (longest recovery from the rob). Duly done, with many hours of overtime, we were pleased to send the wing to our mates at Lyneham on a "queen Mary"? Imagine our dismay when we were informed that it had been written off in a collision with a cement mixer lorry on the roundabout in Lyneham village. I can find no reference to the event on the web, so cannot substantiate my memory. I do know that my proposed deployment from Colerne to Lyneham, to fit the replacement outer wing, was cancelled for some strange reason.
I'm damn sure that Albert has provided many similar incidents during its long time in RAF service. I bet Gopher01 has a few worthy tales, particularly from Thorney Island days. And how about AA62, was the teckie side supportive at Fairford, or did similar disasters happen? I'm damn sure that 70 at Akrotiri must have had some "interesting" times (from personal experience). I shared a room in singly accommodation with two blokes off 70 who didn't realise they had two different aircraft (Whistling tit and Albert) go figure, as they say!
Smudge
