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Show HILLTOP TIMES } TIMES Feb. 16, 2012 BACK ON DISPLAY At left, Anthony Birch, Sure Steel Inc. worker, examines the bolts as the first stage of a Peacekeeper Missile static display model is applied to its base near Building 1575 on Feb. 3. Above, workers tighten the bolts. Immediately below, a Minuteman static display is steadied in preparation for its base. However further stabilization was needed for the base and work was not completed on the second display on this date. ALEX R. LLOYD/U.S. Air Force At left, Sure Steel employees work to align the last of the 40 bolts that hold the Peacekeeper Missile to its base. At far left, the first stage of the Peacekeeper is guided into place. Service Life Extension Program for A-10 wings now complete BY MARY Lou GORNY Hilltop Times editor R oughly 12 years ago the A-10 Wing Shop opened its doors to extend the life of the A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, or Warthogs as they are affectionately known. The last of the thin-skinned earlier versions of its aluminum wings, just finished a Service Life Extension Program, or SLEP. "From this point on we'll just be doing Scheduled Structural Inspections (regular depot maintenance) and this will be the last one that we put through the SLEP modification," said Dee Mackliet, director, 574th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. On Jan. 29 photos were taken of the shop personnel assembled around that last wing. Randy Johnson, A-10 Section Chief, praised his personnel. "From my perspective the important focus is our workforce has done a tremendous job on what is a real complex feat of working on the thin skins — it's complex work and time consuming to do." The thin skin on the A-10's earliest models was a straight skin, or two-hundredth thousandths of an inch, throughout of the aluminum sheets which make up the wing. See SLEP I page 8 TODD CROMAR/U.S. Air Force Randy Johnson, A-10 Section Chief, points out some of the improvements on Jan. 29 to the last A-10 wing improved as part of the Service Life Extension Program in the A-10 Wing Shop. Bands of stainless steel are incorporated into the wing. |