MXS fabrication flight keeps tankers flying

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jessica Lockoski
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
When people put together a jigsaw puzzle; if one piece is missing, the picture isn't complete.

The same theory can be said about a KC-135 Stratotanker; if one piece is missing, the jet may not lift off the runway. Lucky for the almost 60-year-old aircraft fleet, the 22nd Maintenance Squadron's fabrication flight uses their skills to design, mold, modify and repair parts, so even one, formerly circular-piece can fit in to a square notch.

"Some of us like to think that the components and work that make up the fabrication flight are the last art form left in the Air Force," said Tech Sgt. Henry Burns, 22nd Structural Maintenance shop.

Sergeant Burns is referring to the creative skills of Airmen in the fabrication flight. It is these skills which give them the ability to bow and manipulate metal into any desired shape, or graphically design stencils and images that are placed or painted on the tankers.

The fabrication flight is comprised of structural maintenance, metal technologies, sheet metal and non-destructive inspections. Fifty-four Airmen assigned to these shops comb over almost all structures and areas of McConnell's tankers, inside and out, and find the best ways to repair the problems.

"We exhaust all options possible to maximize the service life of our tankers," said Tech. Sgt. Jason Henderson, 22nd MXS structural maintainer. "We literally have a hand on almost all structural discrepancies, from repairing cracks in aircraft skin panels, to painting aircraft brakes or manufacturing hydraulic tube lining."

The structural maintenance shop alone accomplishes about 2,400 maintenance actions per year.

"We repair a lot of 'never-befores'," said Sergeant Henderson. "Just when you think you have seen every mechanical part that can go wrong on a 50 year old plus aircraft, something else, that no one has ever seen happen, occurs."

Across the hall way of building 1169, the piercing sounds of grinding metal can be heard. In summer months, the metals technologies shop is constantly reaching high temperatures, not only from the weather, but from the constant heat of welding torches and heavy machinery.

Here, Airmen weld and design, fabricate and heat treat metal parts and aircraft components.

"We can pretty much get a sketch or blueprint of almost anything and make a precision part out of it," said Senior Airman Baron Gains, 22nd MXS metals technician.

These shops are run by McConnell Airman 24 hours a day seven days a week so Airmen can turn out the parts needed to keep the wing's tankers mission ready.

"The structural maintenance and fabrications shops here at McConnell are the best I have experienced," said Staff Sergeant Travis Yunker, 22nd MXS. "The skill level of the Airmen is more advanced here than any base I have seen because of the amount of work the aging tankers are giving us."

"It keeps us busy, but when Airmen leave McConnell they have knowledge on every tool, every trick to mechanical restoration, and the many parts of the KC-135," said Sergeant Yunker.