Sure enough, the paint would have kept it together.
(Aluminum oxide actually forms a barrier to further corrosion.)
pdog02, great find! Thanks for sharing.
As for aircraft age, I have flown on, and flown, much older aircraft than mere teenagers.
Age is less important than design, maintenance and number of cycles. (The DeHavilland Comet I was a Sterling example of poor design.)
Originally Posted by
greg
Jeez. Have to wonder whether the lack of paint on the fuselage all those years may be a factor. Long ago, AA decided not to paint their planes as an economy move- all the extra weight added and cost to paint. Of course, back then AA had a lot more money and probably figured they'd replace their fleet at a fast rate. Flash forward, AA planes are older than the competition and they have been more exposed to the elements than a similarly aged and used plane that benefited from the little bit of insulation paint would have provided. Just great.