"george" wrote

Nowadays I'd wait for repairs but a neighbour spent 5 years driving
various two and four engined bombers over Occupied Europe and had a
series of photos of just how little you -really- need in the way of
contol surfaces

THEY had no choice, but to fly back home, while they were hit over enemy
territory. This fella did have a choice.

My take on it? He got lucky, and I'm glad he did.

I would say the chance of having a problem is low, less than 10%, most
likely. That means if 10 guys got hit like he did, one would not make it
home. Put in those terms, would you want to be that 1 out of 10? Even if
it was 1 out of 100, it would be too high, when there is a choice.

If it were me, I would have done as detailed inspection (removing access
covers, whatever) as possible. Perhaps, I even would have disconnected that
side at the yoke, or first belcrank, and bolted that aileron stationary.
Flutter scares the crap out of me.

Whatever, I would not have made any decision's based on what the insurance
company said.
--
Jim in NC