MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Creeping through the structure, it chews through metal like a sickness. Slowly seeping through its victim’s structure, delivering copious damage, feeding on aircraft like a parasite.
“Cleaning up and preventing corrosion is a constant battle,” said Capt. Matthew L. Steele, Marine Attack Squadron 214 aviation maintenance officer and pilot who is native of Seattle.
Corrosion, which is the gradual deterioration of metals by oxidation, becomes a problem when the aircraft are deployed on ships, explained Lance Cpl. Ben R. Strausser, powerline mechanic and native of Clearwater, Fla., referring to VMA-214’s recent deployment aboard the USS Essex.
Enemies that deteriorate an aircraft’s rivets, bolts and landing gear are humidity and rainy weather.
“Things we do are paint it (the affected area) or spray the engines while they are running to get rid of the salt water,” explained Strausser. They look for problems in the fastener nuts and exposed bolts during daily maintenance checks.
Sailors from VFA-97 also check the airplanes continuously, looking for corrosion and moisture seeping underneath the paint and on the landing equipment. To do so they take small razors and scrape off paint, to look at the metal underneath to see if it has rusted. Also, they occasionally perform special inspections or as Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas A. Diamond, Strike Fighter Squadron 97 aviation warfare systems operator and native of Camp Springs, Md., put it “checking everything from top to bottom.”
“We pay attention to the planes the way we would to our own vehicles,” stressed Diamond.
“If you don’t stay on top of corrosion- well, actually, you have to stay on top of corrosion or it will screw the planes up,” said Diamond.
“I feel extremely safe with the Marines working and taking care of things everyday. They are very professional and do very professional work,” boasted Capt. Jeremy P. Osborne, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311, quality assurance officer and native of Pensacola, Fla. “I am very eager to fly the planes that they work on.”