He followed the spider thin line to the inner hull plates where it split.

The aircraft spat fire from beneath every hull plate.

He'd wince, knowing that hull plates were being crushed and buckled.

The repairs go forward, but they are all gross things like sealing broken hull plates.

"Captain, forward fire room reports they're taking water around a buckled hull plate."

"No energy shields at all, except for the way clover-leaved hull plates fold down."

They were still intact, but through the little bay-door window he could see daylight where the hull plate had sprung.

The heavy riveted hull plates were ripped away as if they were paper.

Again he landed badly; he had not seen a twisted hull plate, still very hot, beneath him.

The ship pitched to one side as something large and solid collided with the polarized hull plates.