I wonder if the reason we don't see jagged edges or wires etc., sticking out of a broken wing, has to do with the way the 3-d objects are created. I thought that the planes in this game are 3-d objects with a texture map. Perhaps the easiest way to show damage is with a "damage" texture map applied to the wing when damage occurs.
My guess is the current way of doing it, is to completely remove the wing object itself.
bloom25
THUNDERBIRDS