[Jeff Higgins]

It's not as bad as it looks. The vertical stab is designed to be easily removed and replaced. That little window above the hanger door is there just to clear the vertical stab, of course, but many hangers I worked in are still too low for some modern, taller aircraft. As a result, we would remove the vertical stab even if we weren't working on it, just to get the airplane inside the hanger.

We often remove it when working outside as well, which may sound weird. It all comes down to wind load - if we are doing a structural repair on the fuselage, for example, we don't need that big ass fin blowing over in the wind and twisting the fuselage when we've torn half of it away.

The bolts that hold that thing on are designed to shear before there is damage to the underlying structure. They will simply remove the fin, clean up any bent sheet metal around its base, and reinstall. Probably replace its leading edge where it made contact, give it a good structural inspection, and be on their way. Maybe half a dozen guys could get it done in a few days.