A B747-400 WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING DEPARTING LAX. UPON ARR; 30 RIVETS POPPED DISCOVERED FROM CAPT'S WINDOW ALONG UPPER DECK.

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TKOF WAS TO THE E BECAUSE OF WINDS AT LAX. TOOK RADAR VECTORS TO THE E; S; AND EVENTUALLY BACK TO THE W. HAD RADAR ON BECAUSE OF RAIN AND RECENT THUNDERSHOWERS. WHEN TURNED W; WE PAINTED SEVERAL SMALL CELLS IN FRONT OF US. CAPT ASKED FOR TURN TO R; TO AVOID WX. ATC SAID UNABLE BECAUSE OF TFC TO OUR R. CAPT ASKED FOR AS FAR R A TURN AS POSSIBLE AND ATC GAVE IT. AFTER TURN; IT APPEARED AS THOUGH WE WOULD GO THROUGH SOME YELLOW ON THE RADAR; BUT AVOID THE RED. AT ABOUT 8000 FT MSL; WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS INTO A CLRING; THE SIZE OF WHICH I COULD NOT TELL. THERE APPEARED TO BE MANY SPARKLERS; LIKE KIDS' SPARKLERS USED ON THE 4TH OF JULY. ALL OF A SUDDEN; WE WERE HIT BY LIGHTNING; ON THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT; JUST BELOW CAPT'S FEET. THERE WAS A VERY LOUD BOOM ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRIKE. MOMENTARILY; WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS INTO CLR AIR. WE CHKED ENGS FOR CORRECT OP; PRESSURIZATION; ELECTRICAL SYS; RADAR; ETC; AND FOUND NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. ONE OF THE FO'S TOLD PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS WHAT HAD HAPPENED. CAPT ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLT TO YSSY. THE LIGHTNING STRIKE WAS RPTED TO MAINT. AT YSSY; WE WALKED AROUND THE ACFT WITH MAINT AND VERBALLY TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. WE DID NOT SEE DAMAGE DURING THAT WALKAROUND. WHEN WE RETURNED TO YSSY DEP THE NEXT DAY; WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ACFT HAD SOME 30 RIVETS POPPED AND HAD BEEN OTS SINCE WE ARRIVED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CAPT STATED THAT THE CREW SPENT AT LEAST 5 MINS CHKING THE ACFT'S SYS FOR ABNORMALITIES. FINDING NONE THEY CONTINUED TO THEIR DEST 14 HRS AWAY. ONLY THE FOLLOWING DAY UPON CHK-IN FOR DEP BACK TO THE UNITED STATES WERE THEY TOLD OF THE DAMAGE. THE POPPED RIVETS STARTED JUST BELOW THE CAPT'S WINDOW AND WENT ALONG THE UPPER FUSELAGE BELOW THE UPPER DECK WINDOWS. THE CAPT STATED THAT THEY EXPERIENCED VERY LITTLE TURB WITH THE LIGHTNING STRIKE.