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Purpose To suppress fatigue damage and ensure structural safety, this paper aims to analyze the effect of the damage accumulation on the aeroelastic model of an air-breathing hypersonic flight vehicle (AHFV). Design/methodology/approach Initially, by constructing the modified longitudinal elastic model of an AHFV, the stress condition of the fuselage is analyzed, and the model differences with the rigid body are studied. Then, a new damage dynamic model is presented to describe the damage dynamic evolution. Finally, combining the damage model and the longitudinal model of the AHFV, the key variables affecting the damage accumulation are determined. Findings It is demonstrated that the elastic deformation must be considered when analyzing the damage characteristics of the fuselage and to determine the key variables that affect the damage accumulation, which provides a more accurate reference for improving the structural reliability and lifespan of AHFVs. Originality/value The novelty of this paper comes from the application of the force and stress models for the damage evolution of the AHFV and the development of a new damage model for the entire body with the elastic dynamics of AHFVs.