A-10 pilots should have an edge next time they go downrange

Stars and Stripes ^ | November 22, 2007 | Charlie Reed

[sinanju]

Dang! And just think, how long ago had the Air Force originally intended to retire the Warthog?

[Lockbar]

Gee, I always thought they already had the edge!

[Geostorm]

Just finished watching “Transformers” and there is a great scene at the beginning where there battling the scorpion transformer in the desert and they scramble the warthogs. But its the C- 130 with the cannon that does it in.

[Eye of Unk]

As aircraft are usually defined by the image of sleek, macho and sexy the Warthog is more than aptly named! Its no wonder those near sighted paperpushers ever allowed this ugly flying cannon to even be built, but it more than definitely gets the job done, and it brings home the pilot. There was news a little while back about these electronic upgrades, who knows maybe there might be a future for it even further, like a railgun?

[SierraWasp]

I wanna see some danged pichurs!!!

[sinanju]

I personally believe they should have gone all the way and named it the Buzzard.

I’ll always remember the Baghdad footage from Iraqi Freedom—the was the A-10’s maneuvered looked exactly like a turkey vulture, leisurely circling at low altitude—first standing on one wingtip, then the other, then dropping down to let off a braaaap.

[Jet Jaguar]

[billorites]

"The toughest part is keeping track of all the moving parts to make sure everyone’s de-conflicted and to maintain situational awareness," he said.

My late father gave me the same advice on my wedding night.

[50mm]

There was also talk of upgrading the engines to get greater than 1:1 thrust to weight ratio to allow vertical climbs. Don’t know where that went. Anybody?

[Jet Jaguar]

I understand they still suffer birdstrikes from the rear.

I am unsure if an upgrade was included in this upgrade.

[Spktyr]

Well, they could be, but the A-10 design has always called for converted airliner engines to power it.

It made for a hell of a cheap and reliable ground attack plane.

[50mm]

I understand they still suffer birdstrikes from the rear. ROFLOL!!!!

[50mm]

Ping to "kill the birds in reverse aircraft"

Enjoy the pics.

[50mm]

I had the pleasure of sitting in the cockpit of one of these beauties a few years back at Davis-Monthan (contractor capacity not pilot.) I asked about a test flight, but sadly there are no two-seater models.

[TexanToTheCore]

The Warthog: The gift that keeps on giving.

What an extraordinary craft, driven by extraordinary men.

[Tainan]

"Go Ugly Early!"

[Boundless]

> ... but sadly there are no two-seater models.

One A-10B was built.
http://www.warthogpen.com/naws.html
It’s on static display at Edwards.

[50mm]

Loading the goodies:

[50mm]

I should have said "sadly there are no two-seater models left to fly".