The “Devil’s Cross” keeps flying and fighting.
I love that aircraft.
Good.
There is not a better attack plane, nor is there any adequate substitute.
I almost went crazy when the AF said it was ‘too slow’ and wanted to replace it with (I think) the F-18 or F16.
Thank God cooler heads prevailed.
Bravo!
Bravissimo!
Ping
Yeah. That’s nice.
Too bad the people at Republic in Farmingdale got canned 32 years and retired to trailer parks in Sarasota or wherever.
Think they would have liked that billion dollar contract instead of a company that never built anything like it.
Nothing more sad that I’ve ever seen in aviation then the crumbling bricks of the old Republic factory.
I’m glad to hear this. The A-10 is a great airplane. It came into active service years after I got out of the USAF (1974), but it is one of those iconic airplanes that just makes one smile.
Love the A-10 and hope it remains effective for longer than the late 2030s.
I consider this to be a great alternative to replacement.
That cost was quite frugal.
I note the 160 ballpark figure. Is that the totality of the A-10s we have in current inventory?
I’ll check.
I found this article that addressed 173 A-10s receiving wing upgrades and holding another 109 back for reserve, or the bone yard.
It would seem to me that at a cost of another billion or so, the rest of the fleet could be upgraded.
Having about 280 of these aircraft on hand, seems like a ver good fiscal choice.
Why toss them?
We need to remember that this world is still unstable, and we may have to fight in several theaters again some day.
Keeping the ability to do it, is the best way I know of making sure we are less likely to have to.
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For the purposes of the exercise, I was dead, but in reality, nothing made me happier than knowing those are on our side.
Is that the plane they used to call the Warthog?
Is that the plane they used to call the Warthog?
Fl
Saw a couple of them today. A few minutes later, I could hear them doing some practice runs. They do that regularly about 10 miles from my house. I used to live much closer to their practice range.
If I was a wealthy person I would love to have a private owner version of this plane.
Hope they used different personnel than they did on 737 Max.
Usually see a pair of A-10s from MANG at Martin’s (home of the B-26) flying in formation when we’re golfing on Wednesdays.
On the 4th of July, they were putting on a show. Lower than usual, doing wing overs and rolls and other cool things. Must have gotten permission to show the taxpayers what they were paying for.
My MIL asked me if they were drones. “I’ve never seen a drone.”
No, Ma, they’re not drones. Now make me a pie.
we have the good fortune to live in an area used for flight training, and aircraft tactical training for a couple of AF units.
We live up on a hill, at the head of a seven mile long valley, with pronounced ridges to the East and the West. We see fighters about three or four times a week, engaged in dogfights, chases, and what I can only imagine are strafing runs up the valley, terminating just a couple hundred feet above our pastures. This has been going on for all the years we’ve lived out here, to the degree that our horses are no longer spooked.
Best one, though, was a couple years back. We regularly see A10’s. But, on this instance, the attack was three of the great beasts, abreast, flying up the valley directly toward us. Impressive. Low and slow, but unstoppable. Low enough that we could wave at the pilots.
Love it!