A-10 Warthog

[gkainz]

got this today from a friend... pretty cool, I think.

 

[Matthew]

One of my favorite airplanes. It's a working aircraft, built to do one thing and do it well. It's pretty, in an ugly sort of way.

 

[gkainz]

I knew the main cannon were massive, but didn't realize how big the overall size was ... essentially you're flying the gun ...

 

[AdamZ]

Thats cool Greg thank. The A10 is based near by at NJRN Willow Grove. I'll hate to see them go when the base closes.

 

[Matthew]

I knew the main cannon were massive, but didn't realize how big the overall size was ... essentially you're flying the gun ...

Yeah - that is one BFG.

It's mounted, offset to one side a little, so the barrel that is firing is along the center-line of the plane.

edit:

Found this picture - also shows how the nose-gear is offset to make room for that gun, too.

 

[Dave Siciliano]

When it first came out, some Army folks thought we might have access to it. I was flying Cobras at the time. Didn't work out that way, but it was sure fun to speculate about it for awhile.

Best,

Dave

 

[SCCutler]

My second cousin was artillery in Desert Storm. He was extremely fond of A10s, spoke of them in the highest way.

 

[Frank Browne]

Yeah - that is one BFG.

It's mounted, offset to one side a little, so the barrel that is firing is along the center-line of the plane.

In addition to that, it's mounted with the muzzle 2 degrees down from the centerline as an offset to the recoil.

 

[Steve]

flies faster than 250 kts, Dave,...Army never flies above 10k....lol...

When it first came out, some Army folks thought we might have access to it. I was flying Cobras at the time. Didn't work out that way, but it was sure fun to speculate about it for awhile.

Best,

Dave

 

[flyingcheesehead]

My second cousin was artillery in Desert Storm. He was extremely fond of A10s, spoke of them in the highest way.

They're not the sexiest birds around, but man, they are TOUGH! There's just something truly bad-ass about an airplane that can take so much abuse and still fly, plus dish out an insane level of abuse as well!

 

[flyersfan31]

Naturally, not being sleek and fast and sexy, it was cancelled long ago.

 

[flyersfan31]

That is a great write up. Loved it.

Note -- it's perhaps the one aircraft in our inventory that came closest to the Soviet approach. Simple, redundant, survivable, cheap. No wonder it had to die.

That is one helluva gun. I had NO idea it was that big. Big, yes, but bigger than a VW?????? THat's just crazy.

 

[gkainz]

Roger that! "Hey, let's take this big old bad-ass gun, stick wings and engines on it and go blow stuff up!"

I had no idea how big the whole gun assembly was, either. Straddle a gun and go flying - almost like Slim Pickins riding the bomb.

ok, not so much ... never mind