Air Force: Dogfighters out, warthogs in

Las Vegas Sun ^ | 1/29/2009 | Megan McCloskey

[markomalley]

Not sexy??? Megan, you don't know what "sexy" is...

[fredhead]

Darn thing is a flying tank.

[TADSLOS]

I can’t begin to tell you how utterly devastating and pure kick ass this platform is. I’ve called them in from the ground and worked with them in the air on JAAT missions, They are a pure joy to watch and I thank God they’re on our side.

[cripplecreek]

One of my hands down favorite planes.

[wny]

didn’t they stop making these a good 10 years ago?

[catman67]

It’s a shame that they’ve been out of production for 20 years or so. They used to build them up in Hagarstown, MD at the Fairchild plant, which closed many years ago. Should have developed a worthy successor by now, but they didn’t.

[steelyourfaith]

Love the The A-10 Thunderbolt II.

[Dixie Yooper]

The A-10 along with Apache helicopters were responsible for the Highway to Hell victory during the end of Desert Storm.

[cweese]

A couple of good A-10 videos :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Iz5MwPsfyo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJSk2Xc3Eq4&feature=related

[Logic n' Reason]

It took our Air Force this long to figure this out???

Or...it took this long for it to get reported?

When did the actual mission platform emphasis shift?

[Halgr]

BTTT

[appleseed]

Much slower than a fighter, doesn't fly as high as primadonna surveillance, can't be a vehicle for airborne troops, more army than air force and as old as dirt. Having said this - Most beautiful thing I ever saw was an A-10 fire at night! The Hog kicks arse!

[Eye of Unk]

I think they stopped production more than ten years ago but most of the fleet were recently upgraded with modern avionics.

If you ever see one upside down look closely and you will see a painted silhouette of the canopy near the front, thats to fool ground shooters to fire at the front fuselage where the pilot sits, in a titanium tub!

Its true the Air Force did not like this plane, it was not in their eyes the “macho” image of the WW2 pilot with a scarf type of thing, they are stuck on a pseudo type of bushido code that they must go mano on mano with another enemy aircraft.

Well so far our real enemies have a distinct lack of hi tech aircraft, they do have lots of SAMs, tanks and other ground based weapons, of which the Warthog is arguably the best fixed wing offensive weapon we have.

The only other airframe that could compare to this would be the C-130 gunship in as much as firepower but of course has much more.

[Badeye]

‘Not sexy??? Megan, you don’t know what “sexy” is... ‘

Got that right. This is a infantry troop’s best friend on the battlefield, after his rifle.

[Badeye]

The Air Force should be returned to the Army.....

[usmcobra]

There is nothing more sexy to the guys (and girls) on the ground as a hog in the air.

[bobjam]

The A-10: the flying gatlin gun

[Travis McGee]

Beauty is as beauty does. I’ll bet she looks like Miss Universe to our troops on the ground, and like the devil incarnate to our enemies.

[markomalley]

Got that right. This is a infantry troop’s best friend on the battlefield, after his rifle.

Yup...nothing more comforting in the world than shell casings raining down around you (provided they don't hit your pot).

[HenpeckedCon]

I don't think returning the Air Force to the Army is necessary, but I think the Army should be allowed to fly fixed wing aircraft to support its soldiers like the Marines. I hate the idea that the Army has to rely on the Air Force for support.