Posted on 09/09/2015 5:16:15 PM PDT by WilliamofCarmichael
The A-10 Warthog is the only aircraft built for a close-air-support (CAS) mission.
It was literally designed around its distinctive 30mm Gatling gun. The gun is more than 19 feet long and weighs more than 4,000 pounds.
The distinctive sound made by the weapon (aka the BRRRRRRRRRT . . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Sounds like a big greasy fart.
.. and it's the last thing an enemy hears.
I did backfill support at No-Hope-Pope AFB some years ago and they did some night-time range time.
In the calm and quiet fall weather I got to listen to them fire at targets as I drifted off to sleep.
Lovely sound. I miss it.
Once you hear that sound, you'll never forget it.
I got a warm fuzzy every time I heard it.
/johnny
It’s a flying meat grinder.
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BFL
BFLR
Very nice.
They need to take it away from the USAF and give it to the Army. The Army appreciates it. USAF hates it.
You should see it and hear it live. No video really does it justice. The music from the gun comes in three parts. The sonic whine, the earth's rumbling surrender and the dragon's firey breath.
IMHO the Air Fore Brass is terrified of the A-10 because they are scared that the CAS mission will become the AF’s primary mission.
When, not if, that happens then the justifications used for the last 70 odd years as to why the AF must be a separate service disappears and the AF will be swallowed up by the Army. When that happens the money, positions, and all of the other trappings of power so beloved by the brass disappears too. Along with the extremely lucrative post service employment opportunities.
The Air Force Brass have lost sight of their mission to the Republic and have made the Republic service their goals instead.
My bottom line is an American on the ground in trouble is much more important that a REMF staff battle to keep “his” money, power, parking spot, and executive desk. Vietnam cost us over 36,000 grunts; how many REMFs died at their desks?
I used to have an A10 pc video game. It had some testimonials from pilots. The one I remember was the one that said the tracers made it look like you were firing a laser.
probably the best single mission aircraft we have ever produced so naturally the air force wants to get rid of it
When I was training at Ft McCoy the A10s would fly over and shoot into the north impact area and that is what you heard
There were some A 10s based at Grissom ARB, which is about a hour north of me. Apparently the A10 pilots liked the terrain around my brother’s farm; he could hear them buzz around, then the next thing he knew a pair would hop the tree line, make a “run” at an outbuilding or tractor in the field, and then disappear as fast as they came. He never knew which way they would come from.
I first saw the A-10 doing a CAS demo at an air show over 30 years ago. Holy cow, what an impression that made. It looked like it had hovering capability and moved like a dancing spider. I’ve still never seen a video that can match what I saw.
The A-10 doesn’t make cronies rich, but it is a really cost effective weapon.
Give the A-10s to the U S Army. Let them fly it.
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