A-10 Warthog and gun

[VinceAtReal4x4s]

The Air Show was last weekend and the 30mm business-end of the A-10 Warthog was available to look at and touch. Coolest thing in the sky! I told somebody that I had just touched the devil itself.

Was also able to (barely) catch one flying by the other week. Much faster than I thought they could do.

[stiffler4444]

Always my favorite plane at the airshow when I was a kid. Even built a nice model of one with my father. Got excited when you posted...thought one was for sale...lol.....

[undysworld]

Yup. Cool planes.

Not only have I seen one up close, I was lucky enough to watch them do a ammo reload on the front gatling cannon at EAA. Big rounds! IIRC, they had to reduce the rate-of-fire of the cannon because the rounds depleted the oxygen enough to snuff one (or more?) engine.My Dad used to watch them making practice runs at Volk Airfield and he described the "farting noise" as they shot at ground targets.

Cooler yet, a friend of mine used to fly 'em. Must have been a gas, but still, he always said a P-51 was his all-time favorite. - RIP, D.C.

[VinceAtReal4x4s]

Yeah.. the sound!

https://youtu.be/gtLYe21hbu4

Wait till second 35 on this one.
https://youtu.be/DaZ5stbVAlk

There was a P51 there flying around as well. The frustrating thing was that rides went up for sale in either that, or a B25. The B25 bomber rides were $425 for a 30min. ride. I had no where near that much. Wanted to cry. The P51 rides were $1200 I believe.

[muttandjeeps]

I did armament and egress on A-10's with the 75th TFS (the old "Flying Tigers") I still miss the sound of Brrrrrrrrrrrr Brrrrrrrrrrrr Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr 8 miles away at the range in the early morning....great plane to work on. And to think, it was only 34 years ago........

[GenevaPinz]

Favorite plane since I was a kid, thanks for sharing!!!

I always liked the unique "form follows function" design that completely separates it from the sleek fast jets. I only saw them with my own eyes on a few occasions: Fairford (England) air show in '91, flying around Tucson when visiting Arizona (they are based at Davis-Monthan AB), and once unexpectedly flying over the middle of Kansas.

As for the Flying Tigers, I like the shark teeth nose art enough to have adapted it on my Pinz!
At some point I wanted to complete the "Flying Tigers" look with "tail markings" (on the sides of the rear rollbar) and 23rd TFW shields on the sides to replicate the markings of a specific A-10 (79-0181 from 76th TFS) which was badly shot by Iraqi AAA but managed to bring its pilot (Capt. Rich Biley) back to base during the first Gulf War. The plane was then cannibalized for parts and buried in the Saudi desert. I ordered the decals but never put them on the truck... I might do it some day.