A-10C Firing the Avenger, 30mm

[Retired W4]

I had a discussion last night with LtC Tom about the A-10. He told me of his meeting last year with Pierre Sprey, the man who designed, in part, the F-16, F-15 and the A-10. It so happened Mr. Sprey died at his desk five days after that meeting. I recommend watching the reddit video of the man talking about the F-35 and what a dumb idea that aircraft is. You can draw your own conclusions. During last years meeting Sprey mentioned briefly the concept of capturing the spent 30mm casings and the main consideration was not CG (that could be overcome) but not spraying the troops on the battle field with all that falling metal. The Avenger was the perfect weapon system for the job (CAS).

 

[martyd]

This is a frame cut from a video at the air show.

The pilot mistakenly set his altimeter for his home base not the mountain base where the show was taking place. Consequently when he finished doing a "Split S Maneuver" he was too close to the ground to complete the maneuver.

The pilot did a sharp turn as soon as he realized he was not going to make it and remained with the plane as long as he could to get the plane away from the crowd of spectators.

My understanding is the pilot of an F-16 can eject when the plane is sitting on the ground. As you can see in the photo the pilot stayed with the plane with only a few feet of altitude to spare.

January 22, 2004, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
T-Birds home base is Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas.
There is only 1000 feet altitude difference between the 2 bases.

The post crash hearing found the pilot made a mistake. The hearing concluded the pilot was an exceptional officer and pilot however his T-Bird career was over. He was transferred to Washington D.C. and continued working in the Air Force.

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[Retired W4]

That thing below the cockpit, right side it the targeting pod. They can lase their own targets to deliver the goods. Good night sweet prince.

 

[smithra_66]

Those A10s are NASTY.

 

[martyd]

Our government gives away A-10 to Foreign countries, for free most of the time.

Why don't they give some away to those of us who can fly.

Afterall, Switzerland makes available military hardware, required by law, to their citizens.

 

[Retired W4]

I would take one in a heart beat. I know an A-10 instructor pilot who could get me trained up. However, there are NO 2 seat A-10s. I've already had an hour in the sym when they were at Pope AFB.

Martyd, you probably see a lot of A-10s in AZ.

 

[Kevin J.]

We had "rewards" ride along flights in the OV-10 Bronco at Osan when I first got there. Usually a ride along for ground crew member or crew chief.

Ended when one when down. Rumor was the pilot was showing off for the guests. Low buzzing in a valley and caught a power line that crossed the valley.

 

[Retired W4]

We had "rewards" ride along flights in the OV-10 Bronco at Osan when I first got there. Usually a ride along for ground crew member or crew chief.

Ended when one when down. Rumor was the pilot was showing off for the guests. Low buzzing in a valley and caught a power line that crossed the valley.

Here is a Bronco for you. I took this picture in 1969 at Tay Ninh Forward Support Base. 187th AHC (Crusaders) Hueys in the back ground.

 

[Kevin J.]

I always like watching them. They seemed to be able to "float" around like a kite.

 

[hostler]

I had the opportunity to call and direct fire for A10s at 29 Palms Marine Corps base once. We had an observation post set up on a ridge overlooking a target in the valley. When the A10s circled to come in we were actually above them as they made their run.
I've called fire for naval guns and artillery, but calling for the A10s was the coolest.

 

[SMSgt]

Our government gives away A-10 to Foreign countries, for free most of the time.

Why don't they give some away to those of us who can fly.

Afterall, Switzerland makes available military hardware, required by law, to their citizens.

What other country is flying A-10s?

 

[SMSgt]

That thing below the cockpit, right side it the targeting pod. They can lase their own targets to deliver the goods. Good night sweet prince.

Pave Penny pod. It detects lasers painted by someone else.

 

[SMSgt]

I would take one in a heart beat. I know an A-10 instructor pilot who could get me trained up. However, there are NO 2 seat A-10s. I've already had an hour in the sym when they were at Pope AFB.

Martyd, you probably see a lot of A-10s in AZ.

There is the YA-10B, a one-off model used for flight testing. It's at Edwards AFB at the museum. Never went into production though.

 

[Retired W4]

There is the YA-10B, a one-off model used for flight testing. It's at Edwards AFB at the museum. Never went into production though.

They went straight to the Charley model. What they need to do is upgrade the engines. The civilian biz jets using the TF34s have.

 

[Retired W4]

Pave Penny pod. It detects lasers painted by someone else.

I may have misidentified that. I know the C model does have the same targeting pod as the F-16.

 

[Kevin J.]

Mmmm…..Air Force SMSGT vs. Army W4. . Just kidding.

 

[SMSgt]

I may have misidentified that. I know the C model does have the same targeting pod as the F-16.

I'm sure the capabilities of the Hog have been improved since my days with it. They used to use the optics in the Maverick missiles to find targets. They may have a targeting pod that fits on a wing stations now. We had the last A-10s made in our unit in Alaska. It was pretty basic. The pilots loved the gun, the bombs not so much.

 

[Retired W4]

The Warthog pilots i know tell me the gravity bombs are pretty much out. They use GPS guided and laser guided bombs with excellent results. I personally know of one strike on a warlord's compound in N. Afghanistan where two A-10s flying wing tip to wing tip pickled four GPS guided bombs simultaneously, programed to land in line on the compound. The guys doing the BDA (bomb damage assessment) told them DNA test for the leader were inconclusive as the bodies were...well, a little mixed up.

As I try to get my memory in gear I'm thinking the targeting pod is mounted on and inboard store as you suggested. I'll have to ask my son to clarify that. Calling D-M.

 

[SMSgt]

The Warthog pilots i know tell me the gravity bombs are pretty much out. They use GPS guided and laser guided bombs with excellent results. I personally know of one strike on a warlord's compound in N. Afghanistan where two A-10s flying wing tip to wing tip pickled four GPS guided bombs simultaneously, programed to land in line on the compound. The guys doing the BDA (bomb damage assessment) told them DNA test for the leader were inconclusive as the bodies were...well, a little mixed up.

As I try to get my memory in gear I'm thinking the targeting pod is mounted on and inboard store as you suggested. I'll have to ask my son to clarify that. Calling D-M.

All we used in AK were dumb bombs. With only visual aiming at the time, the pilot's they just had to get too close for any real accuracy. I'm sure the advent of the common guided bombs alleviated that concern a great deal.