Almost 33 years ago I was in the desert on convoy in the middle of Iraq when out of a sudden two A-10’s overflew our position and as they passed us they dipped their wings left and right as if saying hello. They then shot up in the air, one went left and the other one right… and then turned towards each other and diving towards the ground and we heard the iconic BBBBBRRRRRTTTT sound of their guns. We had no idea what they were shooting at, then we saw a puff of smoke, and another, then another… there was an Iraqi tank brigade waiting for us in a ravine some three miles ahead in our path. If you have read this far I ask that you pray that the A-10 is not retired any time soon because I believe it is still the best close air support aircraft our troops can count on. Also pray that God will continue to keep these brave pilots safe.
I was Director of QA for Fairchild Republic and the A-10 was my program. I spent half of my time building the plane and half of my time arguing with the Air Force. From the first plane coming off of the assembly line they tried to kill the program. They didn't understand the plane's mission. They kept saying the plane was too slow. What they really meant is that they didn't believe ground support wasn't their mission. At the time our NY delegation in Congress held the cards and they wanted the plane. They got 713 of them in the end. I remember at one point in time they said they wanted to use the F-16 for the ground support mission.
I first saw the A-10 in a lead miniature gaming piece during my last year in the service (I was a gunner on the back of a Gun Jeep as a Convoy M.P. with all the life expectancy of about 30 seconds in a fire fight trying to get my Convoy through an ambush) and I thought to myself, Geee that looks like it might be worth a Tinkers Damn.... I bet we'll never see one ??? AND WE DIDN'T‼️😉‼️ But a year after my ETS I was traipsing around a wilderness area north of Phoenix looking for a lost hunter (I was a member of the Gila Co. Sheriff S & R's Payson Posey) and what comes flying by but a pair of the most beautiful A-10's I ever saw on wing.... And I thought "Oh you beautiful dolls " ....😊❤😊
I still remember that scene in that movie where Meg Ryan was the Huey pilot shot down in Desert Storm, and the crew of the M-60 Tank was telling Denzel about the " F**K**S " coming up on them when what did they see, A big old beautiful A-10 to blast the FUCKERS‼️😉‼️ And the Tank Co. apologized for his language.... And Denzel said No No you were right the first time....😊 I never found myself in the need for real, but I could sympathize with just what he had said‼️🇺🇲‼️😉‼️
I spent over 30 years in Army Airborne Infantry (Ranger) and Special Forces. 5yrs, 8 mo close-combat time. Wounded about a dozen times. 8 yrs enlisted, over 20 commissioned. I personally, and a good number of my soldiers, owe our lives to A-10s and their pilots. When the bad guys have us outnumbered and outgunned, we're all getting zinged, and trying to dig down in the rocks with our noses and belt buckles, make the calls, and these "Zoomie Grunts" come save our asses. We LOVE those guys and the aircraft. About as much as we love our medics and chaplains. When the pilots made effective, hot, gun runs, then did their half- rolls and waved at us, we usually waved and cheered like crazy! God love 'em! They never, ever let me and my guys down. Not once, in more than one combat zone. If the USAF wants to get rid of them, the Army should take them over.
Don't you think it's a crime to get rid of a dedicated close air support ground attack aircraft? I think so. I was in Iraq but I heard enough stories from Afghanistan to make the A10 an obvious and permanent aircraft to keep in service.
Hey to both of you guys, the one that made the original comment and to the guy that commented on his comment, LoL I just want to say thank you for doing what you guys did in the military! If others hate on yall just remember there is at least one guy that will always appreciate your service!!
Thats never going to happen. The army has no combat fixed wing aircraft since 1960s per an agreement known as the Johnson-McConnell agreement of 1966. The Army agreed to limit its fixed-wing aviation role to administrative mission support (light unarmed aircraft of civilian design).
@@southwestxnorthwestAir Force has been in breach of the terms of that agreement from day one, so it could me nullified if there was political will. But there isn't political will because of the way Congress works: Congress WANTS the Air Force to want ever more expensive planes. Jobs. Money. Waste. "What will this new hyper-expensive airplane do for my district?" Congress is a toilet.
My pops was a lifer in the army as a tanker. When I was a teenager I had the opportunity to go to summer camp with a friend on a air force base. We got to watch a live fire exercise of the A-10. It was one of the most impressive things I have ever seen! I was raised around tanks and I knew that a tanker wouldn't have a hope in the world against one of those planes!
The brass hates the A10, but pilots love them. Numerous pilots stories about returning from missions with severe damage but the pilot alive and well. Ground troops loved them too.
I worked for Fairchild in Hagerstown, MD from '77 to '83 while the A-10 program was underway. I know about all the survivability features built into that aircraft. There is no way a multi-role aircraft can be equipped with those or have the maneuverability to provide the cover for ground troops that the A-10 provides, not to mention that awesome GAU-8 cannon. Another employee, who happened to have been an ex-bomber pilot in the AF, told me the A-10 could carry more ordinance than a B-17. I'd like to see the multi-role fighter that can do that. This video was sure an eye opener. I never knew the Air Force brass was so adamant about killing the A-10 program. I'd also like to mention, the company name was Fairchild Republic during the A-10 program. Republic built the fuselage and wing center section in Farmingdale, Long Island, NY. Hagerstown built the wing outer panels and the empennage. The wing outer panels were transported to Farmingdale to be mated to the wing center section, then the wings, fuselage and wing center section were shipped to Hagerstown for final assembly and flight testing. In spite of this awkward method, the end result was one terrific ground support aircraft.
The two stand-outs for me are the A-10 and the F15-(E). Both can do multi-role and both are in my mind the only two aircraft we need to preserver for the next 50 years. While the stealth options are cool (I love the F-35s signature) the cost to benefit ratio of that airframe is tough to stomach. Just repainting the edges of the ladder system for the pilot are insane.
I think the Air Force wants to cut the A-10 from service so they can use that money for R&D on more advanced aircraft. Personally, I love the A-10 (and the sooner the Air Force dumps it, the sooner I can get my hands on one), but if there is a better attack plane that the A-10 is keeping from development...it seems the A-10 has become a plane that is a day late and a dollar short. The A-10 is a low tech plane and an argument can be made that it fills that low tech slot but maybe high tech has advanced to the point where it effectively erased that low tech slot. I don't know, I just pay my taxes, I don't make military decisions.
@@cliffcampbell8827 yup. Same as why the A-37s were just given away. Not sexy enough. Not cool enough. Not expensive enough. Everyone I've met who flew them, loved everything except the noise. Irony is, most of the cost savings from drones is mirrored in the A-37 programs success.
It wasn't publicized, but some were deployed with us (Army Rangers and Special Forces) on some operations as early as 1980, to my personal knowledge. Again some in 1983. Then the Gulf and Afghanistan. I owe those guys and planes my life and the lives of my soldiers many times over. God love them all!!
@@DeeEight The facts that matter here are that the A-10 is still flying and saving lives. My first experience of close air support was in Viet Nam. Watching the C-47 Spookie gun ship Kicking Ass and taking names.... Thank God for the A-10 Russ
Pierre was All in on the A10. What bs, to call him fighter plane mafia . You seem to have his whole role reversed. Give the entire ground support to the Army!
@@MachinecoMachines Spray's moniker of 'Fighter Plane Mafia' came from his role in designing the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a true fighter/interceptor. In this piece, I was surprised they didn't go into the role Major John Boyd played in the development of the A-10 and more so, the F-16. The 'Mafia' had a Don, so did the 'Acolytes' and this was Major John Boyd.
1985,I was standing on an Hilltop in Germany nearby Spagdelem airbase. An A-10 was flying around the Hill,very close could see the face of the pilot. Was a wow moment we will never forget. Slowly passing by,what a beautifull peace of machinery.
I'm a Canadian that has always studied the wars. Intill now, I had no idea how disconnected the Airforce and Army was in all the previous wars. The soldiers who called in this wonderful weapon seen them as angels. I would have given them as many as the wanted but of coarse I am just a civilian. Thank you all for your service in the armed forces.
It is the fault of the chiefs of staffs and their bosses, Joint Chief of Staff and Sec Def. Ones currently, under Biden, 0 confidence, they’re too political, anti white racism while pro Trans, DEI garbage! Low retain and recruit levels. They’re all incompetent and on board with luggage, called racism …
I clearly remember the first time I called an A 10 in on target felt like GOD came down from heaven and turned everything into dust that went on forever I was in love with the Hog.
I was Army ‘86-‘91. The fast movers were cool…but when an A-10 flew over, and you could see the pilot, watch the control surfaces move like it was slow motion, and realized THAT pilot wanted to kill something in the dust, and all you had to do was point it out to them…that’s when you knew life was good, and the Air Force wasn’t total crap. Of course, then the AF divested themselves of the plane and let the Air Nat’l Guard take over. I have lots of respect for reservists and the Guard, we used to call them weekend warriors, but then most of them got deployed. They became full members of the brotherhood at that point.
@aljole683 I was in Iraq 03 April 04 June. Thanks for the nod to National Guard. We were treated like stepchildren until the active side needed something. And then we blew their socks off to what could do and how proficient we performed it. Thank you brother SFC RET VFW
Thanks, I enjoyed the video, especially the deep dive into the people involved in theA-10 development and their influence on future weapons testing. Not a big fan of the military industrial complex but what works, works, cannot argue.
This is the best Aircraft for ground troop support.... the A-10 has saved many lives. Also caused many men to hide in 😨 fear. This plane will go down in history as a WAR BIRD to be reconed with.
Most video's about the A-10, fail to mention that ALL A-10's, were given to The Air National Guard. USAF has tried to take back the A-10, so they could kill the program. When they saw the effectiveness they tried again to take it back, they failed. Still today all A-10's pilots are flown by Air Guard pilots.
I saw some A-10s live fire at Nellis and they came over the horizon, looked like they were hovering, and quiet as can be. Then I saw the smoke off the gun saw the ground erupt in the air and full of sparkles like a 4th of July firework, with pieces flying off the tank, then after all that heard the BRRRRRRRRTTTTT. It was amazing.
When I graduated an Airframe and Powerplant college in 1976 in NYC, a Fairchild company rep was at the ceremony that Saturday. All 23 of us and a few instructors started work the next Monday at Farmingdale LI building the A-10. I began work on ship 19, reminded me of building a bridge rather an aircraft.
The simple solution- move the A-10s to army control - is a perfect dilemma for the airforce brass. Keep A-10 and keep the finances and people involved. Let the army take the A-10 fleet and you lose that control.
@davidelliott5843 the Army was offered the A-10 in the 80s. They don't want the responsibility of training for and maintaining a single fixed wing aircraft.
@@Dave5843-d9m They didn't want the A10 anyways so your point is moot. They were continually forced by congress (you know that thing you all think is stupid and inept) to keep the A10 which became so outdated it literally has no use outside of murdering entrenched goat herders armed with AKs and RPGs. A10 survivability was far worse than its counterpart the F111 in Desert Storm, so it's not like you can say it saved pilot's lives either. It was a good aircraft and deterrent for a small window of its life but because big gun make little man peepee hard, we had to keep it for far far longer than it was even viable.
@RBinnion I seemed while I was in there was a huge push to the F-18 becoming multi role FA-18. The F-18 is a hell of a bird and will be around fore a while however the one size fits all programs rarely work well. BTW I was around for the transition from the A-4 to the AV-8B the A-4 guys were all wearing shirts that said death before dead bug 😆
@grantensrud9185 I think it should have been taken from the AF and put in the hands of the best fighting force on the planet, the U.S.Marine's Corps...
As a former USAF Security Policeman in the late 70s and early 80s I had the unique opportunity to spend a WHOLE lot of time walking around on hot tarmacs on various flight lines. Mostly based with active alert aircraft. My point is I got to talk to a bunch of A10 maintenance folks and pilots. Even back then for the most part everyone loved the Warthog and believed that ground troops were going to love it one day in the future. Turns out they were 100% right 👍
As a former USAF Supply troop who was lucky enough to catch two duty stations with A10 squadrons from 94-97 I can confirm! I spent as much time as I could skate hanging around their shops. Loved the people associated with that plane from top to bottom.
Phenomenonal!! So good I thank you so much for this!!! Wow! I grew up watching exclusively, first and foremost, the Military Channel, then History Chnl, then Science Channel, and sometimes H2 or H Intnatnl', and didn't much deviate from those. Otherwise working for my Father, retired Green Beret and Veitnam vet who growing up was a C.P.A. with his own firm. Mowing yards had 10-12 a week by age 10 in 4th, 5th grade. Working on a friends farm much as possible which was a good chunk of 7-14, baseball, football, track, did C.A.P.... And read, a LOT of books specifically on History and History of Warfare as Dad had bookshelves of non fiction warfare literature... This, brought me back to a time in my life that was truly great. Truly blessed. And grateful for my parents for, influencing my self inspired passion for challenges, betterment, and uplifting and encouraging my fellow Man... I really needed this. So very much and I didn't know how, much I really am just, way to God damn hard on myself...For not saving the world already as if its my duty and responsibility...And I realize there's a lot to love and I do and have done some pretty amazing things... Furthermore... I am not alone, "We Few..." are not few, but quite large in number, I see.. I know this may see self infatuating here.. But I see it... And through the nostalgia I received here. Had a moment to really do some introspection, much needed.. God bless you for this, my friend... Words may not convey the gratitude and appreciation I have for stumbling across your content.... Very well put together. VERY pro America, and pro American Soldier. While also remaining unbiased... You're a Gentleman and a Scholar sir. Thank you. Sincerely, Good Hunting, & always, Godspeed!¡! ~/\/\/~
Thank you. This was so educational. We live in era of 100 million dollar jets. The guy on the ground bed a tank butter. I have personal experience with AF guys on projects an d heart broke to to know they whereabout themselves, not the tax payer. There are real heroes in this documentary.
I was going to say that☹️.....you were first though. 😀👍and that still leaves me the A4 Skyhawk, the A7 Vought Corsair, the Douglas A-1 Skyraider, the F16 Fighting Falcon, the......
@packrat76 ju 87 and even more - the sturmovik IL2 - the first successful plane with the armored bathtub protecting crew and fuel - the bathtub was acrually made structural/loadbearing to save weight. Main armament were two 23mm autocannons
I was stationed at Elgin AFB in 81-83. Our dormitories were right next to the test facility for the gattaling gun. It would have tests at all hours of the day and night. Working in the Civil Engineering squadron, I had access. To all test sites on this 250sq mile base. Many times I got to watch or support test that Systems Command performed. Best of times!
Ha, good point. If that ever happened it might have a cascade effect of ALL these "higher ups" being forced to do as they say or at least have their own children do it. A *WHOLE* lot would change on that day. lol.
I love the A-10. It's bulky, it is powerful, can dish out a whole lot of damage, can take a lot of hits but still flies well. It is a very reliable close air to ground support.
Oh, look, as of 28 JUNE 2024 it appears that 126 USAF Upper Brass have watched this video and given it a thumbs down, what do you know 😆 This is a great documentary on the A-10 and on the ridiculous mindset of the USAF Brass. No war will ever be won without boots on the ground and we need to keep those boots out of the grave. Soldiers and Marines love the A-10 and CAS plays a vital role in their survival, they deserve to be supported by the USAF, not neglected by a bunch of HQ/Bunker dwellers.
When I was a kid in the 80s I wanted to fly the A-10 SO BAD! Unfortunately, I don't have 20/20 vision, which dashed my hopes. My Dad was an artillery captain, so I look at the A-10 as "Arial artillery".
Yes, with the front cannon it would seem like that. The second time bombs or missiles would be used, doing even more damage. I wonder if the F35 will be as adept in flying 150-300 Kts below 10,000ft altitude.
I had a friend, Neil White. He was one of the first American, pilots that flew a jet. He was a short fellow and fit in the cockpit. he was a hero to me. He also had an eidetic memory and could recall every conversation he ever had with any person, place and time. he used to say he was more afraid of that huge flying gas tank than he was of the enemy plans.
I saw the A - 10 at fort Bragg practicing on their range while we were on ours with our peashooter. We all stopped and watched. I fell in love right then. 1982, 82d airborne. .🎉
Many decades ago, just after I signed my enlistment papers for the USAF. My recruiter sent me a copy of Airman magazine. I was faced with the ugliest aircraft I’d ever seen. I thought, “What is this?” I wanted to see cool Air Force fighters. It was an A-10. Fast forward a few months while in tech school, an instructor who made videos as a hobby, made one using test and training footage of the A-10. I was hooked. I spent most of my career in SAC as a firefighter and didn’t get to serve at a TAC base.
I drove a large propane tank truck and I was out in the desert coming over the top of a mountain pass and staring me right in the eye was an A-10 pilot. He went right over the top of me. I guess I was his target. Never forget it.
Im sure some of the armored vehicles i have fired upon during convoy ops at Nellis AFB Silver Flag Alpha range (this range is now retired, unfortunately) were quite possibly leftovers from this massive tank army. Thats fkn awesome. Thank you guys for all you did for this program from the beginning and into the future. Semper Rah
I was in Iraq in the US army and man when you would here that familiar sound,almost like a whine,you knew it was an A10 warhog,brazing away some targets. Most beautiful site seeing it turn and the wings would like fold,badass😊
Nobody mentioned the significance of ballistic coefficient factor of the high density depleted uranium on top of the burning like magnesium and self sharpening characteristics. Muzzle energy of the .460 Weatherby magnum is 2,500 foot pounds greater than the muzzle energy of .340 Weatherby magnum Lapua As the two bullets reach 600 yards their foot pound energy will be equal. At 1000 yards the .340 Lapua bullet hits with 1800 more foot pounds of energy than the .460 does at 1000 yards. If I remember right the .340 caliber Speer Lapua step boat tail bullet(above mentioned)has the highest ballistic coefficient that I know of. At .910 it's twice as high as the next closest bullet. If anyone knows the ballistic coefficient of the 30mm depleted uranium round used in the GAU 8 rotary cannon I would be very greatful to know. I'm sure the high density high coefficient on top of the self sharpening and metal burning characteristics are the reasons this GAU 8 cannon has been so successful in the A-10. I'll bet Hans Ulrick Rudel would have choose to use one if he could have. If there is anyone who doesn't know of this German WWII Stuka pilot who flew 2500 combat missions mostly over Russia was shot down many times was credited with sinking a cruiser or a battle ship and hundreds if not thousands of tanks with his preferred twin 37mm cannons mounted to his Stuka. He even survived the war
Yeah, I'm afraid I have to despise the use of depleted uranium unfortunately. In terms of warfare it has its place but eventually even the longest wars end. Children come in contact with the remnants of exploded warheads & play with the dull grey poison of depleted Uranium. It lies in fields that will be intended for growing various crops & it finds its way into the water table. It harms civilians mostly & a civilian under a dictator could be as against their country's regime as the invading force. If they finally find freedom from the dictator & regime then they easily find themselves confined by miseries equally bad or worse with the very real chance of cancer, leukemia & birth defects among other things. Rarely are children combatants & always without a clear understanding of the ramifications or reality if they become combatants. Depleted Uranium is yet another remnant of war left behind, forgotten & giving a lie to any possibility that any conflict could have been to give the civilian population a better life.
Hans urlich rudel was also a hardcore nazi, after the war he was the Founder of relief organization for Nazi war criminals Neo-Nazi activist Election candidate from the extremist German Reich Party He even sheltered dr mengele
@@DoublePlus-Ungood It burns away on the edges as it hits the target due to the molecular arrangement. It forms a cone that pierces some very thick steel as it is heated from the friction.
Wow a really good an eye opening documentary. So many people in positions of power lose thier moral compass for selfish and arrogant reason at the cost of the country and it's people...sad.
Great video. You should do one about the P51 and why it took so long for the U.S. Army Air Corps to use it during WW2. Many bomber crews died because of the delay.
Govt: the army is cooking up a cooler aircraft than you Airforce: "oh he'll nah" *some time later Airforce: you get an a10 you get an a10 you get an a10
...in 1978, I used'ta see flatbed trailers traveling west on I80 in Paterson, NJ with the fuselage (on one trailer) and the entire wing assembly9on the second trailer) going to the assemble point in Maryland...ca 1977 I went to the(IIRC nationals) IMPS convention in Farmingdale, LI, across the street from Republic Aviation...they showed two demo film of the testing that had been done to the A10..one as a demo of the titanium tub that surrounded the pilot - they tested a Soviet ZSU four barreled cannon at extremely close range against it - the only visible damage were burn/splatter marks where the round had impacted against the armor...the second film was on the GAU 30 - it's operation and a closeup of the huge 30mm rounds...seriously impressive to me...
I thoroughly enjoyed this video, and my respect to ALL of those of you who had a hand in the both development of the A-10, as well as in working diligently, and the bull you had, and still have, to put up with, in its development, and in even keeping it. It's an utterly amazing aircraft. My view as an engineer is in the belief of "Make it Simple Stupid", w/virtually everything, including even cars and trucks. You start putting added bells and whistles, you're asking for trouble, which seems to be always the case. You look at the F-35, you know you're going to have issues w/something down the road w/that aircraft, and in the worst-case situation, in war. Thank you, and especially for your service to our country. 😉❤
around 57:45 video/audio is garbled. Congress should have given A-10 a large budget to continue research into upgrading designs and research into air/spacecraft armor & deflection technologies against ballistic & radiation weapons. High tech planes are to take out tracking & anti-aircraft tech, maintain air superiority and cover our helicopters, Harriers & A-10s, which in turn cover CAS/Transport/Supply/Special Ops for our ground troops. Modify air flow around A-10 nose & fuselage to disperse gunsmoke away from pilot & engines.Maybe add an armored computer coordinated mini-CIWS on top & bottom to cover incoming missile/drone attacks. Will have to reconfigure entire aircraft for best aircraft performance, survivability & mission success. If the experts approve any upgrades to the A-10,,have NSA watch & stop system of organized saboteurs.
My Uncle Albert flew P-38 with a cannon in the nose like the A-10 able to put the nose on the target for straight targeting than guns in wings, side of fusleage can be problematic of guiding the rounds. P-38 - PERSUIT aircraft was used in close support with nose cannon to straifing mission, as well as early interceptor in AIR and GROUND. My uncle wrote of Japanese Island invasion barges of RESERVE TROOPS were about to unload on a beach to engage American Army Troops. His wing was tasked in taking their P-38 to prevent such Support Reserve Units getting a beach hold. He wrote about the inhumanity of KILL OR BE KILL, and the gruesome deaths. He died in WW2 volunteering for flight time in a (HEAVY) MULTI-ENGINE GOONIEBIRD MAIL ROUTE for qualification of PRIVATE AIRLINES after the WAR. Bad Engines, or Payload/loadmaster or weather could have been a factor,,,, he didnt get altitude/lift.
My Father was a A-10 CrewChief at Barksdale AirForce Base Reserve Unit. He was proud of his support of the A-10. Pilots flew in the ski channel (between Cypress Trees SWAMP) Lake Bisteneau and came back with leading edge missing, and cypress tree tops stuck inside of the engine induction collins. Boneyard in the desert has been picked for REPLACEMENT PARTS! Afghanistan/Iraq Wars the Army has many troops saved!
Watching this really pisses me off. Why did these men have to fight a system to get something that the guys on the ground really needed? McNamara’s name should be stripped from any honors to begin with and anybody that fought for their budget instead of what was best for the boots on the ground should be forgotten as well. McNamara was more worried about politics in Vietnam than his soldiers and that in my mind should be considered treason.
127th AMXS 107 Red Devils A-10 unit. Let me tell you I had 3 different AFSC during AF time and there is no one more dedicated to fly and support the ground guys. He'll even the pilots consider themselves "air grunts". The whole attitude from the top down is 100% A-10❤❤
got to about 40 minutes and one fellow addressed the gun gas issue and airflow intake at high AOA ... I'll keep watching but the first solution to the gun gas into the engines was a diverter on the muzzle ... but it weighed about 75# and the torque of spooling and stopping so rapidly, cracked the spars in the fuselage. THAT is why the engine ignition fires when the gun does. there are slats on the leading edge of the wing between the main gear pod and fuselage which are activated by AOA automatically. Perhaps that's covered later ... --- Hawg Driver 1990s AFRES/AD
the muzzle diverter is alluded-to again near the end at ~1+25 into it ... but no video of it. still ingests the gun gas. There was an engine wash frequency which was mandated. Could see on engine run up prior to brake release the left engine was nearing that task .... it'd be a few percent RPM less than the right engine. until we made our 90 day rotation in Kuwait. the blowing sand over there was keeping the compressor blades clean. ;)
Great doc. However is it normal for pilot's to fly low over enemy positions, (Risking unavoidable ground fire) and then fire off hot flares over advancing friendly troops? 😮1:14:15
Almost 33 years ago I was in the desert on convoy in the middle of Iraq when out of a sudden two A-10’s overflew our position and as they passed us they dipped their wings left and right as if saying hello. They then shot up in the air, one went left and the other one right… and then turned towards each other and diving towards the ground and we heard the iconic BBBBBRRRRRTTTT sound of their guns. We had no idea what they were shooting at, then we saw a puff of smoke, and another, then another… there was an Iraqi tank brigade waiting for us in a ravine some three miles ahead in our path. If you have read this far I ask that you pray that the A-10 is not retired any time soon because I believe it is still the best close air support aircraft our troops can count on. Also pray that God will continue to keep these brave pilots safe.
I was Director of QA for Fairchild Republic and the A-10 was my program. I spent half of my time building the plane and half of my time arguing with the Air Force. From the first plane coming off of the assembly line they tried to kill the program. They didn't understand the plane's mission. They kept saying the plane was too slow. What they really meant is that they didn't believe ground support wasn't their mission. At the time our NY delegation in Congress held the cards and they wanted the plane. They got 713 of them in the end. I remember at one point in time they said they wanted to use the F-16 for the ground support mission.
I first saw the A-10 in a lead miniature gaming piece during my last year in the service (I was a gunner on the back of a Gun Jeep as a Convoy M.P. with all the life expectancy of about 30 seconds in a fire fight trying to get my Convoy through an ambush) and I thought to myself, Geee that looks like it might be worth a Tinkers Damn....
I bet we'll never see one ???
AND WE DIDN'T‼️😉‼️
But a year after my ETS I was traipsing around a wilderness area north of Phoenix looking for a lost hunter (I was a member of the Gila Co. Sheriff S & R's Payson Posey) and what comes flying by but a pair of the most beautiful A-10's I ever saw on wing....
And I thought "Oh you beautiful dolls " ....😊❤😊
If the US Military retires the A-10 they are downright stupid and playing politics. Best CAS plane ever.
As one of those guys on the ground, I can tell you nothing is more comforting than seeing the A10 above.
😊
84h
I still remember that scene in that movie where Meg Ryan was the Huey pilot shot down in Desert Storm, and the crew of the M-60 Tank was telling Denzel about the " F**K**S " coming up on them when what did they see, A big old beautiful A-10 to blast the FUCKERS‼️😉‼️
And the Tank Co. apologized for his language....
And Denzel said No No you were right the first time....😊
I never found myself in the need for real, but I could sympathize with just what he had said‼️🇺🇲‼️😉‼️
I spent over 30 years in Army Airborne Infantry (Ranger) and Special Forces. 5yrs, 8 mo close-combat time. Wounded about a dozen times. 8 yrs enlisted, over 20 commissioned.
I personally, and a good number of my soldiers, owe our lives to A-10s and their pilots. When the bad guys have us outnumbered and outgunned, we're all getting zinged, and trying to dig down in the rocks with our noses and belt buckles, make the calls, and these "Zoomie Grunts" come save our asses. We LOVE those guys and the aircraft. About as much as we love our medics and chaplains.
When the pilots made effective, hot, gun runs, then did their half- rolls and waved at us, we usually waved and cheered like crazy! God love 'em! They never, ever let me and my guys down. Not once, in more than one combat zone. If the USAF wants to get rid of them, the Army should take them over.
Don't you think it's a crime to get rid of a dedicated close air support ground attack aircraft? I think so.
I was in Iraq but I heard enough stories from Afghanistan to make the A10 an obvious and permanent aircraft to keep in service.
Hey to both of you guys, the one that made the original comment and to the guy that commented on his comment, LoL I just want to say thank you for doing what you guys did in the military! If others hate on yall just remember there is at least one guy that will always appreciate your service!!
Got g the g fitted tough huh gotten t thought t they they the😊t th ttt ft ttt thy man tt try tttty😅r tree Ty
Thats never going to happen. The army has no combat fixed wing aircraft since 1960s per an agreement known as the Johnson-McConnell agreement of 1966. The Army agreed to limit its fixed-wing aviation role to administrative mission support (light unarmed aircraft of civilian design).
@@southwestxnorthwestAir Force has been in breach of the terms of that agreement from day one, so it could me nullified if there was political will. But there isn't political will because of the way Congress works:
Congress WANTS the Air Force to want ever more expensive planes. Jobs. Money. Waste.
"What will this new hyper-expensive airplane do for my district?"
Congress is a toilet.
My pops was a lifer in the army as a tanker. When I was a teenager I had the opportunity to go to summer camp with a friend on a air force base. We got to watch a live fire exercise of the A-10. It was one of the most impressive things I have ever seen! I was raised around tanks and I knew that a tanker wouldn't have a hope in the world against one of those planes!
The brass hates the A10, but pilots love them. Numerous pilots stories about returning from missions with severe damage but the pilot alive and well. Ground troops loved them too.
A 10 is like 1911 😊
The A-10 is slow, ugly, and obsolete.
And yet it still gets the job done better than anything else. Somehow it's perfect.
Like the old tried-n-true 1911!@@Captain_Kickass-l1f
@@DonaldMitchell-td8px you're goddamn right sir. That's what you are. Perfection isn't always pretty and it's tough to improve on.
I bet A-10 pilots don't buy their own beers in Army pubs...
The A-1 SkyRaider is such an awesome aircraft. One of the most underrated and under appreciated aircraft ever made.
Another classic aircraft, much like the buff B-52👍👍
I worked for Fairchild in Hagerstown, MD from '77 to '83 while the A-10 program was underway. I know about all the survivability features built into that aircraft. There is no way a multi-role aircraft can be equipped with those or have the maneuverability to provide the cover for ground troops that the A-10 provides, not to mention that awesome GAU-8 cannon. Another employee, who happened to have been an ex-bomber pilot in the AF, told me the A-10 could carry more ordinance than a B-17. I'd like to see the multi-role fighter that can do that. This video was sure an eye opener. I never knew the Air Force brass was so adamant about killing the A-10 program. I'd also like to mention, the company name was Fairchild Republic during the A-10 program. Republic built the fuselage and wing center section in Farmingdale, Long Island, NY. Hagerstown built the wing outer panels and the empennage. The wing outer panels were transported to Farmingdale to be mated to the wing center section, then the wings, fuselage and wing center section were shipped to Hagerstown for final assembly and flight testing. In spite of this awkward method, the end result was one terrific ground support aircraft.
The two stand-outs for me are the A-10 and the F15-(E). Both can do multi-role and both are in my mind the only two aircraft we need to preserver for the next 50 years. While the stealth options are cool (I love the F-35s signature) the cost to benefit ratio of that airframe is tough to stomach. Just repainting the edges of the ladder system for the pilot are insane.
I think the Air Force wants to cut the A-10 from service so they can use that money for R&D on more advanced aircraft.
Personally, I love the A-10 (and the sooner the Air Force dumps it, the sooner I can get my hands on one), but if there is a better attack plane that the A-10 is keeping from development...it seems the A-10 has become a plane that is a day late and a dollar short. The A-10 is a low tech plane and an argument can be made that it fills that low tech slot but maybe high tech has advanced to the point where it effectively erased that low tech slot.
I don't know, I just pay my taxes, I don't make military decisions.
@@cliffcampbell8827 yup. Same as why the A-37s were just given away. Not sexy enough. Not cool enough. Not expensive enough.
Everyone I've met who flew them, loved everything except the noise.
Irony is, most of the cost savings from drones is mirrored in the A-37 programs success.
@@fshalor738😂
It wasn't publicized, but some were deployed with us (Army Rangers and Special Forces) on some operations as early as 1980, to my personal knowledge. Again some in 1983. Then the Gulf and Afghanistan. I owe those guys and planes my life and the lives of my soldiers many times over. God love them all!!
Probably the Best A-10 doc on the Net... A must see...
Russ
½ through and look greats
@@DeeEight The facts that matter here are that the A-10 is still flying and saving lives.
My first experience of close air support was in Viet Nam. Watching the C-47 Spookie gun ship Kicking Ass and taking names....
Thank God for the A-10
Russ
Pierre was All in on the A10. What bs, to call him fighter plane mafia .
You seem to have his whole role reversed.
Give the entire ground support to the Army!
@@MachinecoMachines Spray's moniker of 'Fighter Plane Mafia' came from his role in designing the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a true fighter/interceptor. In this piece, I was surprised they didn't go into the role Major John Boyd played in the development of the A-10 and more so, the F-16. The 'Mafia' had a Don, so did the 'Acolytes' and this was Major John Boyd.
1985,I was standing on an Hilltop in Germany nearby Spagdelem airbase.
An A-10 was flying around the Hill,very close could see the face of the pilot.
Was a wow moment we will never forget.
Slowly passing by,what a beautifull peace of machinery.
I was stationed at Hahn AB just up the road from you. I had a friend at Spang.
Spang was my first station. 94-96
I'm a Canadian that has always studied the wars. Intill now, I had no idea how disconnected the Airforce and Army was in all the previous wars. The soldiers who called in this wonderful weapon seen them as angels. I would have given them as many as the wanted but of coarse I am just a civilian. Thank you all for your service in the armed forces.
It is the fault of the chiefs of staffs and their bosses, Joint Chief of Staff and Sec Def. Ones currently, under Biden, 0 confidence, they’re too political, anti white racism while pro Trans, DEI garbage! Low retain and recruit levels. They’re all incompetent and on board with luggage, called racism …
Please try to learn to spell in the English language!
Until you've served in the military, you'll never know.
Sincerely,
USAF Veteran
Never get rid of the A-10's. They saved our lives in Desert Storm 🙏 D. CO. 1/8th Calvary Ft. Hood, Tx. 😁👍 🇺🇲 . . Army Vet.
Thank you for your service
enemy planes
A'10s are shiet
I clearly remember the first time I called an A 10 in on target felt like GOD came down from heaven and turned everything into dust that went on forever I was in love with the Hog.
Thank You for your service, and Thank God there was an A-10 to answer that call! I am a civilian that is in love with the A-10
@garylyons..WOW !!! Verry Cool !!!⚡️
You really love the hog lmao?
@@jayryan1956 lmao he looovvvessss the hog. He gets all giddy when he calls apparently.
Call of duty doesn’t count lol
I love this aircraft. I do believe it's my favorite aircraft for close air support.
Sounds like we don't need a new plane, we need new generals.
No. YOU murrcians need a new religion, far from monotheistic fascism.
The US has more Generals now than at the end of WW2 lol. We definitely need to clean house.
That and , let the military to do it's job, and not play politics with military funding
Congress has forced the military use ships and aircraft past their projected lifespan
Most Thunderbolt 2 airframes are past optional retirement age, and congress needs it
The A-10 is the 1911 handgun. Ancient, yet still lethal and dependable for its mission.
And is why both should never be retired unless something else is made that is better. You don’t fix something that is not broke.
I must be old but I don't feel like the A10 is ancient. I still remember Sky Raiders and F100's. I also prefer a 1911 to a Glock or a Beretta
I was Army ‘86-‘91. The fast movers were cool…but when an A-10 flew over, and you could see the pilot, watch the control surfaces move like it was slow motion, and realized THAT pilot wanted to kill something in the dust, and all you had to do was point it out to them…that’s when you knew life was good, and the Air Force wasn’t total crap.
Of course, then the AF divested themselves of the plane and let the Air Nat’l Guard take over. I have lots of respect for reservists and the Guard, we used to call them weekend warriors, but then most of them got deployed. They became full members of the brotherhood at that point.
@aljole683 I was in Iraq 03 April 04 June. Thanks for the nod to National Guard. We were treated like stepchildren until the active side needed something. And then we blew their socks off to what could do and how proficient we performed it. Thank you brother SFC RET VFW
Shocking story. Much needed for decision-makers. Thank you.
Thanks, I enjoyed the video, especially the deep dive into the people involved in theA-10 development and their influence on future weapons testing. Not a big fan of the military industrial complex but what works, works, cannot argue.
An Excellent documentary. Should make a movie of the interservice rivalry in developing the A10
I'd watch the hell out of that movie.
I have deep appreciation for Everyone involved with the A-10s , because they are Dedicated to save the lives of all the sweating ground troops .
I remember seeing the A-10 in action on TV during the Desert Storm war. They are awesome. 👍🏼
This is the best Aircraft for ground troop support.... the A-10 has saved many lives. Also caused many men to hide in 😨 fear. This plane will go down in history as a WAR BIRD to be reconed with.
This is a fascinating doc considering the current push to retire the A10. Well worth the watch!
Most video's about the A-10, fail to mention that ALL A-10's, were given to The Air National Guard. USAF has tried to take back the A-10, so they could kill the program. When they saw the effectiveness they tried again to take it back, they failed. Still today all A-10's pilots are flown by Air Guard pilots.
Not true Dm still has 3 active wings in the 355th
Moody, and Osan are USAF too
I saw some A-10s live fire at Nellis and they came over the horizon, looked like they were hovering, and quiet as can be. Then I saw the smoke off the gun saw the ground erupt in the air and full of sparkles like a 4th of July firework, with pieces flying off the tank, then after all that heard the BRRRRRRRRTTTTT. It was amazing.
I have been in wargames with A10s involved. i was in Armor for 14 years. They are a flying tank and pretty darn awesome.
Most epic plane. Ever.
When I graduated an Airframe and Powerplant college in 1976 in NYC, a Fairchild company rep was at the ceremony that Saturday. All 23 of us and a few instructors started work the next Monday at Farmingdale LI building the A-10. I began work on ship 19, reminded me of building a bridge rather an aircraft.
The USAF brass still hate the A-10
As prior Airman I love it. One of my favorites.
Probably because they are attached to the Army, overlooking the trenches. 😂
The simple solution- move the A-10s to army control - is a perfect dilemma for the airforce brass. Keep A-10 and keep the finances and people involved. Let the army take the A-10 fleet and you lose that control.
@davidelliott5843 the Army was offered the A-10 in the 80s. They don't want the responsibility of training for and maintaining a single fixed wing aircraft.
@@Dave5843-d9m They didn't want the A10 anyways so your point is moot. They were continually forced by congress (you know that thing you all think is stupid and inept) to keep the A10 which became so outdated it literally has no use outside of murdering entrenched goat herders armed with AKs and RPGs. A10 survivability was far worse than its counterpart the F111 in Desert Storm, so it's not like you can say it saved pilot's lives either. It was a good aircraft and deterrent for a small window of its life but because big gun make little man peepee hard, we had to keep it for far far longer than it was even viable.
The soldiers on the ground would love them more than any of us could imagine, like a cavalry showing up and charging.
Watching this as an aviation Marine, it really surprises me that the Marine Corps didn't adopt the A-10
That's why they invested in harriers but to be honest I think the A 10 would fly circles around them
@RBinnion I seemed while I was in there was a huge push to the F-18 becoming multi role FA-18. The F-18 is a hell of a bird and will be around fore a while however the one size fits all programs rarely work well. BTW I was around for the transition from the A-4 to the AV-8B the A-4 guys were all wearing shirts that said death before dead bug 😆
@grantensrud9185 I think it should have been taken from the AF and put in the hands of the best fighting force on the planet, the U.S.Marine's Corps...
Thanks!
THANK YOU 🙏
As a former USAF Security Policeman in the late 70s and early 80s I had the unique opportunity to spend a WHOLE lot of time walking around on hot tarmacs on various flight lines. Mostly based with active alert aircraft. My point is I got to talk to a bunch of A10 maintenance folks and pilots. Even back then for the most part everyone loved the Warthog and believed that ground troops were going to love it one day in the future. Turns out they were 100% right 👍
As a former USAF Supply troop who was lucky enough to catch two duty stations with A10 squadrons from 94-97 I can confirm! I spent as much time as I could skate hanging around their shops. Loved the people associated with that plane from top to bottom.
Phenomenonal!! So good I thank you so much for this!!! Wow!
I grew up watching exclusively, first and foremost, the Military Channel, then History Chnl, then Science Channel, and sometimes H2 or H Intnatnl', and didn't much deviate from those. Otherwise working for my Father, retired Green Beret and Veitnam vet who growing up was a C.P.A. with his own firm. Mowing yards had 10-12 a week by age 10 in 4th, 5th grade. Working on a friends farm much as possible which was a good chunk of 7-14, baseball, football, track, did C.A.P.... And read, a LOT of books specifically on History and History of Warfare as Dad had bookshelves of non fiction warfare literature... This, brought me back to a time in my life that was truly great. Truly blessed. And grateful for my parents for, influencing my self inspired passion for challenges, betterment, and uplifting and encouraging my fellow Man...
I really needed this. So very much and I didn't know how, much I really am just, way to God damn hard on myself...For not saving the world already as if its my duty and responsibility...And I realize there's a lot to love and I do and have done some pretty amazing things... Furthermore... I am not alone, "We Few..." are not few, but quite large in number, I see.. I know this may see self infatuating here.. But I see it... And through the nostalgia I received here. Had a moment to really do some introspection, much needed.. God bless you for this, my friend... Words may not convey the gratitude and appreciation I have for stumbling across your content.... Very well put together. VERY pro America, and pro American Soldier. While also remaining unbiased... You're a Gentleman and a Scholar sir. Thank you.
Sincerely, Good Hunting, & always, Godspeed!¡!
~/\/\/~
Thank you. This was so educational. We live in era of 100 million dollar jets. The guy on the ground bed a tank butter. I have personal experience with AF guys on projects an d heart broke to to know they whereabout themselves, not the tax payer. There are real heroes in this documentary.
Billion dollars, and can't loiter over a battle. Call it the warthog, it's a flying tank.
The A-10 is by far my favorite fighter plane of them all. The P-47 Flying Tiger is a close 2nd.
I was going to say that☹️.....you were first though. 😀👍and that still leaves me the A4 Skyhawk, the A7 Vought Corsair, the Douglas A-1 Skyraider, the F16 Fighting Falcon, the......
The Ju 87 bears mentioning.
@@packrat76 your so right. With the inclusion of a psychological terror device.
@packrat76 ju 87 and even more - the sturmovik IL2 - the first successful plane with the armored bathtub protecting crew and fuel - the bathtub was acrually made structural/loadbearing to save weight. Main armament were two 23mm autocannons
"I hate my job."
Said no Hog pilot ever.
Hog pilots are the best people! So chill, not a hot dog in the bunch.
I was stationed at Elgin AFB in 81-83. Our dormitories were right next to the test facility for the gattaling gun. It would have tests at all hours of the day and night. Working in the Civil Engineering squadron, I had access. To all test sites on this 250sq mile base. Many times I got to watch or support test that Systems Command performed. Best of times!
This is a very informative documentary. Thanks.
A10 - unimaginable number of 11 Bravo lives saved … & I appreciate being able to still get to talk to a buddy still … good guy
" I will fear no evil, cause there is an A 10 with me. "
Video was Awesome !! Thank you 🙏🏻 🙌🏻💯🍻🇺🇸
Glad you enjoyed it
Great back story Re: the development of the A-10 Warthog. and the Skullduggery behind the scenes. Thanks.
If the general doesn’t want the A10 then the general’s must serve along the ground troops they command.
What for, they have a more important mission, serving the aircraft companies that didnt build the A10
Dumb comment. In the first Gulf War the F-111 was a far superior tank killer and CAS. This "documentary" is a pure fluff propaganda piece.
Ha, good point. If that ever happened it might have a cascade effect of ALL these "higher ups" being forced to do as they say or at least have their own children do it. A *WHOLE* lot would change on that day. lol.
I love the A-10. It's bulky, it is powerful, can dish out a whole lot of damage, can take a lot of hits but still flies well. It is a very reliable close air to ground support.
Wow. . . . really great . . . what a great bunch oi guys!
Oh, look, as of 28 JUNE 2024 it appears that 126 USAF Upper Brass have watched this video and given it a thumbs down, what do you know 😆
This is a great documentary on the A-10 and on the ridiculous mindset of the USAF Brass. No war will ever be won without boots on the ground and we need to keep those boots out of the grave. Soldiers and Marines love the A-10 and CAS plays a vital role in their survival, they deserve to be supported by the USAF, not neglected by a bunch of HQ/Bunker dwellers.
Damn good work sprey
The A-10 is a beast! What a fantastic plane!
When I was a kid in the 80s I wanted to fly the A-10 SO BAD! Unfortunately, I don't have 20/20 vision, which dashed my hopes. My Dad was an artillery captain, so I look at the A-10 as "Arial artillery".
Yes, with the front cannon it would seem like that. The second time bombs or missiles would be used, doing even more damage. I wonder if the F35 will be as adept in flying 150-300 Kts below 10,000ft altitude.
I had not realised the importance of the A-10 Warthog Development it had to over come. Glory to the innovators.
I've got a copy of Flight International showcasing the A10's release. Wonderful cutaway drawings.
I had a friend, Neil White. He was one of the first American, pilots that flew a jet. He was a short fellow and fit in the cockpit. he was a hero to me. He also had an eidetic memory and could recall every conversation he ever had with any person, place and time. he used to say he was more afraid of that huge flying gas tank than he was of the enemy plans.
I saw the A - 10 at fort Bragg practicing on their range while we were on ours with our peashooter. We all stopped and watched. I fell in love right then. 1982, 82d airborne.
.🎉
Many decades ago, just after I signed my enlistment papers for the USAF. My recruiter sent me a copy of Airman magazine. I was faced with the ugliest aircraft I’d ever seen. I thought, “What is this?” I wanted to see cool Air Force fighters. It was an A-10. Fast forward a few months while in tech school, an instructor who made videos as a hobby, made one using test and training footage of the A-10. I was hooked. I spent most of my career in SAC as a firefighter and didn’t get to serve at a TAC base.
This my brother favorite aircraft, he even got the chance to work on them.
Keep the A-10 for another 60 years.. it is not a throw away It has proven it self and will continue.
It's pretty sad that there is that much petty pissing and moaning going on between two groups who are supposed to be on the same side......
Pete Hegseth won't let the A 10 go away. In fact i bet he increases the numbers
i gotta say, Bbbbbbbrŕrrrrrrtt is the most insidious sound I've ever heard, out of a aircraft, you can't help but stop and look, it's just awesome...
Watching the A10's fly over Boise is one of the reasons I love living here. Amazing.
I drove a large propane tank truck and I was out in the desert coming over the top of a mountain pass and staring me right in the eye was an A-10 pilot. He went right over the top of me. I guess I was his target. Never forget it.
God I miss this job. 74th Fight Squadron. World Famous Flying Tigers.
As a new jet engine technician in the Air Force, this was the first plane I worked on at England AFB, LA 23rd CRS in 1982.
Im sure some of the armored vehicles i have fired upon during convoy ops at Nellis AFB Silver Flag Alpha range (this range is now retired, unfortunately) were quite possibly leftovers from this massive tank army. Thats fkn awesome. Thank you guys for all you did for this program from the beginning and into the future. Semper Rah
The man at the beginning who speaks about Gen. Horner was one of the designers of the A-10
Excellent video
Why not give the A 10 program to the Army and Marines as well as the appropriate budget since the AF don't want to do it.
Federal law, and the A10 doesn't have the sturdy frame and tail hook for carrier landings. Change the law so the Army gets it.
Yes exactly
Definitely everybody on the grounds favorite
Thanks my friends
I was in Iraq in the US army and man when you would here that familiar sound,almost like a whine,you knew it was an A10 warhog,brazing away some targets. Most beautiful site seeing it turn and the wings would like fold,badass😊
Nobody mentioned the significance of ballistic coefficient factor of the high density depleted uranium on top of the burning like magnesium and self sharpening characteristics. Muzzle energy of the .460 Weatherby magnum is 2,500 foot pounds greater than the muzzle energy of .340 Weatherby magnum Lapua
As the two bullets reach 600 yards their foot pound energy will be equal. At 1000 yards the .340 Lapua bullet hits with 1800 more foot pounds of energy than the .460 does at 1000 yards. If I remember right the .340 caliber Speer Lapua step boat tail bullet(above mentioned)has the highest ballistic coefficient that I know of. At .910 it's twice as high as the next closest bullet.
If anyone knows the ballistic coefficient of the 30mm depleted uranium round used in the GAU 8 rotary cannon I would be very greatful to know. I'm sure the high density high coefficient on top of the self sharpening and metal burning characteristics are the reasons this GAU 8 cannon has been so successful in the A-10. I'll bet Hans Ulrick Rudel would have choose to use one if he could have. If there is anyone who doesn't know of this German WWII Stuka pilot who flew 2500 combat missions mostly over Russia was shot down many times was credited with sinking a cruiser or a battle ship and hundreds if not thousands of tanks with his preferred twin 37mm cannons mounted to his Stuka. He even survived the war
Yeah, I'm afraid I have to despise the use of depleted uranium unfortunately.
In terms of warfare it has its place but eventually even the longest wars end. Children come in contact with the remnants of exploded warheads & play with the dull grey poison of depleted Uranium. It lies in fields that will be intended for growing various crops & it finds its way into the water table. It harms civilians mostly & a civilian under a dictator could be as against their country's regime as the invading force.
If they finally find freedom from the dictator & regime then they easily find themselves confined by miseries equally bad or worse with the very real chance of cancer, leukemia & birth defects among other things. Rarely are children combatants & always without a clear understanding of the ramifications or reality if they become combatants.
Depleted Uranium is yet another remnant of war left behind, forgotten & giving a lie to any possibility that any conflict could have been to give the civilian population a better life.
Hans urlich rudel was also a hardcore nazi, after the war he was the Founder of relief organization for Nazi war criminals
Neo-Nazi activist
Election candidate from the extremist German Reich Party
He even sheltered dr mengele
What is "self sharpening" if you wouldn't mind a quick explain?
@@DoublePlus-Ungood
It burns away on the edges as it hits the target due to the molecular arrangement. It forms a cone that pierces some very thick steel as it is heated from the friction.
Grate love and respect from iran ❤❤❤ by the way
Impressive. Amazing.
Great episode. Kinda excited about the new radar/ew system. Spoken like a true geek
Fantastic tactical airplane.
Wow a really good an eye opening documentary. So many people in positions of power lose thier moral compass for selfish and arrogant reason at the cost of the country and it's people...sad.
The true bad ass my hat goes off for the pilots who fly them
Great video. You should do one about the P51 and why it took so long for the U.S. Army Air Corps to use it during WW2. Many bomber crews died because of the delay.
Govt: the army is cooking up a cooler aircraft than you
Airforce: "oh he'll nah"
*some time later
Airforce: you get an a10 you get an a10 you get an a10
...in 1978, I used'ta see flatbed trailers traveling west on I80 in Paterson, NJ with the fuselage (on one trailer) and the entire wing assembly9on the second trailer) going to the assemble point in Maryland...ca 1977 I went to the(IIRC nationals) IMPS convention in Farmingdale, LI, across the street from Republic Aviation...they showed two demo film of the testing that had been done to the A10..one as a demo of the titanium tub that surrounded the pilot - they tested a Soviet ZSU four barreled cannon at extremely close range against it - the only visible damage were burn/splatter marks where the round had impacted against the armor...the second film was on the GAU 30 - it's operation and a closeup of the huge 30mm rounds...seriously impressive to me...
wow A10 WAR THOG..NICE
The only plane that I would ever fly in the Air Force inventory if I could👍👍
I thoroughly enjoyed this video, and my respect to ALL of those of you who had a hand in the both development of the A-10, as well as in working diligently, and the bull you had, and still have, to put up with, in its development, and in even keeping it. It's an utterly amazing aircraft.
My view as an engineer is in the belief of "Make it Simple Stupid", w/virtually everything, including even cars and trucks. You start putting added bells and whistles, you're asking for trouble, which seems to be always the case.
You look at the F-35, you know you're going to have issues w/something down the road w/that aircraft, and in the worst-case situation, in war.
Thank you, and especially for your service to our country. 😉❤
around 57:45 video/audio is garbled. Congress should have given A-10 a large budget to continue research into upgrading designs and research into air/spacecraft armor & deflection technologies against ballistic & radiation weapons. High tech planes are to take out tracking & anti-aircraft tech, maintain air superiority and cover our helicopters, Harriers & A-10s, which in turn cover CAS/Transport/Supply/Special Ops for our ground troops. Modify air flow around A-10 nose & fuselage to disperse gunsmoke away from pilot & engines.Maybe add an armored computer coordinated mini-CIWS on top & bottom to cover incoming missile/drone attacks. Will have to reconfigure entire aircraft for best aircraft performance, survivability & mission success. If the experts approve any upgrades to the A-10,,have NSA watch & stop system of organized saboteurs.
Sad to see the Air Force STILL trying to get rid of it to this day.
My Uncle Albert flew P-38 with a cannon in the nose like the A-10 able to put the nose on the target for straight targeting than guns in wings, side of fusleage can be problematic of guiding the rounds.
P-38 - PERSUIT aircraft was used in close support with nose cannon to straifing mission, as well as early interceptor in AIR and GROUND.
My uncle wrote of Japanese Island invasion barges of RESERVE TROOPS were about to unload on a beach to engage American Army Troops.
His wing was tasked in taking their P-38 to prevent such Support Reserve Units getting a beach hold.
He wrote about the inhumanity of KILL OR BE KILL, and the gruesome deaths.
He died in WW2 volunteering for flight time in a (HEAVY) MULTI-ENGINE GOONIEBIRD MAIL ROUTE for qualification of PRIVATE AIRLINES after the WAR.
Bad Engines, or Payload/loadmaster or weather could have been a factor,,,, he didnt get altitude/lift.
Army will claim A10 pilots as their own every chance they get. They are truly grunts in the air.
My Father was a A-10 CrewChief at Barksdale AirForce Base Reserve Unit.
He was proud of his support of the A-10.
Pilots flew in the ski channel (between Cypress Trees SWAMP) Lake Bisteneau and came back with leading edge missing, and cypress tree tops stuck inside of the engine induction collins.
Boneyard in the desert has been picked for REPLACEMENT PARTS!
Afghanistan/Iraq Wars the Army has many troops saved!
Damn Straight. Prettiest Sound You will ever here. When She Makes Her RUN. Especially when You are in Trouble. SHE Is BRUTAL.🇺🇲🦅
Watching this really pisses me off. Why did these men have to fight a system to get something that the guys on the ground really needed? McNamara’s name should be stripped from any honors to begin with and anybody that fought for their budget instead of what was best for the boots on the ground should be forgotten as well. McNamara was more worried about politics in Vietnam than his soldiers and that in my mind should be considered treason.
It's no different today than it was back then either.
That Sound!!!!!!!!! Go Bolt II........
127th AMXS 107 Red Devils A-10 unit. Let me tell you I had 3 different AFSC during AF time and there is no one more dedicated to fly and support the ground guys. He'll even the pilots consider themselves "air grunts". The whole attitude from the top down is 100% A-10❤❤
The sound of that turbine engine and the gun is unmistakable. I’m sure this weapon system saved many lives
I saw my first A-10 at March AFB in '89, I was surprised at how short the take-off was, it was bad ass! I saw my first Harrier then also!
They want to joyride around in the sky while their airfields in europe get captured by ground forces.
Hopefully the troops now know what had to be done to get this tool through
First like?? May you be blessed with many more!
General Dozier? He was our base commander while I was stationed at Fort Knox back in the early 80s
Man said it right... horse shi. Mission... down in the dirt... that's why this men are invaluable to the close ground support...👍👍👍👍👍
got to about 40 minutes and one fellow addressed the gun gas issue and airflow intake at high AOA ...
I'll keep watching but the first solution to the gun gas into the engines was a diverter on the muzzle ... but it weighed about 75# and the torque of spooling and stopping so rapidly, cracked the spars in the fuselage.
THAT is why the engine ignition fires when the gun does.
there are slats on the leading edge of the wing between the main gear pod and fuselage which are activated by AOA automatically.
Perhaps that's covered later ...
--- Hawg Driver 1990s
AFRES/AD
the muzzle diverter is alluded-to again near the end at ~1+25 into it ... but no video of it.
still ingests the gun gas. There was an engine wash frequency which was mandated. Could see on engine run up prior to brake release the left engine was nearing that task .... it'd be a few percent RPM less than the right engine.
until we made our 90 day rotation in Kuwait. the blowing sand over there was keeping the compressor blades clean. ;)
Great doc. However is it normal for pilot's to fly low over enemy positions, (Risking unavoidable ground fire) and then fire off hot flares over advancing friendly troops? 😮1:14:15