Fairchild-Republic A-10 "Thunderbolt II"

Fairchild-Republic A-10 "Thunderbolt II". . The Fairchild-Republic A-10 is the U.S. Air Force's primary low-altitude close air support aircraft. Gaining fame in all of the Gulf Wars, the Balkans, and Afghanistan, it is one of the most feared aircraft by enemy forces, and most loved by American "boots-on-the ground.", The A-10 was designed as a sub-sonic, short take-off, highly maneuverable aircraft that could loiter above the battlefield for extended periods of time. Redundant control surfaces and hydraulic systems combined with titanium armor protecting the pilot, control systems and ammunition allows the aircraft to endure incredible amounts of damage and still fly., The A-10 is able to carry a huge load of more than 16,000 lbs. (7,257 kg) of ordinance from eleven hard points under its wings and fuselage. Teamed with its 30mm GAU-8/A rotary cannon makes this aircraft an extremely lethal weapon., Although officially named the "Thunderbolt II," the A-10's toughness, survivablity, and lethality has led pilots and ground crews to nickname it the "Warthog" or just plain "Hog.", The "Gun", The A-10 is the only aircraft whose airframe was totally designed around a gun. The 30mm General Electric GAU-8A Avenger cannon is what makes the "Warthog" famous and extremely lethal., The cannon fires rounds the size of beer bottles (30mm) from its seven rotating barrels. Each round has a core made from depleted uranium - one of the densest metals on Earth that is capable of penetrating nearly 3 inches (76mm) of battle armor. If this was not enough, the gun can fire up to 4,200 of these monstrous rounds a minute- or 70 per second!, Each round had a recoil of 10,000 lbs (4,526 kg)! , When the cannon is fired, the aircraft will experience a significant deceleration., "I owe my life to that plane!" , An often-heard comment about the A-10 from veterans from the wars in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan., (sidebars:), History of this specific aircraft, The A-10 on display here (77-0199) is a true "war-bird." It flew hundreds of missions in Kuwait, Iraq, and Kosovo., General Data:, Manufacturer: Fairchild-Republic , Crew: 1 , Length: 53 ft 4 in (16.26 m) , Wingspan: 57 ft 6 in (17.53 m) , Height: (unreadable) ft 8 in (4.47 m) , Empty height: 24,959 lbs (11,321 kg) , Loaded weight: 30,384 lbs (13,782 kg) , Max. takeoffweight: 50,000 lbs (22,700 kg) , First flight: May 10, 1972 , Entered service: October, 1977 , Powerplant: 2xGE TF-34-100A turbofans, Performance:, Max speed: 439 mph (833 km/hr) , Service ceiling: 45,000 ft (13,700 m) , Range: 288 miles (460 km) , Rate of climb: 6,000 ft/min (1,829 m/min) , Number built: 716 , Unit cost: US $18.8 m (FY 1977)