A-10A "Thunderbolt II"

A-10A "Thunderbolt II". . This twin turbofan attack aircraft carries up to 16,000 pounds (7,257 kg) of external payload, plus an internally mounted 30mm rapid-fire cannon with high velocity ammunition capable of penetrating the latest tanks and heavily armoured vehicles. It is able to fly and maneuver at very low altitudes. It must be able to survive intense antiaircraft fire, surface-to-air missiles and attacks by other aircraft. The A-10 mission is close air support under 1000-foot overcast with two nautical miles visibility. There is no other airplane in the Air Force inventory that can do it., In operation Desert Storm the A-10 flew 8,100 sorties, with a mission capable rate of 95.7 percent; they launched ninety percent of the Maverick missiles used and achieved the only two air-to-air gun kills in the war. The A-10 proved a vital asset to Operation Desert Storm., With the last upgrade, A-10 units took three of the top seven spots, faring better than units with higher technology aircraft. The Laste System, an integrated computer and software package developed by General Electric, gives the A-10 enhanced accuracy for gunnery and bombing., Accommodation: single-seat enclosed cockpits, well forward of wings, with a large transparent bubble canopy to provide all-around view. Bulletproof windscreen., This aerospace vehicle (s/n 76-0547) is part of the USAF Heritage Program Collection.