Bellwood in Chesterfield County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
A-10 Thunderbolt II
circa November 2025
1. A-10 Thunderbolt II Marker
General Characteristics
Primary function: Close air support
Contractor: Fairchild Republic Co.
Power plant: Two General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans
Thrust: 9,065 pounds each engine
Length: 53 feet, 4 inches
Height: 14 feet, 8 inches
Wingspan: 57 feet, 6 inches
Speed: 420 mph (Mach 0.56)
Ceiling: 45,000 feet
Maximum takeoff weight: 51,000 pounds
Range: 800 miles
Armament:One 30 mm GAU-8/A seven-barrel Gatling gun; up to 16,000 pounds of fixed ordnance on eight under-wing and three under-fuselage pylon stations, including 500-pound Mk-82 and 2,000-pound Mk-84 series low/high drag bombs, incendiary cluster bombs, combined effects munitions, mine dispensing munitions, AGM-65 Maverick missiles and laser-guided/electro-optically guided bombs; infrared countermeasure flares; electronic countermeasure chaff; jammer pods; 2.75-inch rockets; illumination flares and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.
Crew: One
Date deployed: March 1976
Cost: $9.8 million
The A-10 Thunderbolt II is the first Air Force aircraft specially designed for close air support of ground forces. It is a twin-engine jet aircraft that can be used
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The A-10 has excellent maneuverability at low air speeds and altitude, and is a highly accurate weapons-delivery platform. It can loiter near battle areas for extended periods of time and operate under 1,000-foot ceilings with 1.5-mile visibility. Their wide combat radius and short takeoff and landing capability permit operations in and out of locations near front lines. Using night vision goggles, A-10 pilots can conduct their missions during darkness.
The aircraft can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm. Their self-sealing fuel cells are protected by internal and external foam. Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems. This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power is lost.
Avionics equipment includes communications, inertial navigation systems, fire control and weapons delivery systems, target penetration aids and night vision goggles. Their weapons delivery systems include heads-up displays, a low altitude safety and targeting enhancement system, and Pave Penny laser-tracking
circa November 2025
2. A-10 Thunderbolt II Marker & Display Aircraft
The Thunderbolt II's 30mm GAU-8/A Gatling gun can fire 3,900 rounds a minute. Some of their other equipment includes an inertial navigation system, electronic countermeasures, target penetration aids, self-protection systems, and AGM-65 Maverick and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.
The first production A-10A was delivered to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., in October 1975. It was designed specifically for the close air support mission and had the ability to combine large military loads, long loiter and wide combat radius, which proved to be vital assets to the United States and its allies during Operations Desert Storm and Noble Anvil. In the Gulf War, A-10s had a mission capable rate of 95.7 percent, flew 8,100 sorties and launched 90 percent of the AGM-65 Maverick missiles.
This aircraft had been at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, where it was used as a training aid for a battle damage control unit. Defense Supply Center Richmond employees disassembled the aircraft in 1996 at Shaw, transported it to Richmond, reassembled it and repainted it.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Industry & Commerce • War, 1st Iraq & Desert Storm. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1976.
Location. 37° 25.662′ N, 77° 26.867′ W. Marker is in Bellwood, Virginia, in Chesterfield County. It is at the intersection of G Road and Elk Grove Drive, on the right when traveling south on G Road. Marker is on post at Defense Supply Center Richmond and is not accessible to civilians without sponsored access or authorized escort. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2890 G Rd, Richmond VA 23237, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Piedmont, in Central Virginia, and in the Richmond Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: OH-58D Kiowa (within shouting distance of this marker); F-4 Phantom II (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); World War II Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage, M7B2 (approx. 0.4 miles away); M41 Walker Bulldog (approx. 0.4 miles away); Virginia National Guard State Headquarters Building and Site (approx. 0.4 miles away); F-84F Thunderstreak (approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named Virginia National Guard State Headquarters Building and Site (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bellwood.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 26, 2025. This page has been viewed 66 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 26, 2025. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
