Just found this site. Worked with Jim Green (no relation) at the Edwards A-10 test, then on to Davis-Monthan for a year then to Nellis. Left Nellis and the A-10.
At Edwards worked the weapons tests (simultaneous 30mm and two 20mm gun pods), and max bomb loads we don't see anymore because of mid-air bomb collisions, and the many ammo loader tests. Lifted many 86 pound ammo cans. The A-10 was a gift to the ground crews. Didn't have to drag out any ground power units for electric or hydraulics. Quiet and high intake. Gun system that cleared by reversing made reloads easy. Next aircraft was an F-15 that needed ground power and air conditioning carts for everything we needed power for. What a pain!

ASSIGNED TO A-10 AT EDWARDS AFB in'74 as the APG AFETS . LEAD THE FO 410 TECH. DATA TEAM THRU EDWARDS,VERIFICATION PROGRAM, DAVIS MONTHAN AF & THEN TO MBAFB. VERY ACTIVE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE A-10 & THE ENGINE RUN PROGRAM. STILL PROUD OF THE TEST TEAM & BEING A PART OF IT . GREAT AIRPLANE. I RETIRED IN MB IN 1988.

After being out of the service for about 9 years I joined the MD ANG in 1980, they had just received the new A-10 Thunder Bolt, what a great munitions platform it is. It truly is a “TANK KILLER” with the best ground support capability to be found this day an age. We loaded bombs, rockets, chafe, flair, air to ground and air to air missiles and 30MM ammo. Her only drawback is the need for speed, which is why it’s so good at every thing else. Easy to load, not to high or to low and you don’t need a great deal of tools. I loved loading this plane until I retired in 2002 after a brief TDY in Kuwait supporting Southern Watch as my last combat mission. I could tell many stores of the way the A-10 can out fly other aircraft and out maneuver ground based anti aircraft systems. Can’t say enough about the A-10. In fact if it were up to me we still be making them, maybe in an ARV version. If you were their send me an email.

I was one of the test pilots in the A-10/A-7 Fly Off Eval spring 1974. If you needed to find and kill tanks in the Fulda Gap in bad weather; never a question which aircraft you wanted to be in. Hell of a gun.

Re: cruise fuel burn: I took an A-10 from DM to McClellan AFB (up toward Sacramento CO) in about 1980. I was single ship (not normal) so decided to see how long I could stay up. Once I got to alititde (probably FL240 or so) I pulled the power back to 1,000 pounds per hour fuel flow per engine. After 4+ hours I arrived at McClellan with fuel to spare.

Realistic cruise fuel burn? About 2,000 pounds per hour per engine.

Like John Amos who posted earlier (our neighbor at Edwards) I was one of the first to be assigned to the A-10 test program as weapons supervisor. Went on to Davis Monthan FOTE, then Myrtle Beach AFB the first A-10 fighter wing. A-10 one of the best aircraft ever.

correction: the TFW mentioned in this article is incorrect. MBAFB was the 354th TAC Fighter Wing, as opposed to the 345th TFW.
Thanks.
Lance

I was in the 355th EMS at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ from Oct 1977-Sep 1980. We were converting from A-7D's to the brand spanking new A-10A's. Worked in the Armament Systems Shop on the GAU-8/A Avenger 30mm gun along with all 11 bomb racks (MAU-40/A & MAU-50. Probably the quietest airplane I ever work on!

Worked as a crew chief for 12 years,on this bird. There is a bond, that cannot be broken once in your blood. Any time I hear that sound I always look up, and smile with pride to know that we put a hurting on them during the Gulf War for the grunts on the ground.

ONE OF THE BEST OVERALL PLANES EVER BUILT FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE, AND DEEPLY FEARED BY THOSE UNDER IT'S FIRTE!
PILOTS LOVED IT!

I was at Bentwaters when we converted from F4's to A-10's then was at England AFB when we converted from A-7's to the A-10. Workd Munitions and was one of the first CMU chiefs when Tac started that program. Loved the Warthog but it sure went thru a lot of 30mm. Another former Flying Tiger.

Was one of the first be be assigned to the test team for TAC ,at Edwards ,AFB,Ca, moved to tuson,az with the A-10 summer of 1976,and went to Bentwaters RAFB, England in summer of 1978, The A-10 was a great acft to work on , acft that I worked on DTE(B-58A)(KC-135)DTE(FB-111)(F-105)(F-4E)(F-111)DTE(A-10) (B-52G/H)

@Fred there was an option to fit it with an alternative 20 mill gat.gun by Philco-Ford and trials were made-its probaly what you have seen.

I need help from anyone who flew/flies or worked on the A10. I'm writing novel about an A10 pilot who goes down in the mountains in 1998. What model was in use during 1998. From the pilots or ex pilots, what was it like to fly A10. Please answer by e-mail. Thank you very much. Phil Sharpe

I helped build these birds back in the '70's and early '80's at Fairchild Republic Corporation in Farmingdale Long Island. I specifically constructed the leading edge ring of the Nacelles. I miss aircraft work and the sound of rivet guns going all day. I hope the "death cross" flies forever and if anyone ever needs a good riveter for restoration on these old girls I'd be happy to help.

I worked on A-10's for 4 yrs at England AFB, Louisiana as a Flying Tiger. They were better in dog fights because they could fly "Low and Slow". I was told by the pilots that usually they would win in dog fights because of the fact they could fly low and blend in with the terrain. The one that spotted the other first could get off the first shot and that gave the A-10 the advantage. Also since they could turn on a dime, A-10's could turn inside other fighters and fire on them knocking them out of the sky. Add the ground attack capabilities with all it's fire power and accuracy, not to mention it's survivability and it was a favorite for everyone. It wasn't too bad to work on either.

Was weapons on this bird since 96 until a couple of years ago,, went to HH-60 Pavehawks. From a GAU-8 to a Gau-2. Was in theater many times, and ask the thousands of army guys and gals how they feel about this airplane, and how many have been saved since 9-11, and what airframe do they like. Everyone with out question will say A-10. How many of the F's are requested for ground support? Ask the FAC's gays what they request? The biggest problem is we don't have enough of them. They are slow for a reason, and so the F's are always getting to the sights faster, but if they had more in country, they could cover more area's. This plane is feared by our enemy, and I mean they really, really hate it!! Not so much for the F's.

I really like this bird, if it was faster would be perfect.

Was on the test team for TAC (hydraulics) and went to the lab at Eglin with it. May be the best bird I ever worked [B52 (D,E,G), KC135, C124, C130, C141, C133, SA16, F105(G), F4, and A10]. If I remember correctly, there were 79 of us from TAC on the team and many of us retired as Chiefs.

Sorry to reply so late, Mike, but cruise fuel burn was around 5,000 lbs per hour at 300 knots, 10,000 feet MSL and below.