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| Fairchild Republic and Northrop each built two prototypes for evaluation under the US Air Force's A-X
programme, initiated in 1967, for a close support aircraft. The first Fairchild Republic prototype,
designated YA-10A, flew for the first time 10 May 1972. It was announced 18 January 1973 that Fairchild was
the winner of the competitive evaluation of the prototypes, and received a contract for six A-10A aircraft, the first of which flew 15 February 1975.
The first flight by a production A-10A Thunderbolt II was made 21 October 1975. Purchase
of a total of 739 aircraft was planned; but funding was terminated in 1983
after a total of 713 production A-10s had been ordered and delivered. Delivery was completed 20 March 1984.
Northrop Grumman acquired the A-10 programme from Fairchild in 1987. The Thunderbolt II was used during
the 1991 Gulf War.
Export versions of the A-10 were available as single-seat night attack and two-seat combat-ready trainer
aircraft. Night capability is provided by the addition of a Westinghouse WX-50 radar, Texas Instruments
AAR-42 FLIR, Litton LN-39 inertial navigation system, Honeywell APN-194 radar altimeter, AiResearch
digital air data computer, Ferranti 105 laser range-finder and Kaiser head-up display. It is expected that
night/adverse weather capability can be improved with the addition of a LANTIRN (Low-Altitude Navigation
Targeting Infra-Red for Night) fire-control pod.
The first combat-ready A-10A wing was the 345th Tactical Fighter Wing, based at Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina, to which deliveries began in March 1977.
| CREW | 1 |
| ENGINE | 2 x GE TF-34-GE-100, 40.9kN |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 19026-21000 kg | 41945 - 46297 lb |
| Empty weight | 10196 kg | 22478 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 16.8 m | 55 ft 1 in |
| Length | 16.0 m | 53 ft 6 in |
| Height | 4.5 m | 15 ft 9 in |
| Wing area | 47.0 m2 | 505.90 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 834 km/h | 518 mph |
| Cruise speed | 550 km/h | 342 mph |
| Ceiling | 8000 m | 26250 ft |
| Range w/max.fuel | 4200 km | 2610 miles |
| Range w/max payload | 1000 km | 621 miles |
| ARMAMENT | 1 x 30mm machine-guns, 8390kg of bombs and missiles |
| Phil Sharpe, e-mail, 03.12.2010 04:12 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 reply | | Michael, e-mail, 12.11.2010 21:37 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. reply | | Louis, e-mail, 26.09.2010 07:22 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. reply | | Marco Mostajo, e-mail, 08.06.2010 03:29 I really like this bird, if it was faster would be perfect. reply | |
| | Richard, e-mail, 22.01.2010 22:05 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. reply | | Jim Preston, e-mail, 17.01.2010 22:24 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. reply | | dman, 17.01.2010 05:20 right with you right there up at the top of my list behind the f-14 reply | | dman, 17.01.2010 05:20 right with you right there up at the top of my list behind the f-14 reply | | seth, e-mail, 11.01.2010 22:43 baddest of the bad i love this aircraft second only to the F-14 Tomcat reply | | Frank Cosmen, e-mail, 06.01.2010 19:11 I worked on these as a Life Support troop in Myrtle Beach. Viewed a live fire, joint air attach mission at Ft. Stewart. These bad boys will put a hurtin' on whatever they set their sights on. reply | | Bruce, e-mail, 08.09.2010 01:52 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. reply | | Bill Townsley, e-mail, 01.01.2010 17:07 Flew it for 5 years in the early 80's out of Louisana and South Korea - loved it. reply | | Dave, e-mail, 07.09.2008 08:40 I believe that at least one early test version flew with a six barrel 20mm Vulcan gun before the seven barrel GAU-8A Avenger 30mm cannon was flight ready and installed. reply | | Fred, e-mail, 02.08.2008 22:49 Recently the military channel did a piece on the A-10, and in one of the photos it showed a SIX barrel gatling gun. The version I've seen in the museums has a seven barrel version which I'm sure was the production configuration.
Can anyone shed any light on this item ? reply |
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| | steven jump, e-mail, 08.07.2008 13:14 one of the best attack /bomber aircraft in the air force inventory. i used to refuel these bad birds when they'd land at Homestead A.F.B, Fl. those GE Turbofans have a sound all their own. reply | | Mike Morgan, e-mail, 20.05.2008 18:17 What is the cruise fuel burn? reply |
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Just saw your question. There were two A-10s at Edwards when I got there in early 1975. One had an operational GAU-8 30mm, and the other had a mock up. I don't recall what the mock up looked like but it could have been a mock up of a 20mm six barrel gun. I was a young second term SSgt armament /weapons tech. Being a member of that test team was the best duty I had in my 20 year Air Force career. Attended the Fairchild aircraft school at Farmingdale, and the GE GAU-8 gun school at Burlington, VT. Also worked closely with GE on the development of an ammo loader for the A-10.
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