Built to Protect, Born to Last: Inside the Legacy of the A-10 Warthog
By Lynn R. Blamires "Quadman"
This month’s Fly-by Friday program at the Hill Aerospace Museum features one of my favorite war birds – the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, affectionately known as the Warthog. The ropes come down every Friday this month to allow a close-up look at this ground troop support fighter.
The need for a close support fighter jet to protect
ground troops
The need for a close support fighter to protect ground troops arose from the conventional ground wars in Korea and Southeast Asia. The high-speed jet fighters were too fast and lacked sufficient range to serve as close support aircraft. The Navy and Marine A-1 Sky Raiders and the F-4U Corsairs were brought out of the boneyard and refurbished to do the job. These slower prop-driven planes were better at pinpointing targets, hindering friendly troop movement.
The Army turned to helicopters
The Air Force was more focused on flying fast and dropping bombs than providing close air support. Realizing that they were not going to get the ground support they needed, the Army turned to helicopters. They started by developing a costly new helicopter called the Cheyenne. It was 50 percent more expensive than the Air Force’s most expensive fighter, the F-4 Phantom.
The idea for the Warthog was born
Realizing that funding for the Cheyenne would come out of the Air Force budget, the Chief of Staff, John McConnell, started developing a close support airplane that was cheaper than the Cheyenne, more lethal, and much more survivable. Given the green light to create the USAF’s first purpose-built close support aircraft, the idea for the Warthog was born.
Requirements for a purpose-built close support aircraft
What exactly were the requirements of the ideal close support aircraft?
- The capability to maneuver well at low speeds
- To get close enough to the target to distinguish friends from enemies
- To pick up things that ground forces can’t see
- To fly under the weather. With clouds at a thousand feet and hills that are 500 feet high, it isn’t feasible for a jet fighter to come out of the clouds at high speeds and be effective.
- The capability to loiter over targets for two to four hours with a full bomb load, 250 miles from base. If a plane had to leave the battle to refuel after just a few short minutes, it wouldn’t be able to provide any real support.
- To have air-to-ground communications. The Air Force only had communications with other planes and headquarters, and no way to talk to a guy in a foxhole holding a small tactical radio.
- To use cables to control the flaps and other control surfaces instead of flammable hydraulic fluid.
- Survivability. Pilots going into an environment so dangerous to airplanes need assurance that they are going to make it back to base. Armor surrounding the pilot that would stop a .50 caliber bullet. A .22 caliber bullet will bring down any modern jet if it penetrates a fuel tank next to an engine.
- Weaponry capable of destroying tanks.
The A-10 was built around the weapon because of its size
As they began to design the Warthog, they realized that the weapon they needed was so large that they would have to build the plane around it. To stay on target and remain dangerous, they needed to carry at least a thousand rounds of the 30mm bullets that the weapon would fire. Each round is 11.5 inches long and weighs 1.53 pounds. They wanted the plane to be able to make 20 repeated passes, which meant they needed an ammunition drum to feed the gun, three-quarters the size of a Volkswagen Beetle.
Inspiration for the gun came from a German WWII hero
Inspiration for the GAU-8 Avenger Cannon came from the book “Stuka Pilot” by Colonel Hans Ulrich Rudel, a German pilot who understood the rudiments of ground support. Rudel flew 2,500 missions against the Russians in WWII. He wreaked havoc on opposing armies, destroying an astonishing number of enemy vehicles, including 519 tanks. His aircraft of choice was a modified Stuka fighter, bomber, armed with two 37mm cannons. I read this book when I was in high school, and I was intrigued by the tactics Rudel incorporated against his enemies.
A burning hot bullet was designed
While the bullet would penetrate a tank, it wouldn’t stop it in its tracks. That required more research. They found a new type of bullet in development made of depleted uranium. When such a bullet impacts with a high velocity, it causes the metal to burn. Uranium burns inextinguishably like magnesium does in a flare, and it will burn the tank out.
A titanium bathtub to protect the pilot
The survivability requirement was answered with a 12,000lb titanium bathtub deep enough to protect the pilot up to his neck. It gave him confidence when making a strafing run to stay on task, even when his plane was being hit by enemy fire. The A-10 is built with spars covered with skin, a feature that allowed the old Sky Raiders to come home with gaping holes in their wings.
Gun gases caused major problems
Gun gases caused major problems two major problems occurred during the development of the A-10: gun gases were obscuring the vision of the pilots, and the volume of gases was being sucked into the engines and shutting them down. To address these issues, they modified the bullet propellant formulation to reduce smoke and developed an alternative gun muzzle deflector to prevent smoke from entering the engines.
The Air Force doesn’t want the ground support assignment
The A-10 incorporated all of these requirements and then some. It has continued to be updated and modified to remain combat-relevant in supporting ground troops. It is the only fighter jet that can do the job, and yet, the Air Force has done everything possible to replace the A-10 with high-speed jet fighters. Ground support is an assignment the Air Force does not want. Shooting down airplanes seems to count more than taking out tanks.
Firing the A-10 cannon
What is it like to fire the A-10 cannon? Air Force Maj. Vince Sherer, a former A-10 pilot, likes to talk about it. When asked about firing the big Gatling gun, he said, “It kind of encompasses all the senses. There’s a massive noise you can hear through your double hearing protection and the canopy. There are massive vibrations; you can feel them. You can see the gun gas; you can smell it. Every bit of your senses is just maxed out when you’re firing the gun, and at the same time, you’re watching it lay waste to what you’ve got the gun cross over. It’s just awesome.”
Hill AFB has a key role in keeping the A-10 in the air
Hill Air Force Base has played a key role in sustaining the A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) fleet for decades through various programs:
- Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul since the 1990s
- Hill AFB is the home to the A-10 System Program Office, which manages the A-10 weapon system.
- Hill AFB replaced the wings on 173 A-10s to extend their service life
- Engineering and Logistics
- Crash Damage Repair – Hill AFB successfully restored an A-10 that was heavily damaged after a gun misfire and a belly landing
- Modernization Efforts for the A-10.
Hill AFB has a key role in keeping the A-10 in the air
Hill Air Force Base has played a key role in sustaining the A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) fleet for decades through various programs:
- Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul since the 1990s
- Hill AFB is the home to the A-10 System Program Office, which manages the A-10 weapon system.
- Hill AFB replaced the wings on 173 A-10s to extend their service life
- Engineering and Logistics
- Crash Damage Repair – Hill AFB successfully restored an A-10 that was heavily damaged after a gun misfire and a belly landing
- Modernization Efforts for the A-10.
See the A-10 for yourself
Take an up-close and personal look at the A-10 Warthog on display at the Hill Aerospace Museum. It is the featured fighter plane in this month’s Fly-by Fridays. Attend the informative class at 11:00 a.m. on each of the Fridays in July.
Fly-by Fridays are more than just a chance to see some cool planes—they’re a way to connect with history, learn about the aircraft that changed the world, and experience the thrill of aviation up close. I hope to see you there!
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