Warthog as described in 1974
Throwback Thursday: Just look at the highlights of this original Warthog brochure:
-“The A-10 was designed to cost–the lowest cost of any front line aircraft in the Tactical Air Command inventory.”
-The flight testing time was measured in months..not years or even decades!
-Quick turnaround time/long loiter time
-Able to be rearmed with engines running
-Able to land on austere runways
-Easy to maintain
-Survivability/redundant control systems
-Massive firepower
Too bad the Air Force has been trying to kill it for the past 40 years…
laststandonzombieisland 
[blockquote]Too bad the Air Force has been trying to kill it for the past 40 years…[/blockquote]
Which is another good argument for air assets to be owned and operated by the people who benefit from them, not a redundant third party with it’s own agenda and priorities.
P.S. hi. I’ve been lurking for a few weeks, enjoying the read. It was Warship Wednesdays that sucked me in. Good idea, that. Always interesting.
I totally agree, the Air Force does not understand ground support, in their thinking if they drop a missile on a target from twelve thousand feet to take out a target thats good enough.
But good ground support is more then just hitting a target, the psychological impact on seeing an A-10 baring down on targets will keep the bad guys digging deeper holes while the infantry maneuver in for the kill.
I had the chance to watch the A-10 in action during a month of joint training in the late 70’s while I was with the 82nd, an amazing aircraft. It may be old, but so is the B52, and if it works better then anything else they have, keep it flying.