Tag Archives: A-10 Thunderbolt II

The Hog Slaughter Endures: Davis-Monthan A-10 Unit Inactivations

Posted on by Leave a comment

On 18 September 2026, the 355th Wing inactivated the remaining A-10 Thunderbolt II units at Davis-Monthan: The 355th Operations Group, 357th Fighter Squadron (“Dragons”), 357th Fighter Generation Squadron, and 355th Training Squadron, capping a half-century of Warthog operations from the Arizona base and casing the unit’s colors.

They had a pair of 47-year-old Idaho Air National Guard and ANG Test Center A-10Cs fly in from Gowen Field and Morris ANGB, respectively, for the inactivation ceremony, as all of the 355th’s ‘Hogs had been retired back in July. The birds were 79-00142 (MSN 0406, former 47th FS “Salomey”) and 79-00185 (MSN 0449, formerly of the 511th TFS).

Two U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to the Idaho Air National Guard and Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Test Center fly in formation at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Sept. 18, 2026. The aircraft flew during the A-10 Unit Inactivation Ceremony to honor the legacy of the Thunderbolt II and the Airmen who supported its mission at Davis-Monthan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Samantha Melecio)

The fact that planes had to be flown in was especially poignant.

At its peak, Davis-Monthan housed something like 85 A-10s assigned to its primary and training squadrons, not counting those in the Boneyard.

How about this sight just four years back:

A 355th Wing A-10 “elephant walk” at Davis-Monthan back in 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alex Miller)

These days, the USAF only has two active-duty A-10 squadrons (23rd FG’s 74th FS “Flying Tigers” and 75th FS “Tiger Sharks”) at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, and one reserve squadron (442nd FW’s 303rd FS “KC Hawgs”) at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, with 54 primary airframes, and all three units are expected to be sunset by 2030.

The ANG has the 107th FS “Red Devils” in Michigan and the 190th “Skullbangers” in Idaho, which are expected to transition to F-15EXs and Block 40 F-16Cs by 2027-28.

Today, something like 150 A-10 retired airframes are in storage at the other end of the base under the care of AMARG.

Last ‘Hog Flys Last Air Weapons School Training Flight

Posted on by One comment

The end of an era, boys.

The A-10 Thunderbolt II SN 82-0665 completed its final training sortie with the 66th Weapons Squadron this week, flown by Lt. Col. Ridge Flick, the unit’s commander.

“The flight closed a chapter of providing graduate-level training in advanced close air support with the U.S. Air Weapons School,” as noted Nellis’s PAO.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Alex Padilla, a crew chief assigned to the 757th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, conducts postflight maintenance on an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, August 18, 2026. Maintainers assigned to the 757th AMXS routinely inspect and service aircraft to ensure combat-ready airpower for the joint force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt)

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ridge Flick, 66th Weapons Squadron commander, conducts postflight procedures in an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, August 18, 2026. The 66th WPS completed the final A-10 training flight for the U.S. Air Force Weapons School. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt)

A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft taxis after its final training flight at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Aug. 18, 2026. The 66th Weapons Squadron conducted the final training flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt)

Fitting that it was with 82-0665, the last ‘Hog built. According to Baugher’s sheets, 82-0665 (MSN 713) was delivered on 20 March 1984 to the 23rd FW, 74th TFS “Flying Tigers” at England AFB, Louisiana, and has had a full career.

An air-to-air right-side view of a 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft banking toward Cain Lake, a landmark near the base where pilots practice their combat flying tactics. The aircraft is armed with AGM-65 Maverick missiles and an AN/ALQ-119 electronic countermeasures pod. The last production A-10A Thunderbolt II built (S/N 82-0665) was delivered to the TAC’s 74th Fighter Squadron at England AFB. (TSgt Bill Thompson)

Wearing a woodland camo paint livery and EL tail code, 82-665 was part of the TAC A-10 Demo Team and was named “Cool Cat the Last Tiger” to mark the last production A-10A.

She was sent to the Boneyard at AMARC in 2001, then returned to service and converted to A-10C standard before being sent to the 66th WPS.

The 66th, as recently as March, was conducting austere landing training on a dry lake bed outside of Las Vegas. You know, the kind of stuff the A-10 was designed for, and virtually no other combat jet in the world can pull off with style.

A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to the 66th Weapons Squadron, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, performs an austere landing at Delamar Dry Lake near Alamo, Nevada, May 28, 2026. The 66th WPS provided close air support and forward air control during a Weapons School Integration mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt)

A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to the 66th Weapons Squadron, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, deploys defensive flares during an evasive maneuver over the Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada, May 28, 2026. The 66th WPS participated in a Weapons School Integration mission, challenging students to develop tactically relevant plans integrating multiple mission partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt)

The squadron is no stranger to change and flying icons.

Initially formed in 1940 as the 66th Pursuit Squadron, just seven months after Pearl Harbor, the outfit was flying its P-40 Warhawks as air cover for Monty’s British 8th Army’s drive across Egypt and Libya into Tunisia to kick the Afrika Korps off the continent.

Converted to the P-47 Thunderbolt, the 66th flew the big “Jug” all over Italy and Southern France for the rest of the war. They shifted airfields no less than 32 times during the war to keep up with the frontline.

Their mascot and emblem was cartoonist Al Walker’s cigar-chomping “Slug the Penguin.”

Cold War service saw the 66th fly F-51s, F-80s, F-94s, F-89s, F-105s, and later F-4s before transitioning to the A-10 in 1977. They have been based at Nellis since 1969 in support of the USAF Weapons School.

Warthogs and Apache Snow

Posted on by Leave a comment

An Idaho Air National Guard A-10 Thunderbolt II of the 124th Fighter Wing— which has been part of the Treasure Valley since 1946– prepares for takeoff on 9 January 2022 on Gowen Field on the outskirts of Boise.

(U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. Mikki Fritz)

On the last trip I took to Idaho, I was told by the outfitter that the snow on the mountains in the Bogus Basin area in summer was of the “Apache” type, as in “a patchy here, a patchy there…”

And thus endeth the Dad joke for this week.