Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>A-10>HA1335

General Background

October 1975 saw delivery of the first USAF A-10A and deployment in March 1976. Built specifically for close ground support the pilot is protected by titanium armor while being covered by a bubble canopy giving a commanding view. The Warthog has everything needed to survive, dual engines; self-sealing fuel cells; redundant flight control systems protected by titanium armor; a 30 mm seven-barrel Gatling gun; a wide array of bombs and missiles. This plane packs a heavy punch and can stay on scene a long time to deliver its payload.

The Aircraft

During Operation Desert Storm two A-10s downed Iraqi helicopters. The first was on February 6, 1991 77-0205 piloted by Captain Bob Swain of the 706th TFS who downed an Iraqi Bo-105 C helicopter. The second was A-10A No.81-0964 c/n A10-659 piloted by Captain Todd 'Shanghai' Sheehy assigned to the 511th TFS. Sheehy spotted an Iraqi Mi-8 Hip helicopter and started shooting 300 rounds of his 30 mm cannon. The helicopter tail section caught fire so Sheehy fired another 200 rounds to finish it off. 81-0964 was modernized to OA-10A in 1987and A-10C in 2006.

Specifications :

Crew :	One
Main role :	A-10 - close air support, OA-10 - airborne forward air control
Manufacturer :	Fairchild Republic Co.
Power Plants :	Two General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans
Thrust :	9,065 pounds per engine
Length :	16.16 meters
Height :	4.42 meters
Wingspan :	17.42 meters Speed: 420 miles per hour (Mach 0.56)
Ceiling :	13,636 meters
Maximum Takeoff Weight :	22,950 kg.
Range :	800 miles (695 nautical miles)
Armament :	One 30 mm GAU-8/A seven-barrel Gatling gun
	Maximum 7,200 kg of mixed ordnance including : 225 kg “ Mk-82 ” and 900 kg “ Mk-84 ” series low/high drag bombs, incendiary cluster bombs, combined effects munitions, mine dispensing munitions, AGM-65 Maverick missiles and laser-guided/electro-optically guided bombs , infrared countermeasure flares , electronic countermeasure chaff , jamming pods , 6.99 cm (2.75in.) rockets , illumination flares , AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles