Surplus F-15

[rwbrown72]

My favorite F-15 story is the 14 Feb scud cap in nw iraq when they
used a 2,000 lb LGB (gbu 10) on a mi-24.
Anything to protect our SF guy’s.

I remember that....Dropped it right down through the rotors! BOOOOOM!

Does that count as an air to air kill or a bombing mission? I say give the pilot extra credit on that one!

 

[subhunter]

When it hit , the mi24 was airborne so it's an air to air kill.
LOL

 

[nkawtg]

The slow part of an A10 is a good thing (I guess unless you are the pilot). Their slow speed/ low fuel burn allows them to have a phenominal loiter time, which if you are a JTAC (or in the presence of a JTAC), that is a good thing!!

Everyone has their favorite aircraft, but I tell my guys that the KC-135 is the best aircraft ever, 'cuz it's the only one we have! We could have a flightline full of Piper Cubs and I'd still say the same!!!

 

[royaltiger1945]

I know for sure that they get your attention when they are lining up on you. I cover the area around Willcox, AZ and they like to train close to this area. If I am out running a survey, they like to check out what I am doing. They really like to line up on the work truck and sidexside. Nothing like watching their front end lineing up on you when they are are only 500 ft out and then fly by you 50 ft to the side and less than 100 ft of the deck waving at you. Can't help but to be jealous of those pilots.

 

[mcmullag]

the A-10 page

Many days, just while driving aboot town, I will see a couple A-10's stop in for fuel here at Petersen AFB, guess maybe they come by to train with ground forces here at Ft. Carson?
Check out the info on wikipedia, pretty amazing practical designs for its mission...

"The aircraft is designed to fly with one engine, one tail, one elevator and half a wing torn off.[39] Its self-sealing fuel tanks are protected by fire-retardant foam."

"Many A-10s also featured a "false" canopy painted in dark gray on the underside of the aircraft, just behind the gun. This form of automimicry is an attempt to confuse the enemy as to aircraft attitude and maneuver direction."

"The cockpit and parts of the flight-control system are protected by 1,200 lb (540 kg) titanium armor, referred to as a "bathtub"

"Additionally, the landing gear are all hinged toward the rear of the aircraft, so if hydraulic power is lost the pilot can drop the gear and a combination of gravity and wind resistance will open and lock the gear in place."

"The A-10 is exceptionally tough. Its strong airframe can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high-explosive projectiles up to 23 mm. The aircraft has triple redundancy in its flight systems, with mechanical systems to back up double-redundant hydraulic systems."

"Engine exhaust passes over the aircraft's horizontal stabilizer and between the twin tails, decreasing the A-10's infrared signature and lowering the likelihood that the aircraft can be targeted by heat-seeking missiles. The placement of the engines behind the wings partially shields them from anti-aircraft fire."

There is still a lot more to read, and pics, on wikipedia:
A-10 Thunderbolt II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Green_gator]

Good article about the damage an A10 took over Baghdad and got the pilot home. Published by the Air Force with photos. Saw these planes a lot in Germany in the late 80s. They had to put the fear of God into anyone even thinking about having to go against them. As a TOW gunner one of our primary targets were Soviet air defense vehicles. We were told that once they were gone the A-10 and AH-64s were free to roam.

Story about Battle Damaged A-10

 

[decodeme2]

Check it out...
I would not beleive it if i had not seen this..
I did not think it could be done!

WHEN ITS NOT YOUR TIME TO DIE...


Kevin...

 

[watkinssr]

snopes.com: One Wing Plane Landing
Seeing is not believing anymore.

 

[GoldComet6]

June 1st, 2010.

The better is always the enemy of the good. We have learned again and again, sometimes the newest technology doesn't always work as well as what it replaced.... An F-4 was a heck of a fighter, but it couldn't do what an AD1 Spad could do in Vietnam...loiter and kill.... The A10 Warhog is an aircraft I would rather go to war in then some of the space age toys the USAF is enamored of, just because it's low, slow and can take a beating. There was a move to convert F15's to ground attack aircraft, just image what a misplaced AK 47 round will do for that plane's career....

Just wanting to be provocative.....

Let's be fair to the Phantom, it was never designed to do that. It was intended to defend the carriers by launching a AIM-7 Sparrow missile at long range and returning. Putting it into the weeds in Vietnam was a real test of the machines and pilots. It wasn't a dogfighter, nor a CAP aircraft. The A through D models didn't even carry an internal gun - they thought it wasn't needed for the intended role.

I have nothing at all against the A-10 (love all military planes!) - it's great as a close air support aircraft. But it cannot do what the F-4 can either...it has no long range air to air capability, it's sloooow, and has very basic avionics. It's not designed for the air to air role, so it's not fair to be critical of it in that role either.

Your comparison should be A-10 versus SU-25.

Yep.....Warthog vs. Frogfoot!