Researching A-10 pilot experience

[JDK]

Hi Folks,
I'm currently researching A-10 pilot experiences, and am looking for firsthand accounts, or ex- (or current) A-10 pilots who'd be interested in answering a few questions (in the next couple of days!).

Pointers to more general online A-10 resources most welcome also. All help appreciated.

I can be contacted here via PM, or via my blog (linked below) or on JKightly AT yahoo.com.au (replacing the spaces and 'AT' with @ of course.).

Thanks in advance,
Regards,

[RickH]

James, I'll check with a friend who just surpassed his 4000th A-10 sortie and a 6 month tour in Afghanistan. He might be interested.

[Ken]

I know a handful of guys who flew the jet from the earliest days to recent - can you be more specific as to what info you're looking for?

[Old SAR pilot]

Couple of web sites:

http://www.a-10.org/

http://warthognews.blogspot.com/2010/05 ... r-art.html

[Wilson]

I always liked this story:

Thunderbolt Over Baghdad, 'Pilot-Dude' Down in the Countryside
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 16, 2003 – Air Force Maj. Jim Ewald had just finished a close-air support mission over Baghdad when his A-10 Thunderbolt II was hit by an Iraqi surface-to-air missile April 8. It physically moved the plane "like the hand of God," Ewald said during a Pentagon interview July 16.

Ewald is a pilot with the 110th Fighter Wing out of Battle Creek, Mich.

The surface-to-air missile came up from the southwest, and Ewald said he never saw it. But he had no doubt a missile had hit him. "I could see a reddish glow on my cockpit instruments from the fire behind me," he said. His second thought was that he had not been wounded.

It was then that the airplane departed from controlled flight. "That's just the way we say I was trying to fly the airplane one way, but the airplane was off doing its own thing," the Michigan Air Guardsman said.

Ewald was soon able to regain control. "I was very fortunate to be flying this mission in an A-10, because had I not, I would have bailed out right there," he said. "My next thought was 'I don't want to bail out right over Baghdad or I'm going to be in it deep.'"

He and his wingman headed out of Baghdad and sought American lines. "It was physically hard (to fly the plane), Ewald said. "I was manipulating everything with all the muscles in my body. I had flight control problems, I had engine problems, I had fuel-flow problems, I had hydraulic problems not to mention that I had an airplane that was disintegrating. I looked back once and I could see little parts falling off the engine and I thought, 'I really don't know what that is, but I think I need it.'"

As he continued south, he lost one of the engines completely and he ejected. "The ejection seat was packed by one of my new best friends out of Boise, Idaho, and it worked perfectly," Ewald said.

After he hit the ground, he mistook the 30 mm rounds cooking off in the airplane for incoming Iraqi fire. He ran to hide in a dried canal behind some reeds. He heard engine noise, and hoped that the vehicle was American. "I knew the 3rd Infantry Division had been in the area, but I didn't know if it was still there," Ewald said.

There was Fedayeen Saddam paramilitary still running around, he said, and he couldn't see very well. "I heard one yell in English, but I thought maybe this guy went to language school," Ewald said. "Then I heard another voice yell in English, 'Hey, pilot dude. Come out. We're Americans.'"

There was no mistaking the accent, he said. "He sounded like your typical 19-year-old American," the pilot-dude said. "I thought that's something you don't learn in language school."

The soldiers were from the Army's 54th Engineer Battalion, and they had seen Ewald eject. They arrived some 10 to 15 minutes after he hit the ground, he said.

Ewald went back to the 110th and was back into the cockpit in 48 hours.

[JDK]

Thanks Chaps,
Wilson's story's a great one - just the kind of thing I'm after.

Rick - please ask him to contact me ASAP if he's interested...

I know a handful of guys who flew the jet from the earliest days to recent - can you be more specific as to what info you're looking for?

Looking for firsthand accounts of flying the A-10, quotes and anecdotes, shorter is better! No location or timescale restriction, it's about the aircraft as used in role.

Thanks for the comments and the e-mails also.
Regards,

[Scott Rose]

There was Fedayeen Saddam paramilitary still running around, he said, and he couldn't see very well. "I heard one yell in English, but I thought maybe this guy went to language school," Ewald said. "Then I heard another voice yell in English, 'Hey, pilot dude. Come out. We're Americans.'"

There was no mistaking the accent, he said. "He sounded like your typical 19-year-old American," the pilot-dude said. "I thought that's something you don't learn in language school."

The soldiers were from the Army's 54th Engineer Battalion, and they had seen Ewald eject. They arrived some 10 to 15 minutes after he hit the ground, he said.

Ewald went back to the 110th and was back into the cockpit in 48 hours.

That is an great story.

[JDK]

I quite agree. Thanks for the suggestions so far, any more, please?

[whistlingdeath77]

You may contact the Barnes air nation gaurd base in Westfield, Ma. They were or are the 131st 104th who had the A-10's up until a couple years ago. With the base re-aliment, they switched over to the F-15. I believe some stayed on to fly the eagle. They had the warthog for a loooong time and were deployed for the first desert storm as well as our current conflicts. I know they could help you. Man I really miss those planes flying over

[RickH]

With the base re-aliment, they switched over to the F-15

Be thankful, at least you got realigned with real airplanes ! All we got were Predators, and they are all overseas flying real missions. The operators are here in Houston.

[whistlingdeath77]

With the base re-aliment, they switched over to the F-15

Be thankful, at least you got realigned with real airplanes ! All we got were Predators, and they are all overseas flying real missions. The operators are here in Houston.

Trust me I am! They are awesome when they fly over. There's no mistaking that high pitch whistle sound of those warthogs though

[JDK]

Thanks folks. I've now got more than enough material for what I need (it's always from 'not enough' to 'way too much to use') many thanks to WIX members and contacts various, so a big tip of the hat there.

Regards,

[L2Driver]

You may contact the Barnes air nation gaurd base in Westfield, Ma. They were or are the 131st 104th who had the A-10's up until a couple years ago. With the base re-aliment, they switched over to the F-15. I believe some stayed on to fly the eagle. They had the warthog for a loooong time and were deployed for the first desert storm as well as our current conflicts. I know they could help you. Man I really miss those planes flying over

CT ANG also flew the A-10 for several decades. At the time, they were the 103rd. They gave up their Hogs for Learjets I flew them when they were still green and the b@stard stepchild that USAF didn't like to talk about (pre-Desert Storm/Shield)!

"Warthog" by William Smallwood gives a good account of what it is/was like to fly the A-models.