One filthy A-10 ...

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7822

170706-F-ER377-0744 by Central Repository for Aviation Photos, on Flickr
A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II departs after receiving fuel from a 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker during a flight in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, July 6, 2017. The A-10 employs a wide variety of conventional munitions in support of OIR and the destruction of ISIS. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Trevor T. McBride)

Malo83 · **Joined:** Sat Sep 23, 2006 3:31 am **Posts:** 309

30 MM cannon has been getting a workout

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1596

That is a beautiful photo of a beautiful aeroplane!

DH82EH · **Posted:** Sat Oct 21, 2017 7:38 am

UGLY!

(but well hung)

Great photo!

quemerford · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:19 pm **Posts:** 1596

I've never subscribed to the strange assertion that the A-10 is ugly. Handsome? Yes. Beautiful? In my eye yes too.

But ugly? Why? Because someone thought it was and many join in?

Lon Moer · **Posted:** Sat Oct 21, 2017 2:14 pm

quemerford wrote:

I've never subscribed to the strange assertion that the A-10 is ugly. Handsome? Yes. Beautiful? In my eye yes too.

But ugly? Why? Because someone thought it was and many join in?

Why?
The official name is Thunderbolt II, but the crews thought it was so ugly they named it "Warthog" :wink:

that's why :lol:

airnutz · **Posted:** Sat Oct 21, 2017 2:28 pm

Lon Moer wrote:

quemerford wrote:

The official name is Thunderbolt II, but the crews thought it was so ugly they named it "Warthog" :wink:

that's why :lol:

You're assuming the crews weren't bestowing an honor, maybe they felt the A-10 was as "handsome" as themselves? I always thought the Warthog is Stuka-handsome... :lol:

marine air · **Posted:** Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:05 pm

1) Typical warbird wash job done by "volunteers" . The greasy underside always gets skipped.
2) Typical condition of a squadron aircraft that is being tasked very heavily. Scheduled washes get deferred to get the aircraft back in the fight. IS most of that grit from the cannon?
3) Water is rationed at the base where the A-10 is stationed. When I was overseas working as a contractor we had a "water buffalo" that had about 100 gallons of non potable water in it. The flight chief decided to give some guys busy work and had them washing the Toyota Landcruiser and some other equipment. After they went through the 100 gallons they were told the water was rationed and wouldn't be getting any more. Would've been nice to have for the aircraft windshields which we cleaned with bottled drinking water.

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7822

One a bit cleaner

U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II with the 303rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, peels away from a KC-135 Stratotanker over Eastern Afghanistan, July by Central Repository for Aviation Photos, on Flickr
U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II with the 303rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, peels away from a KC-135 Stratotanker over Eastern Afghanistan, July

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7822

Doesn't look 'ugly' to me ...

10848688_426825970806649_3949110551625798519_o by Central Repository for Aviation Photos, on Flickr

Scott Rose · **Posted:** Sat Oct 21, 2017 6:01 pm

Probably my favorite "modern" aircraft

dusttinbound · **Posted:** Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:26 pm

My question is why the hell is it carrying 2 AIM-9's. Its not like we don't have air superiority and I figure it could be used to carry one more bomb.

CAPFlyer · **Posted:** Sun Oct 22, 2017 7:07 pm

Even with "air superiority", it doesn't mean that there isn't a chance to run into a hostile aircraft (even if it's a converted civilian one or a drone) and there might arise the need to take it out.

airnutz · **Posted:** Sun Oct 22, 2017 10:30 pm

marine air wrote:

1) Typical warbird wash job done by "volunteers" . The greasy underside always gets skipped.
2) Typical condition of a squadron aircraft that is being tasked very heavily. Scheduled washes get deferred to get the aircraft back in the fight. IS most of that grit from the cannon?

In lieu of expert reply, I'm guessing that is the residue from the GAU-8. Regardless, when I saw this image the aroma of a bucket of Varsol was remembered and the feel of it running off the rag down my armpit to my beltline where the inevitable petroleum burn would appear later. Still a better task than crawling to the rearmost area of the fuselage of a D-18 in August to grease the hidden zerk. As a green high school mechanics apprentice, better is a very relative term elusively applied the longer you're a learner. Good motivation to become an earner... :lol:

wendovertom · **Posted:** Mon Oct 23, 2017 8:13 am

I'm with Scott - the plane is just wonderful!

Tom P.

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One filthy A-10 ...

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