Warbird Information Exchange

Did anyone here that there is no more a-10 warthog demo teams left for air shows? Simple static displays for 2015

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

Old news, the A-10 East team was closed down about 4 years ago and A-10 West a year or so later.

Any reason behind this?

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

$$$

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

Ugh....always comes down to this!

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

Actually, the USAF just barely brought back the F-16 demo team out of Shaw AFB so this year there will be the F-22 and F-16 demos. And as you have pointed out, there is the limited possibility for shows getting a static jet for display! limited progress but progress none the less!

Tom P.

What's the cost comparison of an a-10 opposed to the f-16 and f-22?

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

I am not sure on the operational costs but since the USAF is really trying hard to get rid of the A-10 I doubt that they would allow a demo team to go out on the road with the plane. There is a thread in 'military matters' on the A-10 debate but personally, I love the A-10 and would love to see the demo come back.

Tom P.

You got that right Tom! I love the warthog, a true battle tested veteran.

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

I'd think given the slow operating speed of an A-10 v/s an F-16 or other mainline 'fighter,' you could do much more in aerobatics with a warthog.
I once talked with a warthog driver after calling in CAS in a CONUS FTX, and he said he'd actually flown F-16s for a while but liked flying A-10s so much more.
Here are some of my favorite A-10 shots I've taken:

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Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

Great shots! Is that 30 chromed out!? I used to LOVE the wall of fire demonstration by the warthogs. Their tight turning seemed like there was 50 of them doing pass after pass

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

I don't think this plane landed close enough for me to see, but yeah, it looks chromed, doesn't it?
This bird also did some neat heritage passes:


I need to find the photos I have of a warthog dropping bombs and turning the hulk of a M-113 APC into a collander. They also did a gunnery pass from behind our position, it was very odd to be looking behind me, seieng a warthog coming straight towards us with the GAU spitting out DP slugs, over our heads. I didn't have my good camera with me as I was in the field with the Army at the time...

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Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

That's a different paint scheme on that f-86. That phantom Is a beast! Thanks for sharing

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

They did have the gun barrel chromed out on the demo bird. I always kind of laughed at it.....like they 'pimped' their ride or something

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506th Fighter Group Historian
Member of Glidepath Photography

Ugly.


But well hung

Always enjoyed the A-10 demo's
Andy