jonesy Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 In March I went out to Georgia, USA to photograph the 23rd FW 'Flying Tigers' who fly the A-10C Thunderbolt II. It was a pretty good week. Cheers, Neil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 God they are ugly! Not that i'd argue with one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike65 Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 God they are ugly! Not that i'd argue with one! But that is what happens when you bolt a few bits of plane to a gun. I would not argue with one either. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Having seen the things at work. I know which side I'd rather be on! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 My favourite Post War jetplane. Nothing ugly about it but scary as hell... So tell us more about how you got to take pics of them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonesy Posted September 29, 2010 Author Share Posted September 29, 2010 I'm a freelance aviation photojournalist where I write for aviation magazines mainly Airforces Monthly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 (edited) Tony B Having seen the things at work. I know which side I'd rather be on! :-D Yes they used to fire at Otterburn, although once one took a bird strike and had to come into Newcastle airport with full ordnance on board -the pilot dilligently followed the river to the area set aside for the then building bypass and on to the airport- evidently in case any of the ordnance dropped off so no flying over built up areas -fairly difficult task:shocked: Edited September 29, 2010 by steveo578 spelling again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 Many moons ago they also use to play over the Larkhill anti tank ranges. Try sitting on a horse when one comes in at minus feet! Fortunatley the horses involved were litterally 'Tank' and 'Bomb' proof. :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnwardle Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I used to see these flying over the North Yorkshire Moors, it was rather strange driving along the moor top and looking over at an aeroplane flying along the valley below. I understand that thw wings and engines can be fitted to either side and they can fly with 1 engine & 1 wing missing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I understand that thw wings and engines can be fitted to either side and they can fly with 1 engine & 1 wing missing! That would be quite an achievement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spood Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 Awesome bits of kit, great pics thanks for sharing :thumbsup: Wonder if one of those guns would bolt onto the jeep :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike65 Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 Awesome bits of kit, great pics thanks for sharing :thumbsup: Wonder if one of those guns would bolt onto the jeep :-D I think you might need 2 or 3 jeeps. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 BAOR It was probably spring of 1982 and my cavalry time was coming to an end. 15/19H were on exercise. B Sqn set up a demonstration of a reserve demolition. Before the onset of hostilities, any bridge, etc that might be of use to an enemy would be destroyed in a primary demolition, leaving only those that we in the the recce screen on the FLOT (Forward Leading-edge of Own Troops) needed during the withdrawal in contact phases, encouraging 3 Shock Army to come on toward our prepared positions on the FEBA (Forward Edge of the Battle Area) in Armour / Infantry / Artillery killing zones. The crossings we required were reserve demolitions, prepared for demolition during the escalation phase, to be demolished after the recce screen had crossed, in the face of the enemy. The entire battle group and ISTR some guests from higher-up came to watch from the ridge on the near bank overlooking the demolition. Needless to say, a real reserve demolition would be on something like one of the bridges over the Weser around Hameln. The West Germans wouldn't really have appreciated an entire battle group clogging up one of their major river crossings, so the demonstration was carried out at a bridge over a stream a couple of feet wide. This had no effect on the validity of the demonstration. Being in FHQ, I was stood beside the Squadron Leader while he commentated on events over a loudspeaker system as they happened. A recce troop (half a troop - two cars?) in close support at the bridge, another troop (half a troop?) forward, watching for friendly forces withdrawing toward the bridge or 3 Shock Army trying to get there first. Engineers on the bridge, rigging it. A section of infantry, either from an infantry company attached to the battle group or from the medium recce squadron's own Support / Surveillance / Assault / Whatever-they-call-it-this-week Troop. The demo went well. The OC explained about the dangers to the Demolition Commander's health if he blew up the demolition early, leaving friendly forces stranded or if he left it too late and it fell to the enemy. In wartime it might lead to an interview without coffee or biscuits with a blindfold and 12 men with rifles. Ask the Demolition Commander at Remagen (Robert Vaughn in the film IIRC). I have seen the documentation a demolition commander must sign to take ownership of a bridge, to acknowledge the order to destroy it, the legalese that means nobody really wants to be a demolition commander and screw up. He pointed out that the demolition commander wanted to be on the near bank (obviously) on the ridge overlooking the demolition itself and its approaches. Just about where we were in fact. He also pointed out that if he was lucky he would have close-air support. At this moment an A10 popped up over the ridge behind us, over our heads (warm backwash in face: hold on to beret) and down the shallow slope and over the "river". Not a bad achievement when the "river" was only a few feet below us. A surprise to find myself looking over the engines and down into the cockpit from that height. The demonstration was well-received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spood Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I think you might need 2 or 3 jeeps. Mike I'll try some bigger bolts first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 They are reputed to be able to take a hell of a lot of punishment. The engine design is supposed to minimise FOD. Just fly round in circles. :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plainmilitary Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 Great to see you and your work on board mate. Just love these planes, shame they don,t play on the SPTA anymore. Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean N Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 A mate of mine who was flying Buccaneers at the time was at an airshow where there was an A-10 static exhibit. He quoted the A-10 pilot as saying "you'd never get anyone to fly them in wartime, and even if you could their balls would be too big to fit in the cockpit"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 a bit of video on the A-10 in training action . Something went wrong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 another clip with a rock song cover Something went wrong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berna2vm Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 The Warthog rocks.... I used to see a lot flying over in the 80's and 90's but I have not seen many in the last 10 years or so, mores the pity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stableboy Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 The Warthog rocks.... certainly rocked a Suffolk airbase when someone N.D.'ed a GAU-8 across the field during the '80s......:shocked: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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