Hogs in the Weeds & Buff's pound'n the island.

If you want to see what it looks like to have A-10 warthogs howling over head in the CAS role and in HD, then you've come to the right place.

This was filmed during a training sortie at Fort Drum Range 48. It is a nice perspective of the Hogs doing there thing while blurping out 30mm rounds.



Another cool video I found on Foxtrot Alpha shows an unusual view of a B-52H punishing a island somewhere with 45 750lbs bombs:

Great vids. Good times.

Those bomb bays were fun. When the aircraft parked, you had to unpin two arms from them that attached to the aircraft. The only thing was that if the hydraulic system was charged, and the doors accidentally close, while you're standing in the bay trying to unclip them, it'll cut you in half without even slowing down or noticing.

I had to do 15 of them one night during a typhoon evac. Now that was fun.

I've always thought the Warthog was a sexy beast (we are talking airplanes right?).

How well do you guys think the F 35 is going to do in it's place. Is it going to be able to go as low and slow? Seems important for CAS and SAR but I suppose the F 35 has some tricks up it's sleeve.

Do you all see it as a relic passed it's prime, or think it's still useful? Is replacing it with the F 35 like getting rid of your old screwdriver to make room for one of those mini battery powered dealies?

Thanks for the thread!

Also Zaphod, that job would give me pause.

a reply to: Domo1

I was 11 or so the night that we recovered 15 B-52s. I didn't even blink. It was fun. If you look at the back of the bay, after the bombs drop, you can see the arms that open and close the doors. There is another set on the front, you have to unpin both sets. So you unpin the front, run along the bay, and unpin the back. Or if you're really skittish, unpin the front, go out, walk along the outside, and then unpin the back.

As for the F-35 question, they say that PGMs will do the same role as the A-10, but nothing will do the mission as well as the A-10.

a reply to: Zaphod58

As for the F-35 question, they say that PGMs will do the same role as the A-10, but nothing will do the mission as well as the A-10.

That's kinda what I figured. So why does the AF have such a hard on for getting rid of the A 10? I'm assuming budgetary reasons and wanting an excuse for new toys.

I was still playing with micro machines when I was 11. Then again I'd probably still play with them now.

a reply to: Domo1

They always have been. It's slow, and it's ugly. They want fast and sexy, because most of the leadership is up through fighters.

At 11 I had already been on a ramp for 6 years, and was better trained than most people fresh out of tech school.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I think it's beautiful, but I get wanting sleek. I guess. Wouldn't fast sort of detract from the objective? Can't they make a sexy Warthog? A pretty gal that cooks and cleans and doesn't mind getting dirty (in the conventional sense you pervs)?

I just read your edits and I feel like you are subtly calling me a candy ass. I laughed.

I'm very impressed you have that background. Did you realize how awesome it was at the time, or did it just seem normal?

a reply to: Domo1

It was perfectly normal for me. I watched an FB-111 crash one year, and went to the crash site of another, all before I was 9 years old. Something interesting going on? Let's go to the ramp and see it. Where other kids were out playing war, I was out on the ramp, playing with the real toys.

a reply to: Zaphod58

That's crazy. I'm a little jealous. I know you went with your Father, but how was that allowed? Different time? I grew up on the cusp of the bubble wrap your child craze. My parents didn't buy into it though, lucky for me. Was your Father military before or during? I guess that may be a little too personal.

I had a die cast model of the Aardvark when I was a youngin' that I loved playing with (learned that a week or two ago because you guys have me obsessed). I thought the wings moved because it was Navy and that would help store more on a carrier, and always wondered why the paint was cammo. Man I hope I have that and some others in a box somewhere. I played with it so much the wings eventually got really loose and I could snap them into the different positions with a little wrist work. So much nostalgia right now.

I was pretty spoiled though, I had a horse so I'm not complaining too much about that age.

It won't happen no matter how hard the Army begs for them, but the A-10 instead of being parked, should be given to the ARMY for close air support.

Any jet that will actually stall if the gun is fired in more than a three round burst is sexy to me. I don't see the F-35 replacing it in the same fashion. I wish they would just design a close air support asset already and be done with it. Something similar to the scorpion.