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A ground crewman marshals an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft into a parking position. The aircraft is assigned to the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 343rd Composite Wing, involved in a training mission

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A ground crewman marshals an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft into a parking position. The aircraft is assigned to the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 343rd Composite Wing, involved in a training mission

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Summary

The original finding aid described this photograph as:

Base: Eielson Air Force Base

State: Alaska (AK)

Country: United States Of America (USA)

Scene Camera Operator: Walt Weible

Release Status: Released to Public
Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files

The A-10 Thunderbolt has excellent maneuverability at low airspeeds and altitude and is a highly accurate and survivable weapons-delivery platform. Called the “Warthog” for its aggressive look and often painted with teeth on the nose cone, the A-10 Thunderbolt II is the U.S. Air Force’s primary low-altitude close air support aircraft best known for its GAU-8 Avenger 30mm Gatling gun designed to fire armor-piercing depleted uranium and high explosive incendiary rounds. In the 1970s the threat of Soviet armored forces and all-weather attack operations had become more serious. Six companies submitted aircraft proposals, with Northrop and Fairchild-Republic selected to build prototypes: the YA-9A and YA-10A, respectively. General Electric and Philco-Ford were selected to build and test GAU-8 cannon prototypes. First A-10 was delivered to the U.S. Air Force on 30 March 1976. By 1984, 715 airplanes had been built.

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Date

31/05/1982
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Source

The U.S. National Archives
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