Fairchild A-10A Warthog Cockpit Section
Pima Air and Space Museum
FAIRCHILD A-10A THUNDERROLT II
Called the Warthog by its pilots for the plane’s unstreamlined aggressive appearance, the Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II is the first fixed wing aircraft in the U.S. Air Force designed specifically for close support of ground troops. The plane was designed around the massive GAU-8 30mm cannon. Mounted in the nose of the plane and firing more than 4000 rounds a minute the Warthog's gun can shred even the heaviest armor. The Warthog's design also includes a titanium armored cockpit section to protect the pilot from ground fire. The A-10 was introduced into service in March 1976 when the first aircraft were delivered to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. By the late 1980s the Air Force was actively seeking a replacement for the A-10 and was focused on developing the General Dynamics F-16 into a close air support aircraft. Plan changed in 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait and the United States moved to defend Saudi Arabia and liberate Kuwait. The A-10 quickly proved itself to be the world's premier ground attack aircraft. Since the First Gulf War the Air Force has begun a program to upgrade and rejuvenate the Warthog and now expects it to remain in service until at least 2030.
In the 2009 post-apocalyptic motion picture "Terminator: Salvation" the Warthog is shown as one of the few aircraft remaining to the insurgent human resistance to the take over of the planet by robot killing machines. This actually makes sense as the A-10 is a rugged, easy to repair aircraft that could probably be kept operational when more high-tech aircraft would be impossible to keep in the air.
The cockpit section on display here was used in the production of the movie for scenes where the actress Moon Bloodgood and others were shown flying A-10s.
Technical Specifications
Wingspan: 57 ft 6 in
Length: 53 ft 4 in
Height: 14 ft 8 in
Weight: 50,000 lbs (loaded)
Maximum speed: 381 mph
Maximum Altitude: 30,500 ft
Range: 620 miles
Engines: Two General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans, 9,065 lbs. thrust
Crew: 1
Fairchild A-10A Warthog Cockpit Section
Pima Air and Space Museum
FAIRCHILD A-10A THUNDERROLT II
Called the Warthog by its pilots for the plane’s unstreamlined aggressive appearance, the Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II is the first fixed wing aircraft in the U.S. Air Force designed specifically for close support of ground troops. The plane was designed around the massive GAU-8 30mm cannon. Mounted in the nose of the plane and firing more than 4000 rounds a minute the Warthog's gun can shred even the heaviest armor. The Warthog's design also includes a titanium armored cockpit section to protect the pilot from ground fire. The A-10 was introduced into service in March 1976 when the first aircraft were delivered to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. By the late 1980s the Air Force was actively seeking a replacement for the A-10 and was focused on developing the General Dynamics F-16 into a close air support aircraft. Plan changed in 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait and the United States moved to defend Saudi Arabia and liberate Kuwait. The A-10 quickly proved itself to be the world's premier ground attack aircraft. Since the First Gulf War the Air Force has begun a program to upgrade and rejuvenate the Warthog and now expects it to remain in service until at least 2030.
In the 2009 post-apocalyptic motion picture "Terminator: Salvation" the Warthog is shown as one of the few aircraft remaining to the insurgent human resistance to the take over of the planet by robot killing machines. This actually makes sense as the A-10 is a rugged, easy to repair aircraft that could probably be kept operational when more high-tech aircraft would be impossible to keep in the air.
The cockpit section on display here was used in the production of the movie for scenes where the actress Moon Bloodgood and others were shown flying A-10s.
Technical Specifications
Wingspan: 57 ft 6 in
Length: 53 ft 4 in
Height: 14 ft 8 in
Weight: 50,000 lbs (loaded)
Maximum speed: 381 mph
Maximum Altitude: 30,500 ft
Range: 620 miles
Engines: Two General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans, 9,065 lbs. thrust
Crew: 1