The story
The A-10 Thunderbolt II was designed around its GAU-8 Avenger, a seven-barrel 30mm cannon so big the fuselage was shaped to fit it. It flies low, slow, and ugly. Ground troops love it. The Air Force has been retiring it for years, and the last ones are now due to go around 2030.
The GAU-8 sits slightly to the left of the nose so that the barrel that is firing lines up with the jet's centreline. It fires 3,900 rounds a minute.
Quick answers
How do you identify a A-10 Thunderbolt II?
Twin engines mounted high on rear fuselage. Straight wings. Giant nose cannon. Designed to fly with half a wing missing.
What does a A-10 Thunderbolt II sound like?
Twin TF34 engines are quiet — but the GAU-8 Avenger cannon makes the most terrifying BRRRT in aviation.
How fast is the A-10 Thunderbolt II?
Top speed is 381 kts.
How far can the A-10 Thunderbolt II fly?
Range is about 2,240 nmi (ferry).
How big is the A-10 Thunderbolt II?
It is 53 ft 4 in long and 57 ft 6 in across the wings.
When did the A-10 Thunderbolt II first fly?
Its first flight was in 1972.
How many A-10 Thunderbolt IIs have been built?
716 built.
What do crews call the A-10 Thunderbolt II?
The Warthog.
How rare is a A-10 Thunderbolt II in Bogey?
RARE. A good day. Most spotters go weeks between sightings of something this rare. Your first A-10 Thunderbolt II catch is worth 250 points.
