The Hive Is Alive!

[Goldmoon]

I remember seeing a pair up close at the air show over here at Westover once. Beautiful planes, and hot diggity is that a big gun...

The A/A49E-6 30 MM Gattling gun at 4200 rounds per minute. Thats one sexy beast.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I leave you with this. I'm past my bed time by 2 hours.

That would be a Thunderbolt.

 

[The_Warlock]

The A/A49E-6 30 MM Gattling gun at 4200 rounds per minute. Thats one sexy beast.

Damn straight!

 

[Goldmoon]

One of these days I'm gonna get my butt down to the Luke AFB and tour it. I have a lot of aircraft toys, mostly military. And as per the A10, which do you like better; the warthog or the thunderbolt?

A common mistake among civillians. The A-10 is officially classified at the "Thunderbolt II". It is sometimes referred to as the "Warthog" but it is the same aircraft. There was an OA-10 which was built as a 2-seater but only a few were built and they were never officially put into service.

 

[Goldmoon]

That would be a Thunderbolt.

Thunderbolt II and I cant see it.

 

[The_Warlock]

They provided a view/demo of the loading mechanism - and one had the impression that it was essentially firing baseball bats at whatever was unlucky enough to be on the receiving end.

 

[Goldmoon]

It has to keep up speed while firing or it will stall from the backpressure of the cannon.

 

[The_Warlock]

A common mistake among civillians. The A-10 is officially classified at the "Thunderbolt II". It is sometimes referred to as the "Warthog" but it is the same aircraft. There was an OA-10 which was built as a 2-seater but only a few were built and they were never officially put into service.

I was going to say, I had posters of A10s growing up, and recall both naming conventions for the same aircraft, but never found a good explanation beyond nickname/vernacular usage of Warthog.

 

[The_Warlock]

It has to keep up speed while firing or it will stall from the backpressure of the cannon.

That tidbit I recall clearly from the pilot who was doing the info session.

Never good to lose your thrust...

 

[Goldmoon]

I was going to say, I had posters of A10s growing up, and recall both naming conventions for the same aircraft, but never found a good explanation beyond nickname/vernacular usage of Warthog.

Its because it gets so low it practically gets into the mud. Also its so tough. I can land with half a wing blown off and on engine missing.