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Military selectors, pages, etc.
I'm actually gonna miss these old birds...
By Ponderer
September 18, 2024 3:37 pm
Category: Military

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I've always loved watching them fly and chase each other around here ever since we moved to Tucson. I've had a soft spot for them ever since I assembled a model of one as a teen. I always kinda saw them as the epitome of function over form.


Two A-10 squadrons deactivated at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base

TUCSON, AZ (AZFamily) — Two historic A-10 squadrons were deactivated at Tucson’s Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, officials said on Monday.

The 355th Wing’s 354th Fighter Squadron and 354th Fighter Generation Squadron are being shut down.

Known as the Bulldogs, the 354th fighter squadron originated in 1942 and was key in providing air control and support during World War II.

Overall, they have supported 1,300 troops and helped with 71 successful rescues.

The first A-10 Thunderbolt II jet arrived at DMAFB in 1976.

In 1992, the 354th fighter squadron was designed to exclusively support the A-10s at the Tucson Air Force base.

“The Bulldogs have been drawing upon decades of combat aviation, some lessons stemming back from World War II,” Col. Sean Hall, 355th Operations Group commander, said in a written statement. “The Bulldogs built the attack culture that surrounded the Hog then and it will outlast the Hog now.”

Despite the deactivation, officials say the future of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base “remains bright” as the military plans to open the 492nd Special Operations Wing within the next few years.

Last month, the Air Force Base received its first of 10 planned EA-37B Compass Call planes. These planes will replace the EC-130Hs and continue the 55th Electronic Combat Group’s mission for years.

However, former Rep. Martha McSally, also an ex-fighter pilot with the Air Force, was not happy with the deactivation, posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, that it was a “dangerous mistake.”

“The A-10 also leads Combat Search and Rescue Missions (CSAR), playing a crucial role in rescuing downed pilots or trapped ground forces in enemy territory. Its capabilities in locating, protecting, and bringing them home are unmatched,” she said. “While I agree that the military must modernize to face future threats and understand that Americans are weary of long overseas deployments, it’s short-sighted to assume we will never need the unique CAS and CSAR capabilities that only the A-10 provides.”

She said the F-35s, which are intended to take over the A-10 missions, are needed for different assignments and not intended for rescues.

“Pretending the F-35 can also do what the A-10 does is like claiming a Ferrari can do the job of a pickup truck,” McSally said.



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Comments on "I'm actually gonna miss these old birds...":

  1. by oldedude on September 18, 2024 8:03 pm
    So I was around when they were the initial units in Europe testing the hogs. I absolutely loved them! The pilots were great, they could see their targets (which means they weren't hitting "statues" on a Mario brothers screen). And we went out to Rota (Spain) to a crash. Sad day. Like I've said before, I think the hog is going to get re-serviced. It's just too good to be thrown away. And the folks driving them? They're the best! If they tell you "danger close" you'd better be covering your buddy's ass! They mean it! But not one of our folks got hit by them. Hat's off to them! Semper Fi! ("cause I think you'd get them next. and use the shit outta dem!). It would be an honor to work with y'all again. I pray I'm never on the wrong end of you.


  2. by Ponderer on September 19, 2024 11:47 am

    olde dude, doesn't it seem kinda silly that they think the F-35 is gonna replace these things? I thought that line about a Farrarri being able to do what a pickup truck can was perfectly apt. From other reports I've read about their retirement, it's just gotten too difficult to retrofit them with all the modern tech that war planes today have. I can kinda understand that. I think like you say that they will bring them out for certain things. Or even do a straightforward redesign of the original and make new ones! It certainly wouldn't be anywhere near as complex and expensive as an F-35.

    I was blown away with the 30mm gatling gun on these babies when I checked out the one they have in the Pima Air Museum. The rounds are gargantuan, and the thing spits them out like someone giving a raspberry. I'm not surprised at all that they can kill tanks.

    Way back in October when we saw that 40-mile line of stuck Russian armored tanks and vehicles on the way to Kiev, did the thought occur to you also what a few of these planes could have done to it? Like shooting fish in a barrel with a Howitzer.


  3. by Ponderer on September 19, 2024 12:00 pm

    I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the colloquial phrase that A-10 pilots have for firing on a target with that gun is "Giving them a raspberry".


  4. by oldedude on September 19, 2024 2:51 pm
    They actually had to slow the gun down because the hog couldn't store the huge amount of ammo needed at the old speed. And yeah, it sounds like either a hisss or a snarl, then all of a sudden the ground blows up. It's very impressive on the ground watching them.


  5. by meagain on September 20, 2024 8:25 am
    They probably need to be taken out of service now simply because of their age and likely developing mechanical problems. But a new version of the same with some technological upgrades is needed.

    I wonder about some sort of hovercraft?


  6. by oldedude on September 20, 2024 8:14 pm
    po- I agree with you regarding making a lotus do the work of a full ton truck.
    The F35 can "kinda" hover, but hovercraft are way too vulnerable to ground fire and even RPG fire. That's why the Osprey's are limited. Well that and they break a lot.

    The pig has exactly what is needed for an air-to-ground support aircraft. I used to laugh at the Russians using the Frogfoot. It's slow, uglier than the pig, and it works perfectly.

    I'm agreeing with meagain😱. The wheel works. Use what works with updated technology. I doubt if there's a design out right now that can outmaneuver the pig. It's just too quick. There was actually one in Gulf I actually had an air-to-air kill. First it was a rotary wing (so there's that) and Iraqi was flying it. But it was a pretty good story, and one the driver can talk about until he dies. And it'll go down in family history!


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