Fairchild A-10 Projects

[blackstar]

That is probably the case, but why did they skip from A-10A to A-10C when they started the recent upgrade program?

 

[TomS]

I know it's not definitive, but the USAF Museum does state that the N/AW demonstrator (tail number 73-1664) was re-designated as an A-10B when it was converted.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3206

 

[Stargazer]

I know it's not definitive, but the USAF Museum does state that the N/AW demonstrator (tail number 73-1664) was re-designated as an A-10B when it was converted.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3206

The page seems to contradict itself:

Besides the A-10 N/AW, the USAF investigated the conversion of a limited number of A-10As into two-place trainer aircraft. These trainers were to be designated A-10B, but the program was canceled before any aircraft were modified.

Type	Number built/converted	Remarks
YA-10A	2	A-X CAS prototype
A-10A	6	Pre-production A-10
A-10A	707	Production A-10
N/AW A-10	1 (cv)	Night/Adverse Weather prototype
YA-10B	-	Trainer proposal, canceled

These data seem to clearly indicate that the N/AW A-10 was never reassigned as A-10B.
Yet later on, the page says:

73-1664 later converted to the A-10B Night/All Weather two-place A-10

 

[yasotay]

What! The US government never makes mistakes! :

You are obviously in error in your interpertation of the written explanation. ;D

 

[blackstar]

I had the wrong lens on my camera (not much depth of field), but here's some pictures of the model.

 

[Kokoro]

I had the wrong lens on my camera (not much depth of field), but here's some pictures of the model.

stop it down. Or if you dont have a way to hold the camera steady at slower f-stops, move backwards further away from the subject and refocus, it will increase the depth of field. Good enough pictures though, thanks for posting. ^_^

Is it just me or is the engine pylons wrong on the model? are they meant to be smoother?

 

[quellish]

The NAWS A-10 is currently at Edwards. It's been restored and I think is now on display, I have a few photos of it from the 2005 open house. Somewhere I have some photos of it from the early 90s as well, though those would need to be scanned.

 

[blackstar]

I wasn't trying with the photos. I just grabbed my SLR with the 18mm lens and took a few shots. I have a macro/telephoto lens that would have been better. I was just being lazy.

As for the restored aircraft, there's a link to some photos posted earlier in this thread. However, it would be great to see whatever photos you have.

Although I'm not a Hog buff, it has always struck me that this was a very useful plane that has been badly treated by the USAF. It never got the upgrades it needed. The A-10C upgrade, limited as it is, should have been done 15 years ago. The NAW version is further proof of this (a capability the USAF could have used, but ignored). That said, there was a time in the early 1990s when the A-10 was scheduled for retirement, and yet it's still serving.

 

[Stargazer]

Although I'm not a Hog buff, it has always struck me that this was a very useful plane that has been badly treated by the USAF. It never got the upgrades it needed. The A-10C upgrade, limited as it is, should have been done 15 years ago. The NAW version is further proof of this (a capability the USAF could have used, but ignored). That said, there was a time in the early 1990s when the A-10 was scheduled for retirement, and yet it's still serving.

The Hog is an awesome aircraft, and though many find it ungainly, to me it's a thing of beauty! (at least for an aircraft!). I too believe that it was not given its full potential... not to mention the fact that it could have been put to good use in alternate missions and configurations (well, the OA-10 was a step in that direction).

 

[quellish]

Pre-restoration, from 2002

 

[blackstar]

The Hog is an awesome aircraft, and though many find it ungainly, to me it's a thing of beauty! (at least for an aircraft!).

I think it's one of those aircraft that falls into a unique category: awesomely ugly. Alternatively, ugly but practical. There are planes that are simply ugly and nobody could like. But then there are planes like the B-52 and the A-10 that wear their ugly like a badge of honor, as if they completely don't care because they have a job to do.

 

[The Artist]

Is it just me or is the engine pylons wrong on the model? are they meant to be smoother?

I think you're right. There should be a bit of a radius in the transition from the pylon. I think I have a shot somewhere to show this. If I can find it, I'll post it later.

Mike

 

[The Artist]

Is it just me or is the engine pylons wrong on the model? are they meant to be smoother?

These are my photographs - 175th TFG, Maryland Air National Guard A-10s in the hanger.

The first two show the pylon transition and I'm posting the other two because some of the warthog fans here might like them.

Mike

 

[blackstar]

The model has this, although it's not perfect. It has a little more curve at the rear of the pylon than the front. I'll take a picture to show it.

 

[yasotay]

Although I'm not a Hog buff, it has always struck me that this was a very useful plane that has been badly treated by the USAF. It never got the upgrades it needed. The A-10C upgrade, limited as it is, should have been done 15 years ago. The NAW version is further proof of this (a capability the USAF could have used, but ignored). That said, there was a time in the early 1990s when the A-10 was scheduled for retirement, and yet it's still serving.

The Hog is an awesome aircraft, and though many find it ungainly, to me it's a thing of beauty! (at least for an aircraft!). I too believe that it was not given its full potential... not to mention the fact that it could have been put to good use in alternate missions and configurations (well, the OA-10 was a step in that direction).

A-10 is by far the best loved aircraft of the US Army. So well loved that after the Air Force planned on putting all of them in the boneyard in preference to fast jets, the Army seriously considered pulling them out and using them. This was a serious political concern for the Air Force. I used to have opportunity to work with them as a helo driver. Those guys had a very different mind set from their brother zoomies.

 

[The Artist]

The model has this, although it's not perfect. It has a little more curve at the rear of the pylon than the front. I'll take a picture to show it.

I believe Kokoro was asking about the transition from the pylon to engine housing along the broad surface, not the front and back edges.

Please do post a detail shot of the engines on the model as I'd like to get a better look at that for myself.

Mike

 

[Triton]

Artist's impressions of Fairchild Night/Adverse Weather A-10 Thunderbolt II and photographs of its construction.

Source: From the Archives at Grumman Memorial Park Calverton, Long Island, New York or The Cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City, Long Island via Warbird Information Exchange forum.
http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13327&start=780

 

[blackstar]

I was at Edwards AFB on business a week and a half ago and photographed this at the museum.

 

[blackstar]

Another one.

 

[blackstar]

Some artwork in the Edwards AFB Museum.

 

[John21]

I read in a fairly recent issue of AW&ST that an optionally manned version of the A-10 is supposed to start flying/testing circa 2014. Supposedly to allow JTACs or combat controllers on the ground to control the targeting and release of weapons from the remotely pilot A-10 for quicker support/weapon release times. Has anyone heard anymore about this?

 

[Stargazer]

I read in a fairly recent issue of AW&ST that an optionally manned version of the A-10 is supposed to start flying/testing circa 2014. Supposedly to allow JTACs or combat controllers on the ground to control the targeting and release of weapons from the remotely pilot A-10 for quicker support/weapon release times. Has anyone heard anymore about this?

Yeah. That's the UA-10D. See attachments below!

EDIT: profiles drawn by Greg, a.k.a. GTX on this forum.

 

[Matej]

In my opinion I doubt that it will enter the operational service. Optionally manned derivate from the existing plane is much harder modification than it appears to be and a very costly one. Who wants to know why, I suggest to read the analysis of the F-16 DR-IUCAV proposal.

 

[blackstar]

Yeah. That's the UA-10D. See attachments below!

If they did this, they would not remove the cockpit. There's really not much point to doing that--you save weight, but it changes the drag, center of gravity, etc., and that changes the flying characteristics of the plane. So then you have to re-calculate all that stuff and figure out how the plane now flies. Plus, why not leave in the cockpit so that a pilot can still fly it if necessary?

 

[Matej]

The main idea is to use the modules that can be changed in the dozens of minutes. Something like unmanned F-35 proposal. But as you correctly pointed out and how I said before, it is very costly and complicated solution.

Other issue is that you need to have the latest avionics and guidance and a lot of other equipment to transform it to the RPV. Its not like the MQ-9, that is from the beginning optimised as the UAV. When they were studied the effectivity of transforming the old F-16s into the DR IUCAVs, they found out, that they can use only the latest Block 50 and newer series to do so, or pay for all that extra upgrade on the older airframes. Its simply budget killer.

Of course somebody did try to do it simple way, but I think it is hardly USAF standard http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,756.msg16813.html#msg16813

 

[madgepetto]

About 10 years ago I was asked to do a one-off model A-10 in Aero-Union Fire bomber marking for the company here in Chico, CA, seems there was a plan afoot to get the things set up for fire retardant work...I still have the paint scheme drawing in here somewhere..it was a nice looking model, nothing came of it of course, but it would be impressive to see the Hog dousing fires around here...

Paul

 

[blackstar]

About 10 years ago I was asked to do a one-off model A-10 in Aero-Union Fire bomber marking for the company here in Chico, CA, seems there was a plan afoot to get the things set up for fire retardant work...I still have the paint scheme drawing in here somewhere..it was a nice looking model, nothing came of it of course, but it would be impressive to see the Hog dousing fires around here...

Any pictures?

I think I read about this, so it got reported. Considering that the AH-1 Cobra is used as a fire spotter, and that the A-10 has good low-speed, low-altitude handling characteristics, it's not a totally nutty idea. But it would have been expensive to maintain.

 

[Triton]

About 10 years ago I was asked to do a one-off model A-10 in Aero-Union Fire bomber marking for the company here in Chico, CA, seems there was a plan afoot to get the things set up for fire retardant work...I still have the paint scheme drawing in here somewhere..it was a nice looking model, nothing came of it of course, but it would be impressive to see the Hog dousing fires around here...

Paul

Sounds very interesting. Like blackstar, I would be very interested in seeing any pictures or artwork you might have of this concept.

 

[madgepetto]

I will try to dig out the rendering they gave me and scan it.Having watched the DC-10 fire-bomber making runs directly over my home in 2008 , I have to say it would be amazing to see a flight of Hogs doing spot-fire work.The P-2's,P-3's and Turbo-Stoofs are still keeping us safe here, but they will eventually have to be replaced.
More as soon as I find it...
P

 

[Matej]

Any pictures?

Till the madgepetto will find it, take a look at the bottom of the page http://www.hitechweb.genezis.eu/fightersAP10.htm

 

[frank]

Utility Attack-10? Is this another distorted USAF designation?

I read in a fairly recent issue of AW&ST that an optionally manned version of the A-10 is supposed to start flying/testing circa 2014. Supposedly to allow JTACs or combat controllers on the ground to control the targeting and release of weapons from the remotely pilot A-10 for quicker support/weapon release times. Has anyone heard anymore about this?

Yeah. That's the UA-10D. See attachments below!

 

[Stargazer]

Utility Attack-10? Is this another distorted USAF designation?

Now THAT's an interesting remark. I had never considered the question before... Perhaps it's just a typo for QA-10D... because if it's not, it could only mean one thing, and that's the "U for Utility" class being dropped and reallocated to create a "U for Unmanned" class. At least that's the only explanation I can come up with. We need to see more mentions of the true designation to be sure. For now let's assume it WAS a typo...

 

[Triton]

Model of Fairchild Republic A-10B manufactured by Precise found on eBay.

URL:
http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-FAIRCILD-A-10B-DESK-MODEL-PRECISE-NOT-TOPPING-/170612599563?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b94dab0b

 

[quellish]

About 10 years ago I was asked to do a one-off model A-10 in Aero-Union Fire bomber marking for the company here in Chico, CA, seems there was a plan afoot to get the things set up for fire retardant work...I still have the paint scheme drawing in here somewhere..it was a nice looking model, nothing came of it of course, but it would be impressive to see the Hog dousing fires around here...

Paul

http://classic-web.archive.org/web/20060510010740/http://www.firehogs.com/a10demo.shtml

 

[Triton]

Model of Fairchild A-10B Thunderbolt II by Precise found on eBay.

URL:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Precise-Models-A-10-Variant-Night-Adverse-Weather-Warthog-NightHog-1-48-/180815044560?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a196a9fd0

 

[Triton]

Model of Fairchild A-10B Thunderbolt II by Precise found on eBay.

 

[Triton]

Topping Fairchild A-10 prototype mode found on eBay.

Source:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOPPING-1-48-A10-PROTOTYPE-/200754794716?pt=UK_ToysGames_ModelKits_ModelKits_JN&hash=item2ebdeb10dc

 

[Triton]

Model of Fairchild A-10 Night/Adverse Weather (N/AW), also known as A-10B, found on eBay.

Source:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-1979-FAIRCHILD-REPUBLIC-SOLID-RESIN-A-10-N-AW-PROTOTYPE-DESK-TOP-MODEL-/170936152684?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27cc96b26c

 

[quellish]

Model of Fairchild Republic A-10B manufactured by Precise found on eBay.

URL:
http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-FAIRCILD-A-10B-DESK-MODEL-PRECISE-NOT-TOPPING-/170612599563?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b94dab0b

The actual NAWS A-10 is at Edwards, it's been restored for display.

 

[AeroFranz]

There is an ongoing DARPA program called PCAS aimed at unmanning an A-10 to use it for on-demand CAS

http://www.darpa.mil/Our_Work/TTO/Programs/Persistent_Close_Air_Support_(PCAS).aspx

kinda scary. UAV overhead packing a GAU-8. better have VERY good situation awareness.