(cid:2)(cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:3)(cid:5)(cid:6)(cid:7)(cid:8)(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:3)(cid:7)(cid:11)(cid:7)(cid:6)(cid:12)(cid:5) (cid:2)(cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:6) (cid:6) (cid:7)(cid:8)(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:11)(cid:12)(cid:13)(cid:14)(cid:15)(cid:16)(cid:17)(cid:6)(cid:18)(cid:18) (cid:13)(cid:8)(cid:9)(cid:14)(cid:15)(cid:16)(cid:17)(cid:9)(cid:18)(cid:6)(cid:19)(cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:15)(cid:17) (cid:20)(cid:3)(cid:21)(cid:3)(cid:5)(cid:9)(cid:22)(cid:21)(cid:9)(cid:6)(cid:5) (cid:19)(cid:19)(cid:19)(cid:20)(cid:21)(cid:14)(cid:11)(cid:15)(cid:22)(cid:9)(cid:14)(cid:16)(cid:23)(cid:24)(cid:8)(cid:23)(cid:10)(cid:25)(cid:20)(cid:26)(cid:15)(cid:27) Published by ABDO Publishing Company, PO Box 398166, Minneapolis, MN 55439. Copyright ©2013 by Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. International copyrights reserved in all countries. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. A&D Xtreme™ is a trademark and logo of ABDO Publishing Company. Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota. 082012 012013 Editor: Sue Hamilton Graphic Design: Sue Hamilton Cover Design: John Hamilton Cover Photo: U.S. Air Force Interior Photos: All photos United States Air Force except: Department of Defense-pgs 22 & 24-25; Getty Images-pg 23; United States Navy-pgs 10-11. ABDO Booklinks Web sites about Military Aircraft are featured on our Book Links pages. These links are routinely monitored and updated to provide the most current information available. Web site: www.abdopublishing.com Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hamilton, John, 1959- A-10 Thunderbolt II / John Hamilton. p. cm. -- (Xtreme military aircraft set 2) Includes index. ISBN 978-1-61783-685-5 1. A-10 (Jet attack plane)--Juvenile literature. 2. Airplanes, Military--United States--Juvenile literature. I. Title. 623.74--dc15 2012946022 (cid:7)(cid:21)(cid:14)(cid:16)(cid:12)(cid:6)(cid:15)(cid:28)(cid:6)(cid:29)(cid:15)(cid:10)(cid:17)(cid:12)(cid:10)(cid:17)(cid:24) A-10 Thunderbolt II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Mission: Close Air Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Other Missions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Origins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II Fast Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The Avenger Cannon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Other Weapons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Survivability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Combat History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 The A-10 Thunderbolt II is a fighter jet flown by the United States Air Force. It is a deadly aircraft used to support ground troops and destroy enemy tanks. 44 Three A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft fly in formation during a training exercise. Able to take off from short runways, the nimble A-10 operates near the front lines. When American and allied ground troops need help, an A-10 can get to the battlefield quickly. (cid:51) An A-10 Thunderbolt can prowl around the battlefield for long XTREME FACT periods of time, even in bad weather or at night. 55 An A-10 pilot sneaks his Thunderbolt II around a mountain pass in a close air support training mission in Nevada. Helping friendly ground forces is the A-10 Thunderbolt II’s most important job. It is the only piloted aircraft built just for this mission, which is called “close air support.” The A-10 can fly over the battlefield for hours. When friendly troops need air support, the A-10 is ready to strike. 666 (cid:51) The A-10 Thunderbolt is a feared weapon, but XTREME it’s not pretty. It is affectionately known as the FACT A-10 Warthog. Pilots simply call it “the Hog.” A pilot prepares to take off on a mission in his A-10 “Warthog” in Afghanistan. 777 The A-10 is one of the United States military’s deadliest weapons. It is known as a “tankbuster.” It flies “low and slow,” making it easier for A-10 pilots to spot tanks. Even though it looks clunky, the aircraft can make quick turns and swoop in to attack. The A-10 can even fly at night, or during bad weather. 88