Air Force to Retire A-10's in FY26

[Blizzard]

 

[The Quartermaster]

We can add great for sinking fast attack boats as well, to it's resume.

 

[Blizzard]

More Hawg fun...

https://twitter.com/x/status/2036457498538877411

 

[AWP]

We can add great for sinking fast attack boats as well, to it's resume.

When I see stuff like this I'm reminded of the B-25 from WWII. They kept hanging guns on the airframe and refining the weapons until that plane did it all in the South Pacific. Level bombing, CAS, antishipping, airfield raids, special missions, that little plane did something of everything for a bomber. I'd argue it was the A-10 before the P-47 became our WWII version of the Hawg.

 

[The Quartermaster]

When I see stuff like this I'm reminded of the B-25 from WWII. They kept hanging guns on the airframe and refining the weapons until that plane did it all in the South Pacific. Level bombing, CAS, antishipping, airfield raids, special missions, that little plane did something of everything for a bomber. I'd argue it was the A-10 before the P-47 became our WWII version of the Hawg.

The more I had read about the B-25, the more I was in awe of the little bomber that was such a powerhouse and was way ahead of it's time with those other roles.

That 75mm must have been impressive both on the sending and the unexpected receiving end.

 

[AWP]

The more I had read about the B-25, the more I was in awe of the little bomber that was such a powerhouse and was way ahead of it's time with those other roles.

That 75mm must have been impressive both on the sending and the unexpected receiving end.

I've read accounts that it was a mixed bag. When it worked, it was great but it had other issues. Weight, reloads, other stuff I've forgotten. That led to the "strafer nose" with 8 .50 cals, plus 4 in cheek/ mounts. Numbers differ slightly, but crews would boresight all of those to converge at a known distance and could "cut a ship in two." As a kid I thought that was cool but too good to be true. Later there are indeed accounts of B-25's doing just that to smaller shipping. Hyperbole from the aircrews? I don't know.

12 .50 cals plus 2 in the upper turret for 14 total is a lot of freaking lead. With parafrags and skip bombing, B-25's and A-20's plowed through the south Pacific with the 5th (?) Air Force. They and B-24's almost exclusively pinned Rabaul in place and allowed it to be bypassed.

 

[The Quartermaster]

I've read accounts that it was a mixed bag. When it worked, it was great but it had other issues. Weight, reloads, other stuff I've forgotten. That led to the "strafer nose" with 8 .50 cals, plus 4 in cheek/ mounts. Numbers differ slightly, but crews would boresight all of those to converge at a known distance and could "cut a ship in two." As a kid I thought that was cool but too good to be true. Later there are indeed accounts of B-25's doing just that to smaller shipping. Hyperbole from the aircrews? I don't know.

12 .50 cals plus 2 in the upper turret for 14 total is a lot of freaking lead. With parafrags and skip bombing, B-25's and A-20's plowed through the south Pacific with the 5th (?) Air Force. They and B-24's almost exclusively pinned Rabaul in place and allowed it to be bypassed.

Now we're talking. I love history. As a teenage kid I used to love watching Discovery Channel Wings.