I was reading about the A-10 this afternoon, and learned a few tidbits. For instance, when I “knew” them they had a selective firing rate or 2100 RPM of 4200 RPM. The GAU was later modified to only have one speed, 3900.
Another tidbit: That cloud of smoke you saw, Sig, actually caused flameouts in the early models, since there isn’t enough oxygen in the smoke, and the engines inhaled it. They had to add combustion air to the engines to keep the aircraft from shooting itself out of the sky.
2 Likes
But since it’s not sexy and doesn’t make retired air force generals money on contracts and lobbying fees it’s getting killed.
An old A-36 makes a better close air support plane than a F35.
The Air Force has, since it’s creation, disdained CAS missions, which in my humble infantry opinion if half the reason to have an air force, the other half being stopping the enemies CAS. The Army, and Marines, have had to continually find their own way around this issue. And I think it’s part of the reason the Air Force won’t survive space. The Navy model will be used, and they’ll carry Marines, and the Army will end up with more space ships than either, just like they have more ocean going vessels now. Meanwhile, the Air Force will have pissed everyone off and will end up planet bound.
1 Like
Maybe the answer is to recreate the Army Air Corp, and draw a line in the air. Tactical is the Army’s planes, strategic belongs to the Air Force. Airfield-to-airfield transport, long range bombing, high altitude bombing.
The AAC gets close-in bombing missions, transport to meadow, CAS.
In short, the Air Force should never be anywhere they are threatened by ground troops. 
Yeah, that breaks the agreement made in the 40’s. Plus the Army would put Warrants in them, and that would embarrass the college boys.
The Air Farce still complains about helicopters. Despite the fact that they were grabbed so hard by the Army because they did the job the Air Force wouldn’t do.
5 years from now each soldier will have a backpack drone he can hook a satchel charge to and it won’t matter anyway.
And flak cannons will be back in vogue.
2 Likes
1 Like
My favorite.
The nose art on that one just looks like a cross eyed kid with buck teeth.
6 Likes
I think the guideline is that an A10 can look however it wants.
2 Likes
Well yeah, because if you don’t like it then Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt!
3 Likes
I’ve read an explanation of the stormtroopers accuracy that is actually pretty cool.
It boils down to the fact that 90% of the time we see them shooting they aren’t really trying to kill the people they are shooting at. Only good explanation of how the dudes who hot boarded a rebel ship and made precision blaster shots at the Jawa crawler all of a sudden can’t figure out how to hit the broad side of a barn on the Death Star.
2 Likes
1 Like
I’d do a meme from Shiver Bureau, but I can’t decide… Which sounds better, “more facial piercings than a Sturgis run”, or “more facial piercings than a Nine Inch Nails concert”?
Personally (and by some experience), I’d go with Nine Inch Nails Concert…
2 Likes
8 Likes
Courtesy George Takei.
7 Likes
1 Like
