A-10 Thunderbolt II: The Flying Cannon!
Video from the channel War Machine about Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 15:39. Language: Portuguese. Video type: Documentary.
What it's about
An informational piece in Portuguese about the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, the close air support aircraft built around the 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger cannon. It covers its origins, a design meant to survive enemy fire, and its combat record, and explains why the US Air Force has kept it in service.
Historical context
The video starts from close air support in the Second World War and the long service life of the A-1 Skyraider in Korea and Vietnam. In 1966 the Air Force launched an experimental attack aircraft program to replace it; of six proposals, the Northrop YA-9 and Fairchild Republic YA-10 prototypes were chosen, with the latter eventually winning the contract. Production began in 1976, and by 1984, 715 units had been delivered.
Key facts
The GAU-8 has seven rotary barrels and fires up to 3,900 rounds per minute, about 65 per second, using depleted-uranium-core ammunition. The cockpit is protected by titanium plates against calibers up to 23 mm, and the aircraft can return on a single engine, with damage to wing and tail, or under manual control if the hydraulic systems fail. According to the video, it reaches about 830 km/h, cruises at 560 km/h, has a range of about 1,300 km, and a wingspan of almost 17 m. It debuted without firing a shot in Grenada in 1983; in the 1991 Gulf War it flew about 8,100 sorties, and later took part in the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya (2011) and Syria (2015). It closes with the debate over its retirement in favor of the F-35 and Boeing's new-wings program.