Posted 5 years ago
fortapache
(3409 items)
Picked up this built up model at the Rose Bowl for about the price the unbuilt kit would cost. This is of course the famed A-10 Warthog the official name of which is the Thunderbolt II.
The original Thunderbolt was the P-47 of WWII fame. It was a fighter plane which did fairly well as a ground attack plane also but was not really effective against tanks. Highly unlikely to hit a tank with an unguided bomb. And the bouncing the .50 rounds into the underside of tank is a myth. The A-10 is not a fighter plane but is a dedicated ground attack aircraft with anti-tank weapons most notably the 30mm cannon up front. That is enough on the 1:1 version.
The most fun thing about the model is all the bombs and missiles and there is such a variety. There are dumb bombs, smart bombs, anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft missiles, the 30 mm gun and probably some others. I am not sure of the exact use for each piece of ordinance. I know pilots in 1990 Gulf War used some just for the optics not built into the plane.
Fans of the A-10 will be glad to know they are hard at work on a replacement that will be way more expensive and not work as well.
Great war plane
Thank you very much Newfld.
Both T-bolts could absorb a lot of damage and still remain airborne. The A-10 especially. I've seen videos of the 30mm hitting armored vehicles, it blows the slag plasma it creates on impact out the the other side.
Thank you very much Toyrebel. Yes both are rugged and a bit jug shaped.