Damaged A-10 Warthog

[RhinoBones]

I know this is off topic, but I think some of you will be interested.

Yesterday there was a news item out of Iraq concerning a female pilot bringing her badly damaged A-10 Warthog back to a safe landing. Some pictures of the plane and pilot came across my desk this morning and I thought it would be good to share. You probably will not be seeing these on CNN. I’m attempting to attach one of the pictures, but if it doesn't work, or you would like the entire zip file send, me an address and I’ll forward the zip. It's not a very big file

The last picture of the set shows the pilot next to her damaged Warthog . . . makes one appreciate the spirit of our people.

Regards, RhinoBones

[Fishotter]

What kind of damage ist this? Those tiny holes are too closely spaced for small arms fire, probably flak burst or something? Oh, and where did you get those pictures? I'd like to see some more.

[Dan Neely]

http://www.a-10.org/ has 3 more pics from the same ac and an article about the pilot.

[Fishotter]

Wow, that sure was great piloting by Capt. Campbell. Clearly female pilots are absolutely equal to their male counterparts in skill and determination.
But I think the plane doesn't look too badly shot up. The crippling damage was the failure of the hydraulic system. Apart from that she looks in fair shape to me. Compare that to photos of B-17s returning to base with a couple of engines gone, gaping holes in the fuselage or half the tailplane ripped of. Unbelievable they ever made it back.

[tigersqn]

I recall a Warthog in Gulf War I that landed with 1 entire tailplane and 1 engine shot away. It also had half of one wing gone and a 2-3 foot hole in the other wing. IIRC, they counted something like 230 holes in the remaining skin of the aircraft.

Believe it, those things were meant to stay in the air.

[Dog 1]

Here is the full 7 shots http://www.strategypage.com/gallery/...rget=hawg1.htm


The A-10's can take a lot of hits! It remindes me of shots of B-17's in WW II.