Few aircraft in history are as feared, loved, and debated as the A-10 Warthog. The A-10 Thunderbolt II—better known as the “Warthog”—was built to survive and to save lives on the ground. Originally conceived as a Cold War tank destroyer, it went under appreciated for years, only to become a sensation on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. Once derided in the 1980s as an “ugly duckling,” it ultimately emerged as a guardian angel for thousands of American soldiers on the ground.Why did the GAU-8 Avenger’s unmistakable “BRRRT” strike fear into enemies? How could the Warthog keep flying through damage that would destroy other jets? And why did the Air Force recently retire the Warthog, despite its cult status and fierce opposition from the Army?Main sources: 1. T.O. 1A-10A-1 Flight manual. USAF series A-10A aircraft. 1983.2. Andy Evans The Fairchild Republic A-10 ‘Warthog’. SAM publications, 2019.3. Peter C. Smith Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. The ‘Warthog’ ground attack aircraft. The Concord Press, 2000.4. Joe Berk, The Gatling Gun: 19th Century Machine Gun to 21st Century Vulcan. Paladin Press. 1991.5. Combat damage assessment team A-10/GAU-8 low-angle firings versus a simulated Soviet tank company (15 June 1978). Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. Nov. 5, 1979.Support us on Patreon for exclusive perks and help us create more content / bluepawprint Check out our exclusive merch https://yarnhub-shop.fourthwall.com00:00 Introduction01:03 Airframe & Wings04:04 Control Surfaces06:14 Engines & Fuel System08:28 Armament14:08 Combat16:19 Cockpit18:06 Take Off20:39 Flight & Landing22:56 Summary