Warthog's toy

[Fumblyfingers]

 

Must be nice to get to play with toys like this...mmMMHH!!

[fantasticsound]

Amazing in its' destructive potential and maneuverability. Stay safe, Warthog.

[LPCustom]

I liked the closeup canopy shots. It looks like the "Hog" has a nice low waistline in the cockpit. I bet you feel like you're sitting on top of the plane. Looks like it has great visibility.

 

I'd really love to fly one of those one day. Not deliver any ordnance, just fly it. I've flown _in_ a T-38 (my dad was the pilot) in 1972 (it was my 14th birthday) and that was great. The only time I've ever been supersonic.

[caprae]

Nah, I'd want to deliver the ordinance, too. Park a couple of broken down tanks in a desert somewhere and let her rip.

 

Ooh, I'd hate to be on the receiving end of those sparkle bombs.

[Hardtail]

If you can get the plane and the ordnance, I can load it for you.

[Bluesape]

Nice toy!

[caprae]

I'd never get it back on the ground. Flew (I use the term loosely) an F-4 simulator once. Had a pilot there telling me what to do. I got it off the ground just fine. Then he sent some missles at me - now that's a scary site. I believe I allowed one to hit me. It was a very short flight.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Many folks on the ground have been pretty happy to see A-10s overhead; like the Cavalry, comin' to the rescue...

[Warthog]

Thanks , fellas. It's a lot of fun and a privilege. I feel blessed every day to do something that many dream about.

 

Here's the official Air Force fact sheet video:

 

Warthog

[LPCustom]

One piece of ordnance I always loved the name of; "retarded" bombs. Of course they have "smart" bombs, too. I guess the standard bombs have 100 IQs...

[Mike Gug]

Ah, the Tank Killer. Niiiiiice.

 

Tanks for keeping us safe!

[Warthog]

Funny thing, LP. In my previous life I was a T-38C Instructor Pilot. "Retarded" bombs have a baloot and/or fin assembly (not so much fins anymore, used to be so with the old Rockeyes and Snakeyes) that allows the weapon to become a high drag munition, suitable for low altitude attacks where you want more time to perform your safe escape (not blow yourself up in your weapon's own frag pattern). Smart bombs and "retarded" bombs are not relly opposites. Smart bombs are dumb bombs with guidance package kits installed on them, either GPS or laser guided. You may already know that, but info for the sake of other forumites.

 

Those "sparkle bombs" are CBU-87, cluster bomb units. The cannister spins to a predesignated rotation speed (depending on how you want the frag pattern) and then functions allowing 202 armor piercing and high explosive incendiary bomblets to be released. Bad, bad, stuff if you're on the receiving end. CBU also comes in the form of the CBU-89 version, which sets-up a trip-wired mine field for area denial purposes. Other weapons you see in the video are AGM-65 Mavericks, which look to be B models from the video. Those are the forward-firing missiles used for tanks, vehicles, APC's, bunkers, buildings, and ships.

 

Needless to say, dropping all that stuff is fun, but the gun (30mm, largest gun ever put on a single-seat airplane) is still the most fun to employ.

[Fumblyfingers]

Hog, I just love the lingo...."area denial purposes" ..... " employing" the gun...... This is good shit!

[LPCustom]

Originally posted by Warthog:

Funny thing, LP. In my previous life I was a T-38C Instructor Pilot. "Retarded" bombs have a baloot and/or fin assembly (not so much fins anymore, used to be so with the old Rockeyes and Snakeyes) that allows the weapon to become a high drag munition, suitable for low altitude attacks where you want more time to perform your safe escape (not blow yourself up in your weapon's own frag pattern). Smart bombs and "retarded" bombs are not relly opposites. Smart bombs are dumb bombs with guidance package kits installed on them, either GPS or laser guided. You may already know that, but info for the sake of other forumites.

That's cool, my dad was an IP as well. He was a BFM instructor for about four years down at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas teaching guys how to fly the F-4C. Then they sent him to Germany were he was an AACM instructor. He got out in 1972 about four months after my ride in the T-38 (a C model, think). He was a Lt. Col. with just over 22 years in service. He spent his last two months flying a desk at Moody AFB down in Waycross, GA.

 

I'm fairly well read on military aircraft and ordnance. Just trying to make a joke. I used to write military flight simulator software part of which is simulating the weapons avionics, weapons behavior, hud and bitching Betty. I'd fly 'em for real if I could. I've wanted to be a jet jockey just like my dad from the time I was a little kid.

 

Warthog, did you attend USAFA in Colorado Springs?

[Hardtail]

Originally posted by Warthog:

Funny thing, LP. In my previous life I was a T-38C Instructor Pilot. "Retarded" bombs have a baloot and/or fin assembly (not so much fins anymore, used to be so with the old Rockeyes and Snakeyes) that allows the weapon to become a high drag munition, suitable for low altitude attacks where you want more time to perform your safe escape (not blow yourself up in your weapon's own frag pattern). Smart bombs and "retarded" bombs are not relly opposites. Smart bombs are dumb bombs with guidance package kits installed on them, either GPS or laser guided. You may already know that, but info for the sake of other forumites.

 

Those "sparkle bombs" are CBU-87, cluster bomb units. The cannister spins to a predesignated rotation speed (depending on how you want the frag pattern) and then functions allowing 202 armor piercing and high explosive incendiary bomblets to be released. Bad, bad, stuff if you're on the receiving end. CBU also comes in the form of the CBU-89 version, which sets-up a trip-wired mine field for area denial purposes. Other weapons you see in the video are AGM-65 Mavericks, which look to be B models from the video. Those are the forward-firing missiles used for tanks, vehicles, APC's, bunkers, buildings, and ships.

 

Needless to say, dropping all that stuff is fun, but the gun (30mm, largest gun ever put on a single-seat airplane) is still the most fun to employ.

I put more GP bombs (snake eyes and retarded fins) together than I can count. Even after all these years, I could probably still do it in my sleep.

 

Yeah... someone had mentioned "sparkle bombs" and when I saw the video, I said "Is he talking about the CBUs?" Looks like I was right.

 

One thing I didn't deal with that's on the A10 was that big assed 30mm gun. I dealt with the 20mm's which were bad enough. I'm sure the 30mm deals out lots of ass whoopin' pain.

[Warthog]

Originally posted by LPCustom:

Originally posted by Warthog:

Funny thing, LP. In my previous life I was a T-38C Instructor Pilot. "Retarded" bombs have a baloot and/or fin assembly (not so much fins anymore, used to be so with the old Rockeyes and Snakeyes) that allows the weapon to become a high drag munition, suitable for low altitude attacks where you want more time to perform your safe escape (not blow yourself up in your weapon's own frag pattern). Smart bombs and "retarded" bombs are not relly opposites. Smart bombs are dumb bombs with guidance package kits installed on them, either GPS or laser guided. You may already know that, but info for the sake of other forumites.

That's cool, my dad was an IP as well. He was a BFM instructor for about four years down at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas teaching guys how to fly the F-4C. Then they sent him to Germany were he was an AACM instructor. He got out in 1972 about four months after my ride in the T-38 (a C model, think). He was a Lt. Col. with just over 22 years in service. He spent his last two months flying a desk at Moody AFB down in Waycross, GA.

 

I'm fairly well read on military aircraft and ordnance. Just trying to make a joke. I used to write military flight simulator software part of which is simulating the weapons avionics, weapons behavior, hud and bitching Betty. I'd fly 'em for real if I could. I've wanted to be a jet jockey just like my dad from the time I was a little kid.

 

Warthog, did you attend USAFA in Colorado Springs?

Yes, USAFA Class of '93. Back when you got your T-38 ride there were only A Models around. As far as I know there are only 3 variants: the AT-38B which I flew in Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals course is no longer in service. The T-38C is a brand new airplane (well, the airframe and engines are old, but the avionics is all new). This added a HUD, GPS, and LCD Multifunctional Displays. The C model has only been around for about 4 years. In fact, I flew the first ever T-38C student sortie at Vance in 2003. Sweet airplane...very fast. If we weren't worried about the gas we'd cruise at .95 mach and get anywhere really, really fast. I saw 11 miles a minute on one leg from El Paso to San Antonio.

 

Switching gears, the A-10 is being outfitted with MFD's, a targetting pod, and all kinds of nice stuff. It's oficially the A-10C.

 

Funny that your Dad was at Moody (it's in Valdosta). I'll be headed there after my tour here. They're moving the A-10's from Pope to Moody. It's a good deal for me cuz my wife is from Warner Robins, GA, right up the road.

[LPCustom]

Originally posted by Warthog:

Funny that your Dad was at Moody (it's in Valdosta). I'll be headed there after my tour here. They're moving the A-10's from Pope to Moody. It's a good deal for me cuz my wife is from Warner Robins, GA, right up the road.

My mistake about Moody. I talked to my Dad this afternoon and he said his last posting was at Robins AFB in Warner-Robins. He said his buddy and fellow IP, Charlie Penske, got posted to Moody after my Dad got out. I must have connected that in my head somehow. They were in the same squadron (334th Sqdn, 4th Fighter Gp) in Korea.

[Fumblyfingers]

Warthog, have you read Sled Driver by Brian Shul?