03/22/2024
A-10 warthog 🇺🇲
After confirming the writing was on the wall for the Warthog, recent news of 2024 being the last year for the A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team struck even closer to home; I have taken far too few shots of this sturdy, iconic and much loved aircraft.
Oh well.
A photo of the last A-10 to leave the production line - which incidentally also flew with the A-10 Demo Team - is in order.
The last A-10 to be produced was 82-0665 c/n A10-713, budgeted purchase in 1982, delivered in 1983. She leaved the production line as an A-10A. In 1989, as EL/82-665, she was based at England AFB, Louisiana and belonged to the 23rd FW, 74th TFS “Flying Tigers”. 82-665 was part of the TAC A-10 Demo Team and on the inside of the ladder door was a drawing “Cool Cat - The Last Tiger”. Twice this A-10A was sent to AMARC but in 2007 it was converted to an A-10C and returned to service.
Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II, cn A10-0713, usaf reg 82-0665 / AF82-665, WA-665 flown by the 66th Weapons Squadron (66 WPS), 57th Wing, USAF Weapons School, United States Air Force (USAF) Warfare Center, ACC, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, streaks across a clear Nevada sky, above KLSV, nose pointed at Vegas.
The United States Air Force's 66th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force Weapons School Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II instructional flying unit for Advanced Close Air Support Training.
Red Flag 23-3
July 2023
Nellis AFB, NV