Book Review of
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II
The “Warthog” Ground Attack Aircraft
Author: Peter C Smith
Pen & Sword Books
ISBN: 9781526759289
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2020
MSRP: $59.95
ISBN: 9781526759289
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2020
MSRP: $59.95
HISTORY:
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Close Support aircraft has become a legend over its long front-line life. Known as the Warthog due to her unusual appearance, this little aircraft has built up an awesome reputation in the specialized ground-attack role, where her accuracy and deadliness are widely recognized as the best of their kind.
Hard lessons from WWII, that were reinforced by the bitter experience of the Vietnam War two-decades later, showed that it was both impracticable and highly non-cost efficient to use supersonic fighter jets in the close air support mission.
A requirement was therefore drawn up for an aero plane capable of carrying a heavy and varied load of ordinance , which had good endurance and unprecedented maneuverability, and which could survive heavy ground fire – thus the A-10 was born. But, by the time she came into service her role had changed to that of a tank-buster in the defense of Western Europe in the face of the overwhelming numbers of Soviet battle armor.
With her straight wing, twin tails and turbine engines mounted high on her rear fuselage, this single-seat aircraft certainly presented a unique appearance. But all these features served a vital role, as Peter C. Smith explains in this highly detailed study.
Although the Warthog’s expected missions on the plains of Germany did not materialize, she did destroy hundreds of Soviet-built tanks during the Gulf wars. The A-10 has also flown almost continuous missions over the Balkans, against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
In this beautifully-illustrated and comprehensive volume, Peter C. Smith brings the A-10’s incredible story right up to date.
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books is located in the UK.
This book is hard-bound of 444 pages in 6 ¾” x 9 ¾” page format, with a paper jacket that has flaps on it to hold it to the book. Ten pages are blank.
The cover art shows 3 A-10’s in a color photo as head-on shots, flying over the countryside. All are overall grey with shark mouths on their noses.
The cover art on the back shows the inside of the cockpit of an A=10, 3 color photos of ones in flight, an a photo of its nose with the shark mouth and Gatling-gun barrel.
The book holds 211 color photos, counting the jacket cover.
113 of these color photos are of the A-10 in flight or on the ground. Other aircraft shown in color are: the A-1J Skyraider, the Northrop F-5 and the Fiat G-91Y. A color photo of Major Hans-Ulrich Rudel, the WWII Luftwaffe tank killer ace.
Also in color are photos of 4 generals, the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary of Defense, 12 photos of the Fairchild factory, 34 walk-around type photos of the A-10, six photos of damage done by them in combat-including a T-72 tank, one photo of U.S. infantry men, 20 photos of ground-crew men, a photo of an A-10 mounted on a pylon display, 2 photos of airfields and color nose-arts on aircrafts that say: “Darlin Deb”, “Hog 1”, “Blue Thunder”, “Little Lady Diane”, “Run & Feel” and Bart Simpson on top of a bomb saying “Tawakawa Dude”and 2 photos of pilots.
There are 55 data lists in the book, 12 maintenance manual illustrations, 16 ½ pages of the glossary, 23 pages of end-notes, 6 line drawings and 7 diagrams.
There are 5 black and white photos. Three are of A-10’s in flight and 2 are of WWII Ju-52 “Stuka’s”.
THE AUTHOR:
Peter C. Smith was born in Norfolk in 1940. After living in London, Kent and Cambridge he and his wife Pat settled in the small Redfordshire village of Riseley in 1982, where they currently reside.
Peter is a Member of The Society of Authors, London, and has worked a both a book and magazine editor, but has been a full-time historian and author since 1968. Peter is best known for his 86 meticulously researched factual history books on aviation, military and naval topics. Detail of all Peter’s books are to be found at: www.dive-bombers.co.uk.
This is one neat book about the A-10. It will be of interest to modelers planning on building an A-10 and to aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers, the North American distributor of Pen & Sword Books for this review sample. All Pen & Sword titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Close Support aircraft has become a legend over its long front-line life. Known as the Warthog due to her unusual appearance, this little aircraft has built up an awesome reputation in the specialized ground-attack role, where her accuracy and deadliness are widely recognized as the best of their kind.
Hard lessons from WWII, that were reinforced by the bitter experience of the Vietnam War two-decades later, showed that it was both impracticable and highly non-cost efficient to use supersonic fighter jets in the close air support mission.
A requirement was therefore drawn up for an aero plane capable of carrying a heavy and varied load of ordinance , which had good endurance and unprecedented maneuverability, and which could survive heavy ground fire – thus the A-10 was born. But, by the time she came into service her role had changed to that of a tank-buster in the defense of Western Europe in the face of the overwhelming numbers of Soviet battle armor.
With her straight wing, twin tails and turbine engines mounted high on her rear fuselage, this single-seat aircraft certainly presented a unique appearance. But all these features served a vital role, as Peter C. Smith explains in this highly detailed study.
Although the Warthog’s expected missions on the plains of Germany did not materialize, she did destroy hundreds of Soviet-built tanks during the Gulf wars. The A-10 has also flown almost continuous missions over the Balkans, against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
In this beautifully-illustrated and comprehensive volume, Peter C. Smith brings the A-10’s incredible story right up to date.
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books is located in the UK.
This book is hard-bound of 444 pages in 6 ¾” x 9 ¾” page format, with a paper jacket that has flaps on it to hold it to the book. Ten pages are blank.
The cover art shows 3 A-10’s in a color photo as head-on shots, flying over the countryside. All are overall grey with shark mouths on their noses.
The cover art on the back shows the inside of the cockpit of an A=10, 3 color photos of ones in flight, an a photo of its nose with the shark mouth and Gatling-gun barrel.
The book holds 211 color photos, counting the jacket cover.
113 of these color photos are of the A-10 in flight or on the ground. Other aircraft shown in color are: the A-1J Skyraider, the Northrop F-5 and the Fiat G-91Y. A color photo of Major Hans-Ulrich Rudel, the WWII Luftwaffe tank killer ace.
Also in color are photos of 4 generals, the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary of Defense, 12 photos of the Fairchild factory, 34 walk-around type photos of the A-10, six photos of damage done by them in combat-including a T-72 tank, one photo of U.S. infantry men, 20 photos of ground-crew men, a photo of an A-10 mounted on a pylon display, 2 photos of airfields and color nose-arts on aircrafts that say: “Darlin Deb”, “Hog 1”, “Blue Thunder”, “Little Lady Diane”, “Run & Feel” and Bart Simpson on top of a bomb saying “Tawakawa Dude”and 2 photos of pilots.
There are 55 data lists in the book, 12 maintenance manual illustrations, 16 ½ pages of the glossary, 23 pages of end-notes, 6 line drawings and 7 diagrams.
There are 5 black and white photos. Three are of A-10’s in flight and 2 are of WWII Ju-52 “Stuka’s”.
THE AUTHOR:
Peter C. Smith was born in Norfolk in 1940. After living in London, Kent and Cambridge he and his wife Pat settled in the small Redfordshire village of Riseley in 1982, where they currently reside.
Peter is a Member of The Society of Authors, London, and has worked a both a book and magazine editor, but has been a full-time historian and author since 1968. Peter is best known for his 86 meticulously researched factual history books on aviation, military and naval topics. Detail of all Peter’s books are to be found at: www.dive-bombers.co.uk.
This is one neat book about the A-10. It will be of interest to modelers planning on building an A-10 and to aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers, the North American distributor of Pen & Sword Books for this review sample. All Pen & Sword titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.