Peter C Smith, A-10 Thunderbolt II (Pen & Sword, 2020)
It’s an ugly thing, no doubt about it; it has a bulbous front tapering back to two cylindrical external engines perched awkwardly in front of its tail. But if you are driving a tank as an enemy of the United States of America, the A-10 “Warthog” would be the last thing you want to see or are likely to. That is because the A-10 packs a serious punch from missiles, bombs, and a 30mm cannon jutting out from its nose. To see one of these offload on a target, as this reviewer has, is an unforgettable experience. Peter C Smith loves this plane and tells you everything you want to know about it in this engaging book.
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Smith begins with a self-penned poem that highlights the virtues of the A-10 as a no-frills destroyer of tanks. That sets the tone for a lengthy panegyric on this sturdy, little plane. There are various origin stories for the A-10 but the necessity of supporting ground troops, especially against tanks, required a specialized plane despite the Air Force’s opposition. The deficiencies of available alternatives led to the development of the A-10; a process Smith takes us through in painstaking detail. In March 1976, the USAF accepted the A-10 into service.
Although part of the USAF, the A-10 remained generally unloved. Smith is keen to point out that criticism was based on ignorance; the A-10 had one job and did it perfectly. He then deconstructs every aspect of the plane: airframe, engines, weapons and ordnance etc. Next, we are into how the A-10 was deployed – wherever the threat of tanks, the Hog had to be available – and used, developing tactics for assault and evasion. With action came A-10 variants and upgrades, but the A-10’s frontline use diminished, at least temporarily. Smith surveys the Air Reserve and National Guard operations with unit histories and camouflage schemes included.
Justification and vindication for the A-10 came with American wars in the middle east. Despite some reluctance to send them, again based on prejudice, the A-10s proved themselves against tanks, stationary targets, and Iraqi helicopters; not a single A-10 was lost to Iraqi aircraft and only five were lost overall in Desert Storm. After the Gulf Wars, the A-10 served in the Balkans, Haiti, Afghanistan, and post-war Iraq. Smith gleefully notes that rumours of the A-10’s demise have been greatly exaggerated, and that they have a future with continued modifications. There has also been discussion on using them as ‘Firehogs’ to fight America’s growing wildfire problem, though that seems doubtful, as does a role for them in storm penetration work.
If you are a fan of the A-10, then this is the book for you. Smith details every aspect of the ‘Hawg’ but doesn’t get bogged down too much in the technical minutiae that sometimes makes these books a slog to all but the most dedicated. This text is enjoyable, with little vignettes of the A-10 included among the tables and charts, though Smith sometimes slips into unnecessary political opinions. The book is also lavishly illustrated with colour and monochrome photographs and taken as a whole must be considered the definitive work on the A-10.
