Monday, May 23, 2011

163rd Fighter Squadron 'Blacksnakes' A-10C update

By Joachim Jacob

(Updated May 30, 2011)

Already in February this year, from Ray Steup and Shane Henderson, both from the United States, I've got their kind permissions to post their unique shots of A-10Cs from the 163rd Fighter Squadron 'Blacksnakes', 122nd Fighter Wing (Indiana Air National Guard), Fort Wayne, already uploaded on flickr. And now, I will finally post this very interesting photo stuff.

Identified so far by known pictures are the following 163rd FS "Hogs":

78-0658 (Still only with IN tail code)
Aircraft history: 78-0658 (A10-0278) 103rd FS, 111th FW (PA)

79-0213 (Wearing full unit markings and nose art)
Aircraft history: 79-0213 (A10-0477) 74th TFS, 23rd TFW (EL); Desert Storm; to AMARC as AC0468 28 Sep 2005; returned to service; 23rd FG, 23rd Wg (FT)

80-0230 (Still only with IN tail code)
Aircraft history: 80-0230 (A10-0580) to AMARC as AC0232 27 Sep 2000; returned to service 21 Nov 2000; back to AMARC as AC0327 7 Nov 2002; returned to service; 103rd FS, 111th FW (PA)

81-0944 (Still only with IN tail code)
Aircraft history: 81-0944 (A10-0639) 190th FS, 124th Wg (ID)

82-0661 (Wearing full unit markings and nose art, marked 163 FS as the 163rd Fighter Squadron's boss bird)
Aircraft history: 82-0661 (A10-0709) 353rd TFS, 354th TFW (MB); Desert Storm; to AMARC as AC0265 15 May 2001; returned to service 19 Jul 2001; back to AMARC as AC0472 17 Jan 2006; returned to service; 23rd FG, 23rd Wg (FT)


Update May 30, 2011:

Jared Soergel told me via e-mail: I logged two more serials earlier this month via tails passed to a tanker (radio logs from 10 May): SANDY 1 (A-10C, 80-0152) and SANDY 2 (A-10C, 78-0692). In addition to the serials you have posted (plus the two above), I have heard that 78-0598, 78-0679, 80-0168 are the other a/c.

And so, if Jared is right, we have the following additional "Hogs":

78-0598
Aircraft history: 78-0598 (A10-0218) 75th FS, 23rd FG, 23rd Wg (FT

78-0679
Aircraft history: 78-0679 (A10-0299) 23rd FG, 23rd Wg (FT)

78-0692
Aircraft history: 78-0692 (A10-0312) 103rd FS, 111th FW (PA)

80-0152
Aircraft history: 80-0152 (A10-0502) 75th TFS, 23rd TFW (EL); Desert Storm (flew as a 76th TFS replacement bird); 103rd FS, 111th FW (PA)

80-0168
Aircraft history: 80-0168 (A10-0518) to AMARC as AC0216 5 Jun 2000; returned to service 1 Aug 2000; seen at Langley airshow 29 Apr 2007; 355th FW (DM)


And here are the pictures:



A-10C 78-0658 on final approach to runway 23, March 17, 2011. (Photo by Ray Steup) Full size





A-10C 78-0658 flies down runway 23 March 17, 2011. (Photo by Ray Steup) Full size

A-10C 80-0230 on final approach to runway 23, March 17, 2011. (Photo by Ray Steup) Full size



A-10C 80-0230 on final approach to runway 23, March 17, 2011 (Photo by Ray Steup) Full size



A-10C 79-0213, May 13, 2011. (Photo by Ray Steup) Full size



A-10C 82-0661, marked 163 FS, May 13, 2011. (Photo by Ray Steup) Full size



A-10C 82-0661, marked 163 FS, lifts off runway 32 at Fort Wayne International on Sunday afternoon. Call sign, "Sniper 1." (Photo by Ray Steup) Full size



A-10C 82-0661, marked 163 FS. September 10, 2010. (Photo by Ray Steup) Full size



A-10C 82-0661, marked 163 FS. September 10, 2010. (Photo by Ray Steup) Full size



This was really a lucky shot to be able to capture both a "new" A-10 with one of the 163rd F-16's in the background. Good stuff! September 10, 2010. (Photo by Ray Steup) Full size



Captured from a video clip, A-10C 82-0661, marked 163 FS, takes off on runway 5 at Fort Wayne. Full size




All of the following pictures were taken on September 11, 2010.

(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size







(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size


Displayed in the hangar was A-10C 80-0168, still marked 355 FW. It wears the nose art only on the left side. Note the "Let's Roll" logo. Crew inscriptions are: Plt Maj Jesse Jahn, Dcc SSgt Joseph Ulskajes (???), Acc SrA Gregory Mitchell.



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson)



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size


Also displayed in the hangar was A-10C 79-0213:



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size



(Photo by Shane Henderson) Full size


Note: Special thanks to Ray and Shane for sharing their pictures on Warthog News. BTW: 163rd Fighter Squadron A-10C shots are still very rare on the public web. Anyone who can/will provide any more related photos and serial numbers? I would be very grateful for any support.

See also:
122nd Fighter Wing
163rd Fighter Squadron
Blacksnakes

(Graphic by Berry Munden)
122FW/163FS Exclusive...
Gotta GITA (According to this source, on April 8, 2010, the 122nd FW received their first A-10A from D-M that will be used for maintenance and load training. 80-0168 landed code 1 after a 9 hour flight.)

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