Thursday, June 30, 2011

From the archives: Battle-damaged A-10 80-0258 from the 172nd Fighter Squadron caught at Tallil

Known pictures of battle-damaged A-10 80-0258 from the 172nd Fighter Squadron, 110th Fighter Wing (Michigan Air National Guard), Battle Creek, taken at Tallil Air Base, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom's main combat phase:



OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- A-10 maintenance members from the 392 Air Expeditionary Wing inspect their aircraft for any additional damages after it was hit by an Iraqi missile in the right engine. The A-10 made it back to the base safely. (U. S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)



Probably a non-official shot. Full size



Probably a non-official shot. Full size



Probably a non-official shot.



A non-official shot, taken on April 11,2003.



A non-official shot, taken April 14, 2003. Note the removed engine nacelle.



Another non-official shot.



U.S. Air Force (USAF) A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft maintenance personnel from the 392nd Air Expeditionary Wing (AEW), inspect their aircraft for any additional damage after it was hit by an Iraqi missile in the right engine. (Probably an U.S. Air Force photo) Hi-res Note: That's the best known close-up view!

Note: Anyone who can/will tell me the story behind this battle damage? Additional pictures are also welcommend. I would be very grateful for any support.

Almost like new

Released by 307th Bomb Wing Public Affairs



6/30/2011 - Just back from the maintenance depot at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, a freshly painted A-10 Thunderbolt II assigned to the 47th Fighter Squadron at Barksdale Air Force, La., sits under a sun shade June 15, 2011. The jet will receive additional paint schemes from Airmen at Barksdale that will reflect the other “Warthogs” assigned the 47th FS. The jet was at Hill AFB for precision engagement modifications and the replacement of a wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston) Hi-res



6/30/2011 - As an artist would sign a personal master piece, workers at the maintenance depot at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, leave their mark on an A-10 Thunderbolt II after completing repairs and modifications on the jet. The jet was at Hill AFB for precision engagement modifications and the replacement of a wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston) Hi-res

Note: Pictured is A-10C 149.

Source

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Col. Fox lands last flight at Spangdahlem AB

Released by 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs



6/28/2011 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Col. Jackson Fox, 52nd Operations Group commander, taxis an A-10 Thunderbolt II under streams of water after his final flight here June 24. Colonel Fox celebrated his last A-10 Thunderbolt II flight at Spangdahlem Air Base with family, friends and coworkers before taking command of the 39th Air Base Group at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Dillon Davis) Hi-res



6/28/2011 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Col. Jackson Fox, 52nd Operations Group commander, taxis an A-10 Thunderbolt II under streams of water after his final flight here June 24. Colonel Fox celebrated his last A-10 Thunderbolt II flight at Spangdahlem Air Base with family, friends and coworkers before taking command of the 39th Air Base Group at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Dillon Davis) Hi-res

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A-10C 81-0967 from the 74th Fighter Squadron caught at Al Udeid September 28, 2009

Yesterday, just before midnight, from photographer Keith Campbell (United Kingdom) I got the kind permission to post his following exclusive shots on my blog. Pictured is A-10C 81-0967 from the 74th Fighter Squadron during stop-over at Al Udeid AB, Qatar, on their way back home to CONUS after a 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron Operation Enduring Freedom combat deployment to Afghanistan. Special thanks to the photographer, because A-10 stop-over shots, taken at Al Udeid, are very rare.



A-10C 81-0967 (Photo by Keith Campbell) Full size



A-10C 81-0967 (Photo by Keith Campbell) Full size Note the absence of ladder door art and crew inscriptions.



A-10C 81-0967 (Photo by Keith Campbell) Full size

Please note: I've found Keith's shots by trying Google and Flickr. They were already posted on AirplanePictures, but with a water mark. And as Keith told me, 81-0967 was the one rebuilt after being hit by a missile over Kosovo.

For related Kosovo info please check:
http://www.thewarthogpen.com/fame_index.html
http://www.thewarthogpen.com/81_0967_files/81-0967.html (pictures)
http://www.irandefence.net/showthread.php?p=17190

Any other photographer around the world who likes to provide me some more A-10 Al Udeid stop-over shots?

F-106 Veterans Gather at Selfridge

by TSgt. Dan Heaton
127th Wing Public Affairs

6/28/2011 - SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich. -- The Airmen who made the Delta Dart fly at Selfridge pointed and looked and joked and visited. But the highlight of the trip was standing in a hangar, with a quiet look of pride and satisfaction.

Some 60 former Air Force members, who all served at Selfridge in the 1960s and worked on maintenance on the F-106 Delta Dart - known in its heyday as the "Ultimate Interceptor" - held a reunion in the Detroit area over three days in June. The highlight of the trip was a visit to Hangar 5 on the air base, where most of the men worked, performing maintenance on the F-106.

"It's a brotherhood. There's no doubt about it," said Ken Wigton, who helped to organize the reunion outing. Wigton, who lives in the far, semi-rural exurbs of the Detroit area, served in the Air Force from 1960 to 1964. He spent much of that time assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing at Selfridge, working on the automatic weapons and flight control systems of the F-106.

"I haven't seen some of these guys in 40 years, but we could stand and talk for hours," he said. "We worked together, we lived together. Really, we grew up together in the Air Force."

A few of the people on the reunion visit had retired from the Air Force after 20 or more years of service. Most spent four years in Air Force blue as young men and were eager to show their wives their old barracks and other familiar locations around the base and the city of Mount Clemens, just outside the base. The veterans came from as far as Florida and California to participate in the reunion.

From 1947 through 1971, what is now known as Selfridge Air National Guard Base, about 20 miles from Detroit, operated as an active duty Air Force base. Prior to that, it was known as Selfridge Field and was operated as an airfield by the Army, beginning in 1917.

"Obviously, things are more modern now and some things have changed," said Ken Johnson, who traveled from the Cincinnati, Ohio, area to attend the reunion. "But even though things have changed, a lot of it feels very, very familiar."

Col. Gregory Holzhei, commander of the 127th Maintenance Group - which maintains A-10 attack aircraft in the same hangar the F-106 unit once utilized -- said the veterans are an important part of the Air Force and Selfridge family.

"Our veterans understand our story. They help to educate their friends and neighbors about the Air Force and the sacrifices that are so often involved with military service," Holzhei said. "The reunion visit was a great opportunity for us to be able to hear their stories and to share with them some of the things that are happening at Selfridge today."

Two international conflicts impacted the Air Force career of many of the reunion participants - the Cuban Missile Crisis and the beginning of the Vietnam War. Several of the former Airmen recalled sleeping on the floor in the hangar, almost within arm's reach of their aircraft, for several days as the nation went on high alert during the October 1962 standoff between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over the placement by the Soviets of potentially nuclear-armed missiles on the island nation of Cuba - some 90 miles from the coast of Florida.

A number of F-106s and personnel from the 1st Fighter Wing deployed to locations around the country - including to Florida - to provide air superiority coverage of the continental U.S.

"It did get a little tense there for a few days," Johnson said. "We were Air Defense Command back then and we were on the highest alert."

The 1st Fighter Wing operated two squadrons at Selfridge, the 94th and the 71st Fighter Interceptor Squadrons. Tracing its roots to 1918, the 1st Fighter Wing is the oldest air combat unit in the U.S. military. Today it is based at Langley Air Force Base, Va., and flies the F-22 Raptor, the newest fighter in the Air Force inventory. Air Defense Command no longer exists. After several reorganizations of the Air Force structure, much of the duties of the former ADC are now borne by Air Combat Command.

The 1st FW left Selfridge when the base transitioned to the Air National Guard, but that was not the end of the F-106s at the base. The Delta Darts were operated by the Michigan Air National Guard at Selfridge in 1972-1978. A retired F-106 is on display in the Selfridge Military Air Museum. The museum was a part of the reunion visit for the veterans, who also had a question and answer session with a current Selfridge pilot who flies the A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog.

Wigton said as he began making contacts for the reunion, often each person he contacted would provide another several names of old buddies from Air Force days.

"If I started planning the reunion today, I know I would have more than 100 people here. I kept adding names, even to the last minutes," he said. "As you get older and reflect back on your life, there is a special bond that exists between you and the people you served with."



A group of Air Force veterans listen as Senior Master Sgt. Wayne Fetty talks about the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., June 24, 2011. The veterans all served at Selfridge in the 1960s, when the base was an active duty Air Force installation. They were all part of the 1st Fighter Wing, which was then located at the base, operating the F-106 Delta Dart. (USAF photo by TSgt. Dan Heaton) Hi-res

Source

Monday, June 27, 2011

New fuel pipeline keeps Boise jets flying

by Tech. Sgt. Sarah Pokorney
124th Fighter Wing

6/9/2011 - GOWEN FIELD, Boise, Idaho -- A new above-ground pipeline at Gowen Field is brining "clean and dry" aviation fuel to the A-10s and visiting aircraft. The stainless steel pipeline, that is easier to access and maintain, became operational at the end of May. It replaced an aging underground system that was the source for alarming contamination that occurred in 2009.

The 124th Fighter Wing is one of only three bases that have a direct aviation fuel pipeline; others have to truck in their fuel. The fuel travels from Salt Lake City through the Chevron Pipeline to Idaho Pipeline, the dedicated fuel provider for the wing. The fuel comes directly from Idaho Pipeline, a high-volume commercial fuel supplier who operates two tanks on Gowen Rd. These tanks feed the 124th Fighter Wing's fuel tanks, on base in two 400,000 gallon tanks.

"When the 22 F-15s where here from Klamath Falls we were using 1.4 million gallons of fuel per month," said Senior Master Sgt. Cal Garlock, Fuels Superintendent.

From the tanks jet fuel travels through three separators that remove contaminants, sediment, and water before it reaches the fuel transport trucks. The Gowen Field fuels lab samples and tests fuel for quality and safety weekly and every time fuel is ordered. Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricant (POL) Fuel Systems specialists filter the JP-8 fuel three times and testevery batch of fuel before pumping it aboard an aircraft's fuel tanks. They ensure that it is "clean and dry" --free from water, debris, or contaminants.

"It's our job to make sure the fuel is clean and dry. We have a lab here onsite dedicated to testing," said Garlock.

The pipeline was replaced due to contamination issues from the old pipeline. In 2009 when the Klamath Falls F-15s and fuel usage was at the high usage of 1.4 million gallons per month, a routine check of a fuel truck by Staff Sgt. Jim Hubbard revealed metal fragments in the fuel.

"A fuel truck was filled and had fueled at least two A-10s with rust contaminates (unknown at the time) - before the rust was found in samples taken from the truck one aircraft had already started and took off for a training mission - putting the aircraft and the pilot in certain danger," said Lt Col Scott Wakefield IDANG, 124 Fighter Wing Flight Safety.

The aircraft were grounded for two days and the source of the contamination was traced back to an improper weld that was made when an older fuel tank was removed. The slag from the poor weld had cut through the filters in the separators and made it through to the fuel trucks and aircraft.

"We replaced the weld after we removed tank two. It was an immediate fix to get us back into the race," said Garlock.

Further investigation reviled other issues with the aging pipeline system that required maintenance and ultimately the full replacement. Much of the old infrastructure had been in place for 50 years.

"We allocated several hundred man hours to correct the situation and clean affected systems, aircraft, fuel trucks and repair the affected line to mitigate the problem," said Wakefield. "This situation was sure to re-manifest itself until a new pipeline is built."

The new pipeline project took a year and a half to complete and cost the Defense Logistics Agency an estimated $750,000. DLA West, located in California, owns the tanks and the pipeline infrastructure on Gowen Field. They provide the guidance and maintenance as well as filters and testing supplies. DLA made the ultimate call on the replacement of the pipeline. The new pipe is expected to last at least 50 years.

"DLA owns the fuel until it reaches the aircraft," said Garlock. "They paid for the upgrade and had the expertise to manage the project and hire contractors."

The new pipeline is made of six inch stainless steel that is far more durable, being above ground has many benefits as well.

"It is much easier to tell the condition of the above ground pipe, when it's underground it's more likely to corrode. Stainless steel is also much better quality." said Garlock.

In addition to the A-10s and visiting aircraft, the pipeline also provides fuel for the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) and to the Army for their helicopters, tanks, and Humvees.

The next phase of the project is to move the three filling stations for the fuel trucks so that they are closer to the pump house that holds the separators. This will eliminate the need for the final stretch of pipeline that is still underground. This final phase of the upgrade has not yet been scheduled.

"The new pipeline is definitely a great step to prevent future (safety) issues and costly repairs," said Wakefield.

Source

Another day at the office

Released by 307th Bomb Wing Public Affairs June 24, 2011:



Lt. Col. Tom Cruzan, assistant director of operations, 47th Fighter Squadron, performs a pre-flight inspection of an A-10 Thunderbolt II, in preparation for a sortie at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., June 15, 2011. Colonel Cruzan's sortie was to Claiborne Bombing and Gunnery Range near Alexandria, La., where he dropped BDU-33 practice bombs on targets. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston) Hi-res

Note: LITENING AT targeting pod on station 2.



Senior Airman Michael Dutson, 917th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, performs a visual flight controls check of a 47th Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft prior to a sortie, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., June 15, 2011. The sortie was to Claiborne Bombing and Gunnery Range near Alexandria, La., where BDU-33 practice bombs were dropped on targets. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston) Hi-res



Airman 1st Class O'Brian Bell, 917th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, marshals an A-10 Thunderbolt II before a training sortie at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., on June 15, 2011. The sortie was to Claiborne Bombing and Gunnery Range near Alexandria, La., where BDU-33 practice bombs were dropped on targets. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston) Hi-res



Lt. Col. Tom Cruzan, assistant director of operations, 47th Fighter Squadron, checks paperwork before performing a pre-flight inspection on an A-10 Thunderbolt II, in preparation for a sortie at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., June 15, 2011. Colonel Cruzan's sortie was to Claiborne Bombing and Gunnery Range near Alexandria, La., where he dropped BDU-33 practice bombs on targets. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston) Hi-res

Note: Visible in the background is A-10C 79-0149.

Source

Sunday, June 26, 2011

A-10 West demo team "Hog" lost panel during aerial display at Olympia Air Show

On June 19, 2011, A-10C 80-0238 from the 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, and currently assigned to A-10 West demo team, lost a panel during a demonstration flight at the Olympia Air Show 2011. According to the well-recommended Warthog Territory Forums right outboard False Flap panel came off mid-demo and landed in the middle of the airfield.

Related photos:
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
Photo 5

Source

Please note: This post will be further updated.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

163rd Fighter Squadron gets two more jets from Osan

According to the well-recommended Warthog Territory Forums, two more "Hogs" from the 25th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Wing (PACAF), Osan AB, Republic of Korea, joined the 163rd Fighter Squadron 'Blacksnakes', 122nd Fighter Wing (Indiana Air National Guard), Fort Wayne:

A-10C 80-0177 with "Lisa Marie II" ladder door art.

A-10C 80-0217 with "NEVER FORGETT" ladder door art, related to the 9-11 terrorist attacks against New York's World Trade Center and other targets.

Source

66th Weapons Squadron A-10C caught at Nellis June 16 and 17, 2011

At Nellis AFB, Warthog News contributor Bruce Smith from the United States had the opportunity to take the following pictures:



A-10C 81-0946 on June 16, 2011. Sniper XR targeting pod on station 10. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size



A-10C 81-0946 on June 17, 2011. Sniper XR targeting pod on station ten. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size

422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron caught at Nellis June 8, 2011

At Nellis AFB, Nevada, Warthog News contributor Bruce Smith from the United States had the opportunity to take the following pictures:



A-10C 79-0169. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size



A-10C 79-0169. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size



A-10C 79-0199. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size

66th Weapons Squadron A-10Cs caught at Nellis June 8, 2011

At Nellis AFB, Nevada, Warthog News contributor Bruce Smith from the United States had the opportunity to take the following pictures:



A-10C 81-0977, marked 57 OG. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size




A-10C 79-0204. (Photo by Bruce Smith) Full size

A-10s at Kirkuk

kirkuk group a-10

Friday, June 24, 2011

Airman solves fuel-flow transmitter problem, saves Air Force thousands

by Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

6/22/2011 - OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- An Airman here was recently awarded a check worth $10,000 through the Innovative Development Employee Awareness, or IDEA, program.

Tech. Sgt. Tremaine Smith, 51st Maintenance Group technical order distribution office manager, was recognized for an idea that fixed a fuel-flow transmitter problem saving the Air Force more than $90,000 in replacement costs over the next year.

Sergeant Smith identified a more efficient way to properly troubleshoot and correct an aircraft wiring problem on the A-10 Thunderbolt II.

He said he initially found the problem during an aircraft malfunction.

After many hours of contemplating the problem Sergeant Smith decided to approach it from a different angle. He said he went outside of his troubleshooting chart and decided to disconnect the cannon plug from the unit in order to see what might be causing the issue.

Taking a closer look, he found there was a wiring problem in the cannon plug and the schematic in the technical order was either mislabeled, or incorrect.

"After almost two years of pushing to get the problem fixed, it was the IDEA program that finally helped," Sergeant Smith said.

"The IDEA Program is designed as an incentive program to reward submitters for approved ideas that benefit the Air Force by enhancing processes or improving productivity and efficiency," said Ed Moreno, base IDEA program manager.

Today, the IDEA Program uses a web-based automated system, IDEA Program Data System (IPDS), from submission to the final evaluation decision.

Submitters must identify the present method, proposed method, and expected benefits.

They will also need to explain why the current method should be changed with a detailed description or solution on how to change the current method or implement the idea. Include anticipated savings, efficiencies, or benefits to the Air Force, not merely thoughts or opinions.

The IDEA program rewards Airmen for ideas that save the Air Force money and resources. Airmen are eligible to receive 15 percent of the estimated first-year savings, which could range from $200 to $10,000.

Source

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Polish air force visits 52nd Fighter Wing

Released by 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs



SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Polish air force 1st Lt. Wolciech Turbak and Polish air force Capt. Tomasz Sekalz peer into the cockpit of an A-10 Thunderbolt II here June 21. Poland’s air force visited the 52nd Fighter Wing to build community relations and learn about the base’s daily flight support operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dillon Davis) Hi-res

Video: A-10 Crew Chief Tech School

Released by 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs



Transcript:

ANNOUNCER: ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE HE’S BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS, THIS IS ONLY A1C DAVID HECHT’S SECOND TIME LAUNCHING THE A-10 AT DAVIS-MONTHAN.

SB (INTERVIEW, HECHT): “I’VE BEEN IN THE COURSE AT D-M FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF WEEKS NOW. SO FAR I’M ENJOYING IT A LOT. IT’S EXCITING WORKING OUT ON A REAL FLIGHTLINE DEALING WITH ACTUAL LIVE AIRCRAFT AND REAL PILOTS.”

THE STUDENTS ARE IN TECH SCHOOL FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE MONTHS, BUT TWO OF THOSE MONTHS ARE SPENT AT D-M FOR HANDS-ON TRAINING ON THE A-10 WARTHOG.

SB (INTERVIEW, COX): “WE TEACH THEM SAFER MAINTAINANCE, MANUAL CANOPY RELEASE, LOCKS AND TIRE SERVICING, INSPECTIONS, JOPES, AND LAUNCH AND RECOVERY. THEY ALL PLAY A ROLE IN THE DAY-TO-DAY LIFE OF WHAT A CREW CHIEF DOES.”

AMONG THE MANY RESPONSIBILITIES, THERE’S ONE THAT TAKES CENTER STAGE.

SB (INTERVIEW, HECHT): “I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE’VE LEARNED WOULD BE ATTENTION TO DETAIL. IT’S DRIVEN INTO OUR HEADS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. THERE’S A LOT OF STUFF TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHEN YOU’RE WORKING ON A PLANE AND EVEN THE SLIGHTEST THING CAN RESULT IN SOMETHING BAD.”

D-M ENSURES THAT AIRMEN LIKE A1C DAVID HECHT ARE READY FOR THEIR REAL-WORLD RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN A-10 CREW CHIEF.

Note: If the video link doesnt work please check: http://www.dm.af.mil/

Spangdahlem maintainers attend training course

Released by 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs



6/22/2011 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Airman 1st Class Darrell Herringdine, 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, helps remove an engine here June 21. The team of maintainers removed the engine and conducted routine maintenance during a 5-day engine removal and installation training course. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brittney Frees) Source

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Army visits Barksdale

Released today by 307th Bomb Wing Public Affairs



6/22/2011 - Lt. Col. James Macaulay, deputy commander, 917th Fighter Group, explains the capabilities of the A-10 Thunderbolt II, to Lt. Col. Sherb Sentell, battalion commander, 2203rd Mobilization Support Battalion, during his visit to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., June 16, 2011. A small group from the Army visited Barksdale to get a close up look at the type of jet that provides "dedicated air support" to their unit members in the field in Iraq and Afghanistan. Colonel Sentell’s unit is based in Bossier City, La. (U.S. Air Force photo by Betty Stephens) Hi-res



6/22/2011 - Lt. Col. James Macaulay, deputy commander, 917th Fighter Group, stands by in the cockpit of an A-10 Thunderbolt II, as a group of U.S. Army visitors pose for a photo at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., June 16, 2011. The group visited Barksdale to get a close up look at the type of jet that provided "dedicated air support" to their unit members in the field in Iraq and Afghanistan. (L-R) Command Sergeant Major Randy White, Maj. Chris Franklin, executive officer, and Lt. Col. Sherb Sentell, battalion commander, of the 2203rd Mobilization Support Battalion, Command Sergeant Major, Everett Stanton, 2205rd Mobilization Support Battalion and Maj. David Ramirez, executive officer, 2204 Mobilization Support battalion. All three units are based in Bossier City, La. (U.S. Air Force photo by Betty Stephens) Hi-res



6/22/2011 - Joshua Huffman, an Air Reserve Technician with the 917th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, explains the armament on an A-10 Thunderbolt II U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Randy White, 2203rd Mobilization Support Battalion and Lt. Col. Sherb Sentell, battalion commander for the 2203rd MSB, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., June 16, 2011. A small group from the Army visited Barksdale to get a close up look at the type of jet that provides "dedicated air support" to their unit members in the field in Iraq and Afghanistan. Huffman is a Staff Sgt. in the Air Force Reserves assigned to the 917th AMXS as a crew chief. (U.S. Air Force photo by Betty Stephens) Hi-res

Source

Monday, June 20, 2011

Feedback to my latest 163rd Fighter Squadron 'Blacksnakes' info



A-10C 82-0661 (20661 below the wind shield). (Courtesy photo) Full size

Yesterday, from a new personal contact who asked me to remain anonymous I got the following very interesting info:

Two fonts are used. Military block and Bermuda Script.

The emblem on the rudder is adapted from the Indiana State Flag.

The eye is a light lime green color.

The black paint on the mouth extends to the Ram Air Scoop for the gun.

The nostrils are painted black over the forward gun sights.

The "Blacksnakes" on the nacelle is centered on the outer nacelle door, and parallel to the ground when stationary.

The 163 FS on the vertical stab is just longer than the navigation lights directly aft, and only appears on this aircraft. The others in the Wing do not carry this addition.

The 163rd is a Fighter Squadron attached to the 122nd Fighter Wing.

The rather colorful eagle and flag emblem and the one on the ladder door are not on the 122FW aircraft. Those emblems are from another Air Force base in Arizona.

If the program is like real life, the tongue will be the most difficult part. Since the gun is off center, using a projector makes the right side bigger, so we had to improvise it. You shouldn't have that problem.

Aircraft coloring: upper half is color code 36320, lower half is 36375, the dark gray marking on bottom, 163 FS on the vertical stab, and used for scale lines is 36118.

Since I'm not familiar with the program your skin is being used on, I cannot tell what details you may have on the sides of the aircraft. The included photos should help you with all the finer details.

The 163rd and 122nd emblems are available on the internet. I verified this by searching Google.

The aircraft you created was 82661. Note that the nose has 20661 painted on it.

I was impressed with the detail you did have. It took me a little bit to research your latest update. The photos included were edited to remove faces. Some of the information I included you have already had. I wasn't sure if you were cropping it from pictures (since the dirt marks seem to fall in the same places), and thought if you edited it onto a 'cleaner' aircraft you could make it work.



Left side view. (Courtesy photo)



Right side view. (Courtesy photo)



Front view. (Courtesy photo)



163rd Fighter Squadron insignia. (Courtesy photo)



122nd Fighter Wing insignia. (Courtesy photo)



Blacksnakes insignia. (Courtesy photo)



Last three digits insignia of 692 (A-10C 78-0692). (Courtesy photo)

Hill Air Force Base's civilian workforce marks its 70th anniversary



Civilian sheet metal mechanic Bronson Shaw works on parts for the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt aircraft at Hill Air Force Base. (Photo by Mike Terry / Deseret News)

By ksl.com
June 16th, 2011 @ 9:49pm

HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Hill Field was barely a year old when the Army Air Corps began recruiting a civilian workforce for the first time early in 1941.

Soon, 92-year-old Utahn Ray Allred, who was tired of working seven days a week just to earn $60 a month at a dairy, responded to a newspaper ad at Hill. He walked out of his interview with the Army filled with hopes of weekends off, sick pay and enough money to buy that used Model T he had his eye on. On June 16, 1941, he became part of the first class of civilian mechanics training to work on airplanes at Hill's maintenance depot.

Ray Allred, 92, was among the first group of civilian workers to be employed at Hill Field. He started at age 20, six months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. (Mike Terry, Deseret News)

Thursday marks the 70th anniversary of that first group's entrance into mechanics learner class. When Allred entered class, there wasn't even a plane to work on yet, so he said the civilian workers used their sheet metal fabricating skills to make workbenches for Hangar 1 — the first aircraft hangar built on the new base. "There were only two hangars there when I started."

Allred, 92, is now both the first and one of the last. "I'm the only one left. The last one I know of died two years ago," he said of that first group of civilian workers, though KSL has learned of two others so far.

The activity level at Hill would change dramatically after the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor six months later. Hill added 5,000 civilians to that first group of 100 by the next July and hit an all-time peak of 15,780 civilians on base in May 1943, according to the base historian's office.

The mechanics worked on the B-17, B-24, B-26, P-40, P-47 and A-20. Allred's job was considered so important to the war effort that his induction into the military was deferred until 1944, when he spent a year in the Air Corps hoping to fly the planes he had worked on. But a surplus of air crews at the end of World War II the next year made it doubtful he could train as a pilot, so he went back to his job at the depot.

The Army and Air Force became separate branches of the military in 1947, and Hill Field became Hill Air Force Base in 1948. Allred and Hill's other mechanics dismantled World War II planes for storage, but soon started putting them back into service for the Korean conflict.

Hangar 1 still has a dominant presence on base.

"We still do repairs and modify aircraft there," said Andy Flowers, Hill's director of personnel. Instead of tail-dragging planes with propellers and piston engines, the hangar sports six A-10 tank-killer jets, known affectionately as "Warthogs," that are undergoing extensive rehabilitation work. F-16s, C-130s and other military aircraft sit on the ramp outside the hangar, waiting for their turn for a makeover.

The base today boasts 12,000 civilian employees, not including bank, restaurant and other civilians working on the base, that boost the number of workers not in uniform to 23,000. In uniform, Air Force personnel add another 5,400. Military and civilian personnel are routinely coming and going from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Flowers said Hill has an $840 million annual civilian payroll with an economic impact in the state totaling $4 billion. Some 800 vanpools roll each day onto the base with more people working on base than for any other employer in the state. There are enough long-distance commuters around the state that Hill is the largest employer in Sanpete County.

Hill's size has repeatedly made it a high-profile target when Congress has conducted budget-cutting base closure and realignment hearings. On the other hand, the scope of Hill's operations, which include the expansive Utah Test and Training Range in Utah's west desert, has made it an operation the military considers hard to replace.

Expansion within the base's gates continues with construction advancing on the $1.4 billion Falcon Hill research park, which will move civilian defense contractors closer to their military counterparts on base.

Getting away from the southern end of a northbound milk cow may have been the prime motivation for Allred when he started at Hill, but he has long since considered his work to be an important, patriotic part of the nation's defense efforts.

"Getting a shot-up aircraft in crates and getting it back into service was always rewarding," he said. "And Hill was always just a really good place to work."



The historic Hangar 1 at Hill Air Force Base on June 14, 2011. Note the two A-10s outside the hangar.



Civilian employees work on A-10 aircraft maintenance at Hill Air Force Base on June 14, 2011.



Civilian employees work on A-10 aircraft maintenance at Hill Air Force Base on June 14, 2011.

Source

81st AMU Airmen keep A-10 Thunderbolt IIs running

Released by 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs



SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Two 81st Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt IIs approach the flightline for landing here June 16. Airmen from the 52nd Maintenance Group work to keep the jets operational so pilots from the 81st FS can fly them on training and real-world missions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dillon Davis) Hi-res

Note: Pictured are A-10Cs 962 (left) and 656.



6/20/2011 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Aircraft Electrical and Environmental Systems Maintainers Staff Sgt. Wesley Britt, left, Senior Airmen William Jones and Justin Vesely, above, work together to locate and fix a problem with the canopy of an A-10 Thunderbolt II here June 16. The 81st Aircraft Maintenance Unit within the 52nd AMXS works to maintain, service, inspect, launch and recover the A-10 Thunderbolt IIs flown by the 81st Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew B. Fredericks) Hi-res




















6/20/2011 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Senior Airmen William Jones, left, and Justin Vesely, right, 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft electrical and environmental systems journeymen, work with Staff Sgt. Wesley Britt, 52nd AMXS aircraft and environmental systems craftsman, to locate and fix a problem with the canopy of an A-10 Thunderbolt II here June 16. The 81st Aircraft Maintenance Unit within the 52nd AMXS works to maintain, service, inspect, launch and recover the A-10 Thunderbolt IIs flown by the 81st Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew B. Fredericks) Hi-res

Source

Saturday, June 18, 2011

From the archives: 23rd Fighter Group A-10s caught at Bagram AB, Afghanistan

The following exclusive shots were taken by aviationpictures.nl during OEF at Bagram AB, Afghanistan. Already in 2005, I got the photographer's permission to post his pictures.



A-10 20657 (?) from the 74th Fighter Squadron. (Photo by aviationpictures.nl) Full size



A-10 8597 from the 75th Fighter Squadron. (Photo by aviationpictures.nl) Full size



A-10 9159 from the 75th Fighter Squadron. (Photo by aviationpictures.nl) Full size

Note: Some more photo info will be uploaded soon.