Updated 14 April 2009
Sorry, dear readers! But the headline and some content of this post are wrong. For first corrections please check the attached comments. Because I already linked this blog post on some aviation forums, I will not delete it.
Today, from Martin Lacey (the photographer) I got permission to use all of his important A-10C shots, taken at Al Udeid last month, on Warthog News. In this case, let me prepare and publish an updated post.
Identified as eight and last replacement aircraft, additionally deployed to the 75th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Bagram AB, Afghanistan, due to the reported A-10 groundings, is A-10C 81-0972 from the 74th Fighter Squadron by the following picture, taken at Al Udeid AB, Qatar, home of USAF's 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, on March 5th, 2009:
Full size
On April 9th, 2009, this important shot was posted on the British UK Airshow Review Message Board, together with seven other very informative pictures, showing A-10C 80-0226 from the 74th Fighter Squadron (deployed with the original 75th EFS aircraft package) and 80-0252 from the 75th Fighter Squadron (deployed also as a replacement).
These shots were taken at Al Udeid AB, Qatar, on March 5th, 7th and 8th, 2009, during the first stopover of four A-10Cs on their way back home from Bagram AB to Moody AFB, Georgia, after the wing crack problems of 75th EFS aircraft were fixed at Spangdahlem AB, Germany.
On March 11th, 2009, on the Dutch Scramble Message Board was reported that 4 A-10s are at Sigonella and will depart early next day to Lajes and then to CONUS on March 13th.
And so, with the Al Udeid shots we got first-hand photo proofs for at least three 'Hogs' of this four ship.
Their re-deployment suggest that Bagram AB was simply overloaded with 20 A-10Cs, 18 F-15E Strike Eagles, probably five EA-6B Prowlers and some other aircraft (including C-130s).
Please note:
I will contact the photographer to get permission for posting all of his related shots.
Source
Related info:
75th EFS got more than four replacements, probably eight
Archived public info about the latest 75th EFS combat deployment to support Operation Enduring Freedom
A-10 Groundings
Posts
Thats 89-0172 not 81-0972
ReplyDeleteThanks for this piece of advice!
ReplyDeleteIt's really not 81-0972 which was written off 29 August 1983. But it's also not 89-0172 (could be simply a typo by you). In fact, it's A-10C 79-0172 from the 74th FS which already deployed with the original 75th EFS aircraft package.
By viewing the 800x533 picture, I only read 972 but overlooked the slim 1 between 9 and 7 (9172).