Don't miss this excellent photo report, posted today on the Militaryphotos.Net forums. 30 pictures and a nice photographer's story!!
Another source
Please note: I will try to get in contact with this photographer.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Hawgsmoke 2010 photo report by Roel Reijne
Warthog News contributor Roel Reijne from The Netherlands had the opportunity to visit Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, for Hawgsmoke 2010. And he took a huge lot of pictures. Here are his first shots, already posted on the Dutch Scramble Message Board:
A-10C 638 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing, Fort Smith, Arkansas. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size
A-10C 188 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing, Fort Smith, Arkansas. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size
A-10C 138 from the 74th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group, 23rd Fighter Wing (ACC), Moody AFB, Georgia. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size
Formation landing... (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size
A-10C 152 from the 47th Fighter Squadron, 917th Wing (AFRC), Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size
Late afternoon through the fence: A-10C 643 from the 190th Fighter Squadron, 124th Wing, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size
Firing the gun... A-10C WA 229, marked 66 WPS as 66th Weapons Squadron bird, 66th WPS, Nellis AFB. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size
A-10C 649 from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing, Fort Smith, Arkansas. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size
Firing the gun... (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size
At the range. A-10C WA 229, marked 66 WPS as 66th Weapons Squadron bird, 66th WPS, Nellis AFB. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size
At the base. (Photo by Roel Reijne) Full size
See:
hawgsmoke 2010 @ gowen field Boise Idaho
As Roel told me via PM, he will provide some more pictures.
Units visit Davis-Monthan Air Base for Operation Snowbird
By Christina Stymfal
KOLD TV / News 13
Posted: Oct 16, 2010 3:14 AM
Updated: Oct 16, 2010 5:07 AM
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, AZ (KOLD) - United States Marine Corps and Maryland Air National Guard aircraft will operate here through the rest of the year as part of Operation Snowbird.
• 8 AV-8B Harrier IIs from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma will operate at Snowbird for the last two weeks of October.
• 10 A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 175th Wing of the Maryland Air National Guard will operate at Snowbird during the second and third weeks of November.
On arrival and departure, pilots will comply with all of the base's traffic patterns and noise abatement procedures, according to a news release.
Units visiting Snowbird typically use this training in preparation for upcoming deployments. Davis-Monthan and surrounding training sites offer visiting aircrews similar conditions they would face in deployed environments, making the base and its assets ideal for combat training.
Operation Snowbird provides support for visiting flying units from U.S. military installations and allied partners needing to train in the optimal weather conditions and ample ranges of Southern Arizona.
Source
KOLD TV / News 13
Posted: Oct 16, 2010 3:14 AM
Updated: Oct 16, 2010 5:07 AM
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, AZ (KOLD) - United States Marine Corps and Maryland Air National Guard aircraft will operate here through the rest of the year as part of Operation Snowbird.
• 8 AV-8B Harrier IIs from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma will operate at Snowbird for the last two weeks of October.
• 10 A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 175th Wing of the Maryland Air National Guard will operate at Snowbird during the second and third weeks of November.
On arrival and departure, pilots will comply with all of the base's traffic patterns and noise abatement procedures, according to a news release.
Units visiting Snowbird typically use this training in preparation for upcoming deployments. Davis-Monthan and surrounding training sites offer visiting aircrews similar conditions they would face in deployed environments, making the base and its assets ideal for combat training.
Operation Snowbird provides support for visiting flying units from U.S. military installations and allied partners needing to train in the optimal weather conditions and ample ranges of Southern Arizona.
Source
Military plane with damaged tire lands safely at the Boise Airport Thursday
Idaho Statesman
Published: 10/14/10
The A-10 Wartog damaged one of its three tires on take-off, but it landed without incident, according to Idaho National Guard spokesman Col. Tim Marsano.
The plane was part of a group of four military planes that landed at the airport at 5:35 p.m. Emergency personnel were on standby at the airport.
Marsano said Warthogs are able to land reasonably well, even with a damaged tire. He said such in-flight emergencies aren't uncommon.
"It's certainly not a welcome experience," Marsano said.
Marsano did not know if the plane was an Idaho National Guard plane because the 190th Fighter Squadron is hosting the "Hawgsmoke 2010" competition.
Eighteen teams and more than 40 aircraft are competing. More than 200 pilots and maintenance personnel are visiting Gowen Field for the competition, a biennial, worldwide A-10 bombing, missile, and tactical gunnery competition.
Idaho National Guard officials say Hawgsmoke is an intense competition to hone combat skills as well as an opportunity to build camaraderie and fellowship of the world's premier Close Air Support fighter, the A-10 "Warthog."
Source
Published: 10/14/10
The A-10 Wartog damaged one of its three tires on take-off, but it landed without incident, according to Idaho National Guard spokesman Col. Tim Marsano.
The plane was part of a group of four military planes that landed at the airport at 5:35 p.m. Emergency personnel were on standby at the airport.
Marsano said Warthogs are able to land reasonably well, even with a damaged tire. He said such in-flight emergencies aren't uncommon.
"It's certainly not a welcome experience," Marsano said.
Marsano did not know if the plane was an Idaho National Guard plane because the 190th Fighter Squadron is hosting the "Hawgsmoke 2010" competition.
Eighteen teams and more than 40 aircraft are competing. More than 200 pilots and maintenance personnel are visiting Gowen Field for the competition, a biennial, worldwide A-10 bombing, missile, and tactical gunnery competition.
Idaho National Guard officials say Hawgsmoke is an intense competition to hone combat skills as well as an opportunity to build camaraderie and fellowship of the world's premier Close Air Support fighter, the A-10 "Warthog."
Source
Idaho Air National Guard pilots win worldwide competition
By Stan McKie
Boise City Buzz Examiner
October 16th, 2010 9:08 am MT
Pilots from Idaho's 190th Fighter Squadron have won for the second time the "Hawgsmoke 2010" worldwide A-10 bombing and gunnery competition held in Idaho this week. The announcement of the winner was made at an awards ceremony last night.
This year's winning team of 4 pilots from the 190th are all are from the Treasure Valley:
· 190th Fighter Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal
· Maj. Scott Downey
· Maj. Justin Keskey
· Capt. Ryan Brown
Idaho also took home top pilot honors, with Maj. Downey and Capt. Brown named top pilots; numbers 1 and 2, respectively, out of the 72 pilots competing.
The 190th Fighter Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal, had words of praise for the 124th Fighter Wing maintenance team, which played a critical role in the competition, ensuring the aircraft were in the best condition possible. "We could not have done it without them," he said. "They are the best of the best."
Eighteen U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard teams from around the nation and South Korean competed. More than 40 aircraft participated, and over 200 pilots and maintenance personnel came to Gowen Field for the competition, which takes place every two years.
Hawgsmoke is an A-10 bombing, missile, and tactical gunnery competition which hones pilots' combat skills, and is also an opportunity to build camaraderie and fellowship of the world's premier Close Air Support fighter, the A-10 "Warthog." Teams competed on the Mountain Home Range complex, and all competition took place yesterday, Oct. 14.
The Idaho Air National Guard hosted this year's event as a result of winning the 2008 Hawgsmoke competition in Salinas, Kans.
Idaho will not host the 2012 event because competition rules state that a unit cannot host back-to-back events. Therefore, the second-place team, the 354th Fighter Squadron from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz., will host the 2012 Hawgsmoke.
Hawgsmoke 2010 gunnery targets.
Hawgsmoke 2010 30mm rounds strike gunnery targets.
Hawgsmoke 2010 A-10 fires GAU-8 30mm Gatling Gun.
Source
Boise City Buzz Examiner
October 16th, 2010 9:08 am MT
Pilots from Idaho's 190th Fighter Squadron have won for the second time the "Hawgsmoke 2010" worldwide A-10 bombing and gunnery competition held in Idaho this week. The announcement of the winner was made at an awards ceremony last night.
This year's winning team of 4 pilots from the 190th are all are from the Treasure Valley:
· 190th Fighter Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal
· Maj. Scott Downey
· Maj. Justin Keskey
· Capt. Ryan Brown
Idaho also took home top pilot honors, with Maj. Downey and Capt. Brown named top pilots; numbers 1 and 2, respectively, out of the 72 pilots competing.
The 190th Fighter Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal, had words of praise for the 124th Fighter Wing maintenance team, which played a critical role in the competition, ensuring the aircraft were in the best condition possible. "We could not have done it without them," he said. "They are the best of the best."
Eighteen U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard teams from around the nation and South Korean competed. More than 40 aircraft participated, and over 200 pilots and maintenance personnel came to Gowen Field for the competition, which takes place every two years.
Hawgsmoke is an A-10 bombing, missile, and tactical gunnery competition which hones pilots' combat skills, and is also an opportunity to build camaraderie and fellowship of the world's premier Close Air Support fighter, the A-10 "Warthog." Teams competed on the Mountain Home Range complex, and all competition took place yesterday, Oct. 14.
The Idaho Air National Guard hosted this year's event as a result of winning the 2008 Hawgsmoke competition in Salinas, Kans.
Idaho will not host the 2012 event because competition rules state that a unit cannot host back-to-back events. Therefore, the second-place team, the 354th Fighter Squadron from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz., will host the 2012 Hawgsmoke.
Hawgsmoke 2010 gunnery targets.
Hawgsmoke 2010 30mm rounds strike gunnery targets.
Hawgsmoke 2010 A-10 fires GAU-8 30mm Gatling Gun.
Source
Idaho Air National Guard team wins 'Hawgsmoke 2010' A-10 bombing, gunnery competition
Idaho Statesman
Published: 10/15/10
The hosting team took the top prize at "Hawgsmoke 2010," a worldwide A-10 bombing and gunnery competition held in Boise this week, an Idaho National Guard spokesman said Friday.
Eighteen U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard teams and South Korea competed. More than 40 aircraft participated, and over 200 pilots and maintenance personnel came to Gowen Field for the competition, which takes place every two years.
Teams competed on the Mountain Home Range complex, and all competition took place Thursday. The Idaho Air National Guard hosted this year’s event because they won the 2008 Hawgsmoke competition in Salinas, Kans.
The 190th Fighter Squadron team from the Idaho Air National Guard took top overall team honors. The pilots on the team were: Fighter Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal, Maj. Scott Downey, Maj. Justin Keskey and Capt. Ryan Brown.
Maj. Downey and Capt. Brown placed first and second, respectively, among 72 pilots competing.
Lt. Col. Odneal praised the 124th Fighter Wing maintenance team, which played a critical role in the competition, ensuring the aircraft were in the best condition possible.
"We could not have done it without them," Odneal said in a press release Friday. "They are the best of the best."
Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/10/15/1381221/idaho-national-guard-team-wins.html#ixzz12Xz5AooE
Major Downey, left, Lt. Col. Odneal and Capt. Brown. Not pictured, Maj. Keskey. Downey is holding up a photo of Keskey.
Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/10/15/1381221/idaho-national-guard-team-wins.html#ixzz12Y39dX66
Source
Published: 10/15/10
The hosting team took the top prize at "Hawgsmoke 2010," a worldwide A-10 bombing and gunnery competition held in Boise this week, an Idaho National Guard spokesman said Friday.
Eighteen U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard teams and South Korea competed. More than 40 aircraft participated, and over 200 pilots and maintenance personnel came to Gowen Field for the competition, which takes place every two years.
Teams competed on the Mountain Home Range complex, and all competition took place Thursday. The Idaho Air National Guard hosted this year’s event because they won the 2008 Hawgsmoke competition in Salinas, Kans.
The 190th Fighter Squadron team from the Idaho Air National Guard took top overall team honors. The pilots on the team were: Fighter Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal, Maj. Scott Downey, Maj. Justin Keskey and Capt. Ryan Brown.
Maj. Downey and Capt. Brown placed first and second, respectively, among 72 pilots competing.
Lt. Col. Odneal praised the 124th Fighter Wing maintenance team, which played a critical role in the competition, ensuring the aircraft were in the best condition possible.
"We could not have done it without them," Odneal said in a press release Friday. "They are the best of the best."
Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/10/15/1381221/idaho-national-guard-team-wins.html#ixzz12Xz5AooE
Major Downey, left, Lt. Col. Odneal and Capt. Brown. Not pictured, Maj. Keskey. Downey is holding up a photo of Keskey.
Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/10/15/1381221/idaho-national-guard-team-wins.html#ixzz12Y39dX66
Source
Friday, October 15, 2010
Local pilots in A-10 competition
By John Andrew Prime
shreveporttimes.com
October 15, 2010
Pilots from the Air Force Reserve Command's 917th Wing are in Boise, Idaho, this week, competing with other pilots from throughout the service to determine who are the best pilots driving the "Warthawg," the A-10 attack jet.
"This is a good opportunity for us to meet and compete with the best of our band of brothers in the Hawg community," said Lt. Col. James Travis, 47th Fighter Squadron commander, who is at Hawgsmoke with the four-pilot team representing the local wing. Competition began Wednesday and ends Saturday, with the pilots flying home Sunday.
The local pilots involved are Lt. Col. Robert Hetland and captains Jason Cobb, Grant McCall and Andrew Ratican. All are with the 47th Fighter Squadron, which descends from a unit that sent numerous pilots to meet Japanese attackers over Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941. Cobb, Hetland and Ratican are reservists; McCall is active-duty temporarily assigned to the squadron, which is a schoolhouse for A-10 pilots.
"We are in the conversion process of becoming combat coded and changing to the C Model A-10," Travis said. "This offers us the perfect opportunity to hone our skills and challenge the new technology that is currently being used in the Global War on Terror."
The competition, held every two years, traces its heritage to Gunsmoke, the Air Force's air-to-ground gunnery and bombing competition, last held in 1995.
This year, its host is the Idaho Air National Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron. In 2004, it was flown out of England Air Park, the former England Air Force Base in Alexandria, which once was home to a major A-10 presence. Louisiana's famed wet weather rolled in and disrupted flight so much that the event was called "Hawgwash" by the disappointed pilots, and despite 18 teams and more than 70 aircraft, no one was named winner.
The first Hawgsmoke was in 2000 at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Michigan and was hosted by the Michigan Air National Guard's 172nd Fighter Squadron. Hawgsmoke 2002 was held out of the Fort Drum Forward Operating Location in New York state. That year's event ended with the four-pilot team from Barksdale's 47th Fighter Squadron emerging victorious, leading to the wet event held in Alexandria in 2004. In 2006, the 355th Fighter Wing sponsored the competition at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz. At that, the 303d Fighter Squadron from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., was named winner.
Source
shreveporttimes.com
October 15, 2010
Pilots from the Air Force Reserve Command's 917th Wing are in Boise, Idaho, this week, competing with other pilots from throughout the service to determine who are the best pilots driving the "Warthawg," the A-10 attack jet.
"This is a good opportunity for us to meet and compete with the best of our band of brothers in the Hawg community," said Lt. Col. James Travis, 47th Fighter Squadron commander, who is at Hawgsmoke with the four-pilot team representing the local wing. Competition began Wednesday and ends Saturday, with the pilots flying home Sunday.
The local pilots involved are Lt. Col. Robert Hetland and captains Jason Cobb, Grant McCall and Andrew Ratican. All are with the 47th Fighter Squadron, which descends from a unit that sent numerous pilots to meet Japanese attackers over Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941. Cobb, Hetland and Ratican are reservists; McCall is active-duty temporarily assigned to the squadron, which is a schoolhouse for A-10 pilots.
"We are in the conversion process of becoming combat coded and changing to the C Model A-10," Travis said. "This offers us the perfect opportunity to hone our skills and challenge the new technology that is currently being used in the Global War on Terror."
The competition, held every two years, traces its heritage to Gunsmoke, the Air Force's air-to-ground gunnery and bombing competition, last held in 1995.
This year, its host is the Idaho Air National Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron. In 2004, it was flown out of England Air Park, the former England Air Force Base in Alexandria, which once was home to a major A-10 presence. Louisiana's famed wet weather rolled in and disrupted flight so much that the event was called "Hawgwash" by the disappointed pilots, and despite 18 teams and more than 70 aircraft, no one was named winner.
The first Hawgsmoke was in 2000 at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Michigan and was hosted by the Michigan Air National Guard's 172nd Fighter Squadron. Hawgsmoke 2002 was held out of the Fort Drum Forward Operating Location in New York state. That year's event ended with the four-pilot team from Barksdale's 47th Fighter Squadron emerging victorious, leading to the wet event held in Alexandria in 2004. In 2006, the 355th Fighter Wing sponsored the competition at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz. At that, the 303d Fighter Squadron from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., was named winner.
Source
A-10 Wart Hog: 'It's not glamorous to fly, it's just lethal'
By Scott Logan
KBOI2 News
Story Published: Oct 15, 2010 at 9:18 AM PDT
Story Updated: Oct 15, 2010 at 9:18 AM PDT
BOISE -- It's "hawg heaven" in the skies over Boise these days - as in the A-10 Wart Hog, a unique jet aircraft specifically designed for close ground support of U.S troops.
"It's not glamorous to fly, it's just lethal," said Col. JR Compton with the Idaho Air Guard. "And it's amazing the respect this airplane gets not only from our allies but our enemies. They fear this aircraft."
And especially its gatling gun that can fire 60 30-millimeter rounds a second.
"It's a phenomenal weapons system," said Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal. "There hasn't been anything designed the recent years that can match it."
And through Saturday, the best A-10 pilots from U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air Guard bases around the world are competing for bragging rights in the Hawgsmoke Competition.
Forty A-10 aircraft and 200 pilots plus maintenance crew will match bombing, missle,and gunnery skills at targets in the desert near Boise.
"There's a tremendous pride factor in being first," said Lt. Col. Odneal. "You don't want to be last because you're being measured against the best of the best."
And Gowen Field is hosting this twice yearly competition because the Idaho Air Guard pilots are the defending A-10 champs.
Associated video:
Source
KBOI2 News
Story Published: Oct 15, 2010 at 9:18 AM PDT
Story Updated: Oct 15, 2010 at 9:18 AM PDT
BOISE -- It's "hawg heaven" in the skies over Boise these days - as in the A-10 Wart Hog, a unique jet aircraft specifically designed for close ground support of U.S troops.
"It's not glamorous to fly, it's just lethal," said Col. JR Compton with the Idaho Air Guard. "And it's amazing the respect this airplane gets not only from our allies but our enemies. They fear this aircraft."
And especially its gatling gun that can fire 60 30-millimeter rounds a second.
"It's a phenomenal weapons system," said Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal. "There hasn't been anything designed the recent years that can match it."
And through Saturday, the best A-10 pilots from U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air Guard bases around the world are competing for bragging rights in the Hawgsmoke Competition.
Forty A-10 aircraft and 200 pilots plus maintenance crew will match bombing, missle,and gunnery skills at targets in the desert near Boise.
"There's a tremendous pride factor in being first," said Lt. Col. Odneal. "You don't want to be last because you're being measured against the best of the best."
And Gowen Field is hosting this twice yearly competition because the Idaho Air Guard pilots are the defending A-10 champs.
Associated video:
Source
Hawgs fly in international gunnery competition
Three A-10C Thunderbolt II "Warthogs" break formation before landing at the 2010 Hawgsmoke competition in Boise, Idaho. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John Orrell) Hi-res
By Tech. Sgt. John Orrell
National Guard Bureau
BOISE, Idaho (10/13/10) -- Over the skies of Iraq and Afghanistan, the A-10C Thunderbolt II, affectionately known as the "Warthawg," is a valuable asset to the warfighter.
It provides a "much-needed mission to those on the ground," said the Air Force Col. James R. Compton, the commander of the Idaho Air National Guard's 124th Fighter Wing. "If you talk to any Soldier … and you ask them what they want, they will undoubtedly say, 'We want A-10s overhead.'"
Here at Gowen Air National Guard Base this week that close air support mission is on display during the 2010 Hawgsmoke competition, which is being hosted by the 2008 champions from the wing's 190th Fighter Squadron.
"It's a great honor to host this competition," Compton said. "These are some of the finest warriors in the A-10 business."
Hawgsmoke, a biennial A-10 bombing, missile and tactical gunnery competition, brings the U.S. Air Force's top A-10 pilots from around the world together, as they attempt to become the best of the best, said Air Force Lt. Col. Ryan Odneal, the squadron commander and flight leader for this year's Idaho team.
The competition is a chance for active duty, Guard and reserve A-10 air crews and maintenance personnel to get together and share their experiences, Compton said.
"If you don't put them all together at one time in a venue like this, then you don't get any validation that (the combination) works," he said. "We are a very diverse organization and to put it all together here, we come to find out that we're not as different as we thought. It validates that we are all one team heading for one common goal."
Competition is also good for them, Compton said, because it builds camaraderie throughout the A-10 community.
"(Camaraderie) is very important to this type of a competition," said Compton. "(It) is really the glue that keeps us together."
Keeping the planes running during the competition are the maintenance crews from the 124th and several other competing wings.
"Much like the pilots, they are going to share (maintaining) different airplanes," he said. "That validates that we have one standard for the way we generate airplanes, and we get to watch them … all working together as a team."
Senior Master Sgt. Ron Manker, the maintenance superintendent for Hawgsmoke, said the extra hands from the participating units are very helpful, since repairs had to be made for some teams to compete.
He added that most of them have also deployed or trained together in the past.
Compton said the wing has been planning for this event for the last two years.
"The best thing about having this competition in Boise is we are going to see some of the premier bombing ranges," he said. "The pilots are going to be really impressed with the tactical scenarios we provided for them."
Source
Note:
That's the latest official Hawgsmoke 2010 info, already used by some U.S. news media. And since today, it's also distributed by Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System (DVIDS)
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