Warplanes of the USA: Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II

‍Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II

(Master Sgt. David Kujawa, Air National Guard Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II departs after completing air-to-air refueling from a KC-135 Stratotanker while over Michigan, 2013.  The A-10 is assigned to the 107th Fighter Squadron and the KC-135 to the 171st Air Refueling Squadron at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

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The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraftdeveloped by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). Inservice since 1977, it is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraftdeveloped by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). Inservice since 1977, it is named after the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, but iscommonly referred to as the "Warthog" or simply "Hog".[3]The A-10 was designed to provide close air support (CAS) to ground troops byattacking enemy armored vehicles, tanks, and other ground forces; it is theonly production-built aircraft designed solely for CAS to have served with theU.S. Air Force.[4] Its secondary mission is to direct other aircraft in attackson ground targets, a role called forward air controller-airborne; aircraft usedprimarily in this role are designated OA-10.

The A-10 was intended to improve on the performance and firepower of theDouglas A-1 Skyraider. The Thunderbolt II's airframe was designed around thehigh-power 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary autocannon. The airframe was designed fordurability, with measures such as 1,200 pounds (540 kg) of titanium armor toprotect the cockpit and aircraft systems, enabling it to absorb damage andcontinue flying. Its ability to take off and land from relatively short and/orunpaved runways permits operation from airstrips close to the front lines, andits simple design enables maintenance with minimal facilities.

It served in the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm), the American-ledintervention against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, where the aircraftdistinguished itself. The A-10 also participated in other conflicts such as theBalkans, Afghanistan, the Iraq War, and against the Islamic State in the MiddleEast.

The A-10A single-seat variant was the only version produced, though onepre-production airframe was modified into the YA-10B twin-seat prototype totest an all-weather night-capable version. In 2005, a program was started toupgrade the remaining A-10A aircraft to the A-10C configuration, with modernavionics for use with precision weaponry. The U.S. Air Force had stated the LockheedMartin F-35 Lightning II would replace the A-10 as it entered service, but thisremains highly contentious within the USAF and in political circles.[5] TheUSAF gained congressional permission to start retiring A-10s in 2023, butfurther retirements were paused until the USAF can demonstrate that the A-10's close-air-support capabilities can be replaced. (Wikipedia)

(USAF Photo)

A U.S. Air Force A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II from the 355th Fighter Squadron is surrounded by a cloud of gun smoke as it fires a 30mm GAU-8 Avenger Gatling gun over the Pacific Alaska Range Complex in Alaska on May 29, 2007. The seven-barrel Gatling gun can be fired at a rate of 3,900 rounds per minute.

(Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot, 185th ARW PA Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II, 127th Wing, Michigan Air National Guard, 2017.  The aircraft is painted with non-standard markings in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the Red Devils of the 107th Fighter Squadron.

(Senior Airman Shawn Nickel, USAF Photo)

Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II (Serial No.), 163rd Fighter Squadron, Indiana Air National Guard, 2013.

(Staff Sgt. William Hopper, Air National Guard Photo)

Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II, 163rd Fighter Squadron, 122nd Fighter Wing, Fort Wayne, 2015.

(USAF Photo)

A-10 Thunderbolt II OVER THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- An A-10 Thunderbolt II from the 104th Fighter Wing, Barnes Municipal Airport, Westfield Mass., Massachusetts Air National Guard, banks while flying accross the Mediterranean Sea enroute to a forward operating base.

(USAF Photo)

A-10 Thunderbolt II Pair of "hawgs" OVER THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- A pair of A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 104th Fighter Wing, Barnes Municipal Airport, Westfield Mass., Massachusetts Air National Guard, fly over the Mediterranean Sea enroute to a forward operating base.

(USAF Photo)

An A-10 from the 81st Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base (Germany), flies over central Germany on 17 Feb 2000.

(USAF Photo)

Four A-10s from the 111th Fighter Wing (FW), Willow Grove Air Reserve Station, PA fly in formation after taking on fuel from a KC-10A Extender from the 514th Air Mobility Wing, McGuire Air Force Base, NJ. The A-10s were on a training mission that included the air refueling.

(USAF Photo)

Three A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft fly in formation over Tucson, Ariz., during an air refueling training mission April 14, 2006. The A-10 aircraft are assigned to the 358th Fighter Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

(USAF Photo)

An A-10 Thunderbolt II from the 81st Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, pulls away from a tanker after refueling on the way to Serbian targets during Operation ALLIED FORCE.

(USAF Photo)

A U.S. Air Force Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker (Serial No. 63-8876) from the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Air Refueling Squadron flies in formation with two Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt IIs (s/n 81-0944, 81-0969) from the 355th Fighter Squadron, 29 May 2007 over Alaska. The three aircraft assigned to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, flew in formation for the last time due to the deactivation of the 355th FS.

(USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolts,175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard stationed at Warfield Air National Guard base in Baltimore, Maryland flying in formation during a training exercise, 2010.

(PH2 Bruce Trombecky, USN Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt, 104th Fighter Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, 1989.

(USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt, 104th Fighter Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, 2016.

(SSgt. Rod Prouty, USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 78-0652), 138th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 174th Tactical Fighter Wing, New York Air National Guard, July 1981.

(USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 78-0670), 138th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, New York Air National Guard, 1985.

(US Army Photo)

North American P-51D Mustang, General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon, McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle, and a Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II over New York City, 26 May 2006.

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(USAF Photo)

Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard stationed at Warfield Air National Guard base in Baltimore, Maryland (USA), in flight during a training exercise.

(SSgt Benjamin Hughes, USAF Photo)

Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard, 2 June 2013.

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(USAF ANG Photo)

An A-10C Warthog pilot from the 163rd Fighter Squadron at the 122nd Fighter Wing in Fort Wayne, Ind., taxis across the flight line after completing a training mission, July 14, 2015, at the Indiana Air National Guard Base, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

(USAF Photo)

USAF OA/A-10A Thunderbolt taxying at the Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford, Gloucestershire, England.

(USGOV-PD Photo)

A-10s of the 23d Fighter Group shut their engines off after a mission in support of Operation Dynamic Weasel. Pope AFB, North Carolina.

(USAF Photo)

A U.S. Air Force A-10A Warthog, from the 52nd Fighter Wing, 81st Fighter Squadron, Spangdhalem Air Base, Germany, in flight during a NATO Operation Allied Force combat mission, Apr. 22, 1999. The A-10 "Tank Killer" munitions include 250 pound iron bombs, ALQ-131 electronic jamming pod, 2.75 inch Zuni rockets, AGM-65D Maverick missiles, and a 30mm cannon mounted in the nose. The A-10As, deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy, are specially designed for close air support of ground forces.

(Tech. Sgt. David W. Richards, USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II, 355th Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska.

(Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Becky Vanshur)

Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolts in service with the 190th Fighter Squadron, Idaho Air National Guard, photographed from a Utah National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft.  They are waiting to refuel shortly after leaving Idaho, 9 March 2014, en route to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana for the two week training exercise Green Flag East.

(Staff Sgt. Stephany D. Richards, USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt (Serial No. 81-0195), 124th Operations Support Flight, Idaho Air National Guard, Gowen Field, Idaho.

(Ken H Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 79-9207), 75FS "Tiger Sharks", 23FG, USAF Moody AFB, Georgia, 17 Aug 2012.

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(SSgt. Frank Garzelnick, USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II formation, 118th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 103rd Fighter Wing, Connecticut Air National Guard, 1979.

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(Staff Sgt. Stephany D. Richards, USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt (Serial No. 79-0084), 124th Operations Support Flight, Idaho Air National Guard, Gowen Field, Idaho.

(USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolts, 124th Operations Support Flight, Idaho Air National Guard, Gowen Field, Idaho.

(SrA Robert Barney, USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II (s/n 78-0703) from the 190th Fighter Squadron, 124th Wing, Idaho Air National Guard, flies over the Sawtooth Range, Idaho, 12 February 2008.

(Senior Airman Sierra Dopfel, USAF Photo)

Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard, 2012.

(Airman 1st Class Hannah Dickerson, USAF Photo)

Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard, 2011.

(Aldo Bidini Photo)

Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II, 20 July 2009.

(Anthony Noble Photo)

Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II landing at RAF Fairford, UK, in 1991.

(MSgt. Terry Atwell, USAF photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 79-0193), 107th Fighter Squadron, Michigan Air National Guard, blasts its' 30mm gatling gun.

(USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 80-255), 107th Fighter Squadron, Michigan Air National Guard, Selfridge ANGB, Michigan, 2010.

(Terry Atwell, Air National Guard Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 80-998), Selfridge Air National Guard Base, 2014.

(Mike Freer - Touchdown Aviation Photo)

Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II, 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Woodbridge, seen at a rarely held an Armed Forces Day in the UK, 5 July 1980. Last noted in storage at 309th AMARG.

(USAF Photo)

An A-10C Thunderbolt II with the 188th Fighter Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard conducts close-air support training Nov. 21, 2013, near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

(USAF Photo)

An A-10 Thunderbolt II, flown by the 107th Fighter Squadron, 127th Wing, returns to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, after a local training mission on 22 December 2022

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(USAF Photo)

An A-10 Thunderbolt II assigned to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing lifts off the runway at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, March 2007. The new runway is 2,000 feet longer than the previous runway and can support all of the aircraft in the U.S. inventory.

(USAF Photo)

An A-10 Thunderbolt II takes off from Bagram AFB, Afghanistan, on a combat mission, Oct 2005.

(USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 78-0628), 131st Tactical Fighter Squadron, Massachusetts, 1980.  

(USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 78-0608), 131st Tactical Fighter Squadron, Massachusetts, 1988.

(A1C Isaac G.L. Freeman, USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 78-0659) from the 131st Fighter Squadron, 104th Fighter Wing, Massachusetts Air National Guard, 6 March 2003.

(Harly Copic Artwork)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II of the 104th Expeditionary Operations Group (EOG) over Kosovo, (Former Yugoslavia), in May 1999.  Operating from its main installation at Trapani Air Base, Sicily and a forward location at Taszar Air Base, Hungary, the unit was known as the "Killer Bees."  They belonged to a composite or "rainbow" Air National Guard (ANG) unit composed of personnel and aircraft from the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts, the 110th Fighter Wing at Battle Creek, Michigan, and the 124th Wing at Boise, Idaho. The 104th EOG also included active duty Air Force members who were responsible for base operating support functions.  The 104th EOG was formed as a temporary composite unit because no single ANG fighter wing possessed enough A-10s to meet the wartime requirements for Operation Allied Force, the war for Kosovo.  The unit flew 439 combat sorties expending 64 AGM-65s "Maverick" air-to-surface missiles, 539 MK-82 free-fall non-guided general purpose 500-pound bombs, 49 CBU-87 "Combined Effects Munitions," and over 14,300 rounds of 30mm ammunition while attacking enemy military convoys, armor, artillery, supply storage areas, and ammunition storage sites.  Its pilots also flew combat search and rescue as well as airborne forward air control missions.  The 104th EOG accumulated 3,300 flying hours in 45 days during May and June without losing a single pilot or aircraft.  The employment of composite units was an increasingly important element of efforts by the ANG and the Air Force to adapt to the complexities of the post Cold War environment.

(MSGT Michael Ammons USAF Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II from the 104th Fighter Wing (FW), Barnes Air National Guard (ANG) Base, Westfield, Massachusetts (MA), firing an AGM-65 Maverick over northwest Florida during a Combat Hammer Air-to-Ground Weapons System Evaluation Program (WSEP) mission, 13 Jan 2004.

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(USAF Photo)

An A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from the 343rd Tactical Fighter Wing prepares to drop Mark 82 bombs during combined Army-Air Force live fire exercises (CALFEX IV) at the Yukon Command Training Site.

(Steelerdon Photo)

Front view of an A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) showcasing the 30mm forward cannon and offset front landing gear.

(USAF Photo)

A crew chief with the 354th Fighter Wing inspects the engine of an O/A-10 Thunderbolt II during the Wing's Operational Readiness Exercise at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, on May 24, 2005.

(Tomas Del Coro Photo)

Thunderbolt II, Red Flag Las Vegas - Nellis AFB, Nevada, 26 July 2012.

(Tomas Del Coro Photo)

Thunderbolt II, 57th Wing Las Vegas - Nellis AFB, Nevada, 10 Nov 2012.

(Tomas Del Coro Photo)

Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt ll, Nellis AFB, Nevada, 15 Sep 2017.

(Tomas Del Coro Photo)

Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthog" 74th Fighter Squadron "Flying Tigers", Nellis AFB, Nevada, 19 April 2017.

(USAF Photo)

A ground crewman services a Connecticut Air National Guard A-10A Thunderbolt II aircraft on the flight line at Bradley Field, Connecticut, 1 Aug 1979.

(Jim van de Burgt Photo)

A-10 Thunderbolt II, Vokel AFB, Netherlands, 15 June 2007.

(USAF Photo)

Aircraft from the 23d Wing conducted a surge exercise May 22, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The exercise was conducted in order to demonstrate the wing's ability to rapidly deploy combat ready forces across the globe. The 23d Wing maintains and operates A-10C Thunderbolt IIs, HH-60G Pave Hawks, and HC-130J Combat King II aircraft for precision attack, personnel recovery and combat support worldwide.

(USAF Photo)

An A-10C assigned to the 104th Fighter Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, lands at Mud Lake on the Nevada Test and Training Range, November 29, 2011. The pilots landed on an unimproved dirt runway during the day and night as a part of continuing training through the U.S. Air Force Weapons School

(USAF Photo)

An A-10C Thunderbolt II flies by during a combat search and rescue demonstration at the Thunder and Lightning over Arizona Open House at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., March 12, 2016. The Desert Lightning Team demonstration included A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, HH-60G Pave Hawks and an HC-130J Combat King. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Chris Massey/Released) Unit: 355th Fighter Wing

(USAF Photo)

Col. Mark Anderson (Tail No. 188), 188th Fighter Wing commander, and Maj. Doug Davis (Tail No. 639), 188th Detachment 1 commander, conduct a training mission Dec. 30, 2013, over Razorback Range, located at Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center, Arkansas.

(USAF Photo)

An A-10 Thunderbolt II, assigned to the 74th Fighter Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, GA, returns to mission after receiving fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker, 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, over the skies of Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, May 8, 2011.

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Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt IIs preserved in the USA

YA-10A
• 71-1370 – Joint Base Langley-Eustis (Langley AFB), Hampton, Virginia.

YA-10B

(Thornfield Hall Photo)
• 73-1664 – Air Force Flight Test Center Museum, Edwards AFB, California.

A-10A

(Nightwolf1223 Photo)
73-1666 – Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill AFB, Utah.

(Matt Dalton Photo)

(Martin McGuire Photo)
73-1667 – Flying Tiger Heritage Park at the former England AFB, Louisiana (Painted as 73-3667).

(Doug Kerr Photo)

(Jeff Nelson Photo)

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(Doug Kerr Photo)
75-0263 – Empire State Aerosciences Museum, Glenville, New York.

(Mrkoww Photo)

A-10 Thunderbolt II Canon, McChord AFB, Washington.

75-0270 – McChord Air Museum, McChord AFB, Washington.

(Defence Logistics Agency Photo)

75-0273 - Defence Supply Centre, Richmond, Virginia.
75-0293 – Wings of Eagles Discovery Center, Elmira, New York.
75-0288 – Air Force Armament Museum, Eglin AFB, Florida.

(USAF Photo)
75-0289 – Heritage Park, Eielson AFB, Alaska.

(Frank Kovalchek Photo)

(aeroprints Photo)

(Author Photo)
75-0298 – Pima Air & Space Museum (adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFB), Tucson, Arizona.

(aeroprints.com Photo)

Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II, nose section. Pima Air & Space Museum (adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFB), Tucson, Arizona.

(Robert Dilley Photo)

(Dsdugan Photos)

(Alan Wilson Photos)
75-0305 – Museum of Aviation, Robins AFB, Warner Robins, Georgia.
75-0308 – Moody Heritage Park, Moody AFB, Valdosta, Georgia.
75-0309 – Shaw AFB, Sumter, South Carolina. Painted as (Serial No. 81-0964) assigned to the 55 FS from 1994 to 1996. The represented aircraft was credited with downing an Iraqi Mil Mi-8 Hip helicopter on 15 February 1991 whileassigned to the 511 TFS.
76-0516 – Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum at the former NAS Willow Grove, Horsham, Pennsylvania.

(Hector Vazquez Photo)

76-0523 - New York Air National Guard, 174th FW, Hancock Field, Syracuse, New York.

(Jason Wysong Photo)

(Hector Vazquez Photo)
76-0530 – Whiteman AFB, Missouri.

(Ad Meskins Photo)
76-0535 – Cradle of Aviation, Garden City, New York.

(Alan Wilson Photo)
76-0540 – Aerospace Museum of California, McClellan Airport (former McClellan AFB), Sacramento, California.

(Christopher A. Ebdon Photo)

76-0552 - 8th Air Force Museum/Global Power Museum, Bossier City, Barksdale AFB, Louisianna.
77-0199 – Stafford Air & Space Museum, Weatherford, Oklahoma.
77-0205 – USAF Academy collection, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

(Chris Light Photos)

(Adrian Brooks Photo)
77-0228 – Grissom Air Museum, Grissom ARB (former Grissom AFB), Peru, Indiana.
77-0244 – Wisconsin Air National Guard Museum, Volk Field ANGB, Wisconsin
77-0252 – Cradle of Aviation, Garden City, New York (nose section only).

(Eddie Maloney Photo)

77-0255 - Nellis AFB, Nevada, mounted on a pylon.

(NMUSAF Photos)

(ZLEA Photo)

(Clemens Vasters Photo)
78-0681 – National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio. 78-0681 wears the markings of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina. This aircraft was deployed to King Fhad IAP, Saudi Arabia in August 1990. During Operation Desert Storm, it was flown By Capt. Goff in which he earned the Air Force Cross.

The NMUSAF has the following aircraft in storage:

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 78-0699).  In Storage.

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 79-0223), EL, C/N A10-0487.

Fairchild Republic YA-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial No. 71-1370), C/N 2.

(Gary Todd Photo)
78-0687 – Don F. Pratt Memorial Museum, Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

(Bwmoll3 Photo)
79-0097 – Warbird Park, former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina.

(Jeff Nelson Photo)

79-0100 – Barnes Air National Guard Base, Westfield, Massachusetts.
79-0103 – Bradley Air National Guard Base, Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
79-0116 – Warrior Park, Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona.

(Cliff Photo)
79-0173 – New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
79-0195 – Russell Military Museum Zion, Illinois.
80-0168 – Fort Wayne Air National Guard Base, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
80-0247 – American Airpower Museum, Republic Airport, Farmingdale, New York.
80-0708 – Selfridge Military Air Museum, Selfridge Air National Guard Base,Harrison Township, Michigan.

(David Poppa Younts Sr. Photo)

81-0987 – Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, North Carolina.

(Mike Freer -Touchdown Aviation Photo)

76-0547 - OA-10A, USAF History and Traditions Museum, Lackland AFB, Texas.

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Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt IIs on display overseas

Germany
A-10A
77-0264 – Spangdahlem AB, Bitburg.

South Korea
A-10A

(Mike Freer - Touchdown Aviation Photo)
76-0515 – Osan.

United Kingdom
A-10A

(Alan Wilson Photo)

(Tony Hisgett Photo)
77-0259 – American Air Museum at Imperial War Museum Duxford.
80-0219 – Bentwaters Cold War Museum.Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II