With the United States Air Force now on track to retire the A-10 “Warthog” from service in the coming years, several more of the old warbirds are now heading to museums.
Later this month, a Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II will make its final flight, heading to Hagerstown, Maryland. The aircraft, tail number 79-0087, has been in service with the 175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard (ANG) at Warfield Air National Guard Base, Middle River, since it rolled off the assembly line in 1979. Following deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq, the close air support (CAS) aircraft will soon be on display at the Hagerstown Aviation Museum, joining the world’s most extensive collection of Fairchild aircraft.
It is a fitting location for the retired warplane, as the A-10 was initially produced by Fairchild in Hagerstown from 1972 to 1984. The aircraft will take its final flight to Hagerstown Regional Airport (KHGR) on September 22; shortly thereafter, it will head to the museum, where it will be on permanent loan through the National Museum of the United States Air Force’s civilian museum loan program.
“This is an emotional and historic moment, not just for the museum, but for our entire community,” John Seburn, president of the Hagerstown Aviation Museum, told General Aviation News. “More than 700 A-10s rolled out of the Fairchild-Republic factory right here in Hagerstown from 1976 to 1984. Now, after decades of faithful service defending American troops, 087 is coming home.”
The A-10 Thunderbolt II’s (Warthog’s) Specifications
- Year Introduced: 1979
- Number Built: 713
- Length: 53 ft, 4 in (16.16 m)
- Height: 14 ft, 8 in (4.42 m)
- Wingspan: 57 ft, 6 in (17.42 m)
- Weight:
- Maximum takeoff weight – 51,000 lb (22,950 kg)
- Engines: Two (2) General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans
- Top Speed: 420 mph (Mach 0.56)
- Range: 800 miles (695 nautical miles)
- Service Ceiling: 45,000 ft (13,636 m)
- Loadout: One 30mm GAU-8/A seven-barrel Gatling gun; up to 16,000 pounds (7,200 kilograms) of mixed ordnance on eight under-wing and three under-fuselage pylon stations
- Aircrew: One (1)
More A-10s Are Museum Bound
With the United States Air Force now on track to retire the A-10 “Warthog” from service in the coming years, several more of the old warbirds are now heading to museums.
This includes, for instance, an A-10C that flew 64 missions in Operation Desert Storm. That aircraft arrived at the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum in Pueblo, Colorado, in June. The only A-10 in the Centennial State, it is set to go on display later this year and is now on permanent loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
Another A-10, which had served with the Idaho Air National Guard’s 124th Fighter Wing at Gowen Field, Idaho, was retired and will join the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa as part of the facility’s expansion to commemorate the Global War on Terror (GWoT).
“Bittersweet day to be out here to see my jet fly its last flight,” Lieutenant Colonel Jason “Notro” Attinger, who piloted the aircraft nicknamed “Punisher” for the past decade, told Idaho News 6. “But I’m happy that it gets a forever home here in Idaho. It’s going to become part of the Warhawk Museum and we get to see it whenever we want.”
The Tulsa Air & Space Museum also launched a campaign this summer to bring a retired A-10 Thunderbolt II to the facility, honoring Tulsa, Oklahoma, native Col. Kenneth Craib, United States Air Force (Ret.), a former A-10 pilot. Current plans call for a restored Warthog to arrive later this year or early in 2026.
At Least One A-10 Is Staying in South Korea
In August, a retired A-10C was positioned at a traffic circle at Camp Humphreys, South Korea. As the US Army announced last month, “The aircraft’s engines will never turn again, and the distinct growl of its GAU 8/A Avenger 30 mm cannon – a sound once instantly recognized and feared by the enemy – has gone quiet.”
Yet, the “demilitarized” aircraft, tail number 81 0979, will still make for an impressive sight at the base. It arrived in early August, following its final air show appearance, after serving in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia with the 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Royal Air Force Bentwaters, England, and the 81st Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.
Built in 1981 and converted to the A-10C configuration in 2005, the aircraft also saw service in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom before joining the 25th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, in 2011.
“This shows the history of our role in Korea,” said US Air Force Master Sgt. Michael C. Alstrin, crash recovery section chief, 51st Maintenance Squadron, Osan Air Base. “Anyone coming onto Camp Humphreys can see a part of the joint forces coalition.”
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
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