A-10 Warthog SnapTite 1/72 Revell Monogram

The Thunderbolt II carries the official name of one on the most famous fighters in history, but its official name of “Warthog” is a more apt description.  The A-10’s “Thunder” comes from it’s powerful GAU-8/A 30 mm nose cannon.  Although the shape of the A-10 borders on the grotesque, it’s actually the result of some careful engineering.  The pilot sits in the extreme nose of the airplane for visibility.  He is protected from ground fire by an armored titanium “bucket”.  The twin 9,055 lb. thrust General Electric TF-34 turbofan engines are separated from the fuselage to reduce the possibility of damage to both engines from one hit.  Even when the landing gear is retracted, a portion of the main tires extend out of the airplane to make a “belly landing” less dangerous.  The A-10 is designed to remain flyable even if large areas have been damaged or blown off.

Created specifically to support troops in a ground attack role, the A-10 is incredibly maneuverable.  It is slow for a modern jet aircraft, with a top speed of only 423 mph, but it can carry up to eight tons of ordinance to deliver the knockout punch to enemy armored vehicles.