Arizona

Ptah

(33,907 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2025, 07:55 PM Wednesday

Air Force to retire Davis-Monthan unit of iconic aircraft

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - The fate of the A-10 Thunderbolt II, a staple at Davis-Monthan for decades, has been a saga in the sky - and in Washington.

But despite heavy pushback, the planned retirement of the beloved “Warthog,” as it’s affectionately known, has been pushed up.

The last official A-10 flight is expected in Fall of 2026.

(snip)

The First A-10A was delivered to Davis-Monthan in 1975. It played crucial roles in Operation Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. But the A-10’s end is near, and members of the unit who maintain and fly it are moving on.

Twenty-eight A-10s dwindled to just a few and their new home will be the airplane boneyard.

https://www.kold.com/2025/09/09/air-force-retire-davis-monthan-unit-iconic-aircraft

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Air Force to retire Davis-Monthan unit of iconic aircraft (Original Post) Ptah Wednesday OP

The A-10 is my favorite AF plane LogDog75 Wednesday #1

LogDog75

(841 posts)

1. The A-10 is my favorite AF plane

Reply to Ptah (Original post)

Wed Sep 10, 2025, 08:48 PM

Wednesday

I was stationed at Myrtle Beach AFB from 1975-1979 when the base received their A-10s. We had our medical supply building behind the base hospital and we could look in the direction of the flightline and see the A-10s flying over the treetops. It was amazing to see them in flight. They'd approach the flightlne and you'd see them before you heard them which is why it was said once the enemy heard the A-10 it was too late.

As i was leaving the base during lunch one day, a flat bed truck was delivering a Russian tank to the base. Apparently, it was captured by the Israelis and the A-10 pilots were training with it to get an idea what the Russian tanks look like from the air. Over the next couple of days, I'd watch from the front of out building as the A-10s did figure 8s over the Russian tanks.

The A-10 is a great plane and I'm sad to see it retired.

Edited to add: My computers wall paper is three A-10 aircraft in flight formation.

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