What is Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II?
[[File:Thunderbolt.a10.fairford.arp.jpg|thumb|right|180px|A gray A-10]] The '''A-10 Thunderbolt II''' (also called the '''Warthog''')<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2822607.stm | title = Fact file: Thunderbolt| publisher = BBC News | accessdate = 2009-10-04| date = 2003-03-06}}</ref> is an [[attack aircraft]] made by [[Fairchild Republic]]. It first flew in [[1972]] and was introduced in [[1977]]. It is designed to drop [[bomb]]s, fire [[rocket]]s, [[missile]]s, and its 30mm Gatling gun at enemies on the ground (such as [[tank]]s) with about 3500 rounds. It is named after the [[World War II]] [[P-47 Thunderbolt]]. Although not as fast as most military [[jet aircraft|jets]], it is tough, heavily armored, and can turn well. The A-10 is also used as a CAS (close air support) aircraft, which involves flying slowly over a battlefield and destroying enemy targets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2822607.stm|title=Fact file: Thunderbolt|date=6 March 2003|publisher=|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> [[File:Kim campbell a10.jpg|thumb|Kim Campbell, A-10 pilot]] The A-10 is 53 feet, 4 inches (16.16 meters) long, 14 feet, 8 inches (4.42 meters) high, has a wingspan of 57 feet, 6 inches (17.42 meters), has a top speed 420 miles per hour, and can weigh 51,000 pounds (22,950 kilograms) at its heaviest. It is armed with a 30mm GAU-8 [[Gatling gun]], and can carry multiple tons of [[bomb]]s or missiles. It can also carry [[radar]]-jamming pods to avoid radar detection, and [[chaff]], which can distract radar-guided missiles fired at the A-10.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fighter-planes.com/info/a10.htm|title=Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II|website=www.fighter-planes.com|access-date=2019-02-11|archive-date=2020-10-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023222119/https://www.fighter-planes.com/info/a10.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> == The Gun == While the A-10 has a lot of room on its wings to carry bombs and missiles, its main weapon is the front mounted gun, called the GAU-8 Ave