Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II

Role: Single-seat close support aircraft.

DESIGN FEATURES: Cantilever low-wing monoplane, with wide chord, deep aerofoil section (NACA 6716 on centre-section and at start of outer panel, NACA 6713 at tip) to provide low wing loading. Incidence -1 degrees. Dihedral 7 degrees on outer panels.

FLYING CONTROLS: Wide span ailerons made up of dual upper and lower surfaces that separate to serve as airbrakes. Flaps, airbrakes and ailerons actuated hydraulically. Ailerons pilot-controlled by servo tab during manual reversion. Small leading-edge slat inboard of each mainwheel fairing. Redundant and armour-protected flight control system. Interchangeable elevators, each with an electrically operated trim tab. Rudders and elevators actuated hydraulically. Redundant and armour-protected flight control system.

STRUCTURE: Aluminium alloy three-spar structure, consisting of one-piece constant-chord centre-section and tapered outer panels with integrally stiffened skins and drooped (cambered) wingtips. Outer panel leading-edges and core of trailing-edges are of honeycomb sandwich.

LANDING GEAR: Menasco retractable tricycle type with single wheel on each unit. All units retract forward, and have provision for emergency gravity extension. Interchangeable mainwheel units retract into non-structural pod fairings attached to the lower surface of the wings.

POWER PLANT: Two General Electric TF34-GE-100 high bypass ratio turbofan engines, each rated at 40.3 kN (9065 lb st), enclosed in separate pods, each pylon-mounted to the upper rear fuselage at a point approximately midway between the wing trailing-edges and the tailplane leading-edges. Fuel is contained in two tear-resistant and self-sealing cells in the fuselage, and two smaller, adjacent integral cells in the wing centre-section. Maximum internal fuel capacity 4853 kg (10,700 lb).

ACCOMMODATION: Single-seat enclosed cockpit, well forward of wings, with large transparent bubble canopy to provide all-round vision. Bulletproof windscreen. Canopy is hinged at rear and opens upward. Douglas ejection seat operable at speeds of 450 knots (834 km/h; 518 mph) down to zero speed at zero height. Entire cockpit structure is protected by an armoured 'bathtub' structure of titanium, capable of withstanding projectiles up to 23 mm calibre.

ARMAMENT: General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger 30 mm seven-barrel cannon, mounted in nose with 2 degrees depression and offset slightly to port so that as the barrels rotate the firing barrel is always on the aircraft's centreline. Gun and handling system for the linkless ammunitions are mechanically synchronised and driven by two motors fed from the aircraft's hydraulic system. The single drum magazine has a capacity of 1350 rounds, and has a dual firing rate of either 2100 or 4200 rds/min. Four stores pylons under each wing (one inboard and three outboard of each mainwheel fairing), and three under fuselage, for max external load of 7.257 kg (16,000 lb). External load with full internal fuel is 5482 kg (12,086 lb). The centreline pylon and the two flanking fuselage pylons cannot be occupied simultaneously. The centreline pylon has a capacity of 2268 kg (5000 lb); the two fuselage outer pylons and two centre-section underwing pylons 1587 kg (3500 lb) each; the two innermost outerwing pylons 1134 kg (2500 lb) each; and the four outermost wing pylons 453 kg (1000 lb) each. These allow carriage of a wide range of stores, including 28 226 kg (500 lb) Mk 82 LDGP general purpose bombs; eight BLU-1 or BLU-27/B Rockeye II cluster bombs, 16 CBU-52/71, 10 AGM-65A Maverick missiles; Mk 82 and Mk 84 laser-guided bombs; Mk 84 electro-optically guided bombs; two SUU-23 pods; chaff or other jammer pods; or up to three drop tanks.

Aircraft Measures:
Length:53 ft., 4 in.
Height: 14 ft., 8 in.
Wingspan: 57 ft., 6 in.
Loaded Weight: 50,000 lbs.

Aircraft Performance:
Maximum Speed: 439 mph
Service Ceiling: 30,500 ft.
Range: 2,454 miles
Thrust:18,130 lbs.

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