How Low Can an A-10 Go

[lomapaseo]

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/low-flying-military-jet-clips-power-lines-in-western-missouri/article_37196573-9858-53d4-860d-1df0fd200703.html (http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001XPabY0C-6ZU01PKJLNT44oGMhFfBmnlEaCblenQEkfNQa3YmnfWrLRDkDUv7OXAkSumM K7tgaoeZ_nTs2eXx9knu9DklgBdisOGLqosO3TLQNk3zrm1u5wG4Q4AeLN5Q iGJO50A5g71f1639FbPqtL5uQMrypb6124DKraw6nC-ND-q0q-xAQARCIpxDPR0n5KiDCfAVFZMZfauc0a0QLR37WZF_RYqBqkLqOhUU9nUFky 6HSUYEyvWe-v2G8exiWby0amjS64rIu2O37Heyd8_Sf9t4OPSeM0XPR8dQv8g=)


ARRENSBURG, Mo. A low-flying military jet from a western Missouri Air Force base clipped several power lines, but officials said no injuries were reported.

The Springfield News-Leader reports that the A-10 Thunderbolt military jet from Whiteman Air Force base hit several power lines crossing Stockton Lake on Wednesday afternoon. A-10 Thunderbolts are single-seat, twin-engine attack jets.

Danielle Johnston, spokeswoman for the Air Force Reserve's 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman, said the plane hit the power lines near the unincorporated town of Bona, which is about 30 miles northwest of Springfield. The jet clipped the lines where they cross the southeast arm of Stockton Lake.

Crews have been working to mark the area with buoys to keep boaters away from submerged power lines.

[Captain Radar....]

Low enough to miss the wires! (at least a Buccaneer could!)

[Trim Stab]

Crews have been working to mark the area with buoys to keep boaters away from submerged power lines.

Russians did think about it...

Flying Submarine Aircraft - Russian technologies - Snotr (http://www.snotr.com/video/5017/Flying_Submarine_Aircraft_-_Russian_technologies)

[CoffmanStarter]

I'd say this low :E

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af162/CoffmanStarter/image_zps5d68b99d.jpg

[staplefordheli]

Anyone driving on the flat bit of the A47 in East Anglia in the early 80s will tell you very low very low, if you were fortunate to get two out of Bentwaters lined up on a practice strafe run :ok:

[Steve the Pirate]

hit the power lines near the unincorporated town of Bona, which is about 30 miles northwest of Springfield. The jet clipped the lines

Hang on a second, that can't be right. We all know that there's officially only one bona jet and that used to cream the weeds! :E

STP

[Agaricus bisporus]

Power lines across a lake? That's pretty tame isn't it? They'd be strung from bloody great pylons. That isn't low, its downright careless. (Perhaps it counts as low for the USAF)
If it had been fence wire I'd be impressed.

[lomapaseo]

Power lines across a lake? That's pretty tame isn't it? They'd be strung from bloody great pylons. That isn't low, its downright careless. (Perhaps it counts as low for the USAF)
If it had been fence wire I'd be impressed.

but the article suggested the power lines were submerged in the water. That sure impressed me :)

[MadsDad]

East Anglia (5 miles South of BSE), 1970s.

I'm in the first floor* floor bedroom of a house when I hear an aircraft noise. I look through the window to see two A10s coming across the field next door, straight towards the house.

I'm looking DOWN at these two aircraft.

They then climb up and fly over the house (30 ft up maybe). I turn to look through the other window at the other end of the room to see them descend and fly off across the field opposite.

I reckon they were flying at, maybe, 10 ft for most of the trip. Bloody impressive (once I had stopped being terrified).

(* Floor 2 - the one above ground level - for anyone US reading this)

[alfred_the_great]

were they being muppets, or was ultra-low flying part of their battlefield doctrine?

[MightyGem]

was ultra-low flying part of their battlefield doctrine
Yes. Especially in the 70s for a potential war in Europe.

[[email protected]]

Unfortunately nav wasn't one of their strong points and they had a reputation for beating up the wrong place - they waxed Dishforth one day instead of Linton for a grad display;)

[jayteeto]

An A10 went UNDER a Puma at 100' during a firepower demo at catterick!

[John Eacott]

An A10 went UNDER a Puma at 100' during a firepower demo at catterick!

Sea King ASW hover height was 40'.

809NAS used to wake us up as they went past below us, very inconsiderate.

[diginagain]

An A10 went UNDER a Puma at 100' during a firepower demo at catterick! They've also been known for using forestry fire-breaks for cover. Disconcerting if you're trying to lead four Lynx down the same break in the opposite direction!

[Gerontocrat]

Bloody low. I thought I was going to have to indent for new antennae on my Chieftain when an A.10 had a go during an exercise on Salisbury Plain back in 1978.
I ordered my driver to give it sharp right stick and dived up a gully - and the A.10 followed us up there!

[BEagle]

Obliging USAFE 'hog mates would always follow the rules and announce their presence in the UK LFS in the approved manner....

Not long after GW1, I was back doing Jimmy Savile time at a UAS. One session was to take Shrivenham people flying in HM's mighty Bulldogs. Accordingly, we arranged a few low level trips around the Cotswolds and part of the Tewkesbury Triangle....

Bumbling about at a sedate pace, I heard a couple of 'hog mates announce their LFA intentions. A little mental arithmetic and I realised that a suitable lurking spot presented itself. A few minutes later, the 'hogs appeared so The Game Was On....

"(hog) 2, right 2 o'clock...one light aircraft...and it's turning in on us!"

They honoured the threat after my "Fox 2...if only!" call and we had a good chat on the common freq. "'Hogs, were you there in 'Storm?" "Sure were - and you?" "Yes, but not in this wretched P.O.S.!!". Then the time-honoured wing waggle and off on our individual ways...

Fun times, but then it was back to the 'joys' of teaching Straight and Level 2....:uhoh:

[AtomKraft]

I know that an A-10 pilot filed an airmiss against a German back in the eighties.

They nearly had a 'head on'.

The Germans were in a lorry.

[smujsmith]

Coff, you bad lad #4

You realise if his boss sees your post , the "hog" drivers Ass will be grass :eek:

Smudge

[CoffmanStarter]

Smudge ...

Since RAF Bentwaters closed I really miss the A-10's thrashing around LFA18 down in my neck of the woods ... they could quite have easily quoted for the grass cutting contract for the Seven Sisters Contry Park :}

Whilst on frequency ... it's about time we had a Typhoon grace us here in the Stock Broker Belt ... and wake the b@stards up :E

Coff.