Air World | Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II
Reviewed by Kevin Williams
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd.
Author(s): Peter C Smith
Publishing date: 2021
ISBN: 978-1-52675-926-9 (Hardbound)
Pages: 400+
I can never seem to get enough Warthog action, and this title certainly seems to "fill the bill" in this area.
Being dedicated specifically to the A-10 Thunderbolt II, the namesake of the rugged and very successful WWII era Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, this volume is just chock full of Warthog "stuff". Author Peter Smith has already penned many an aviation title, including many Crowood books, and really pulls all the stops here, offering up the single largest title I've yet seen on the venerable and iconic Warthog; the most well respected close air support aircraft and tank killer that the US military has ever fielded.
It's all here; from design philosophy to flight, through Desert Storm and Desert Shield, use in Iraq and Afghanistan, and on to (in some cases) retirement and preservation as museum examples. Throughout the book, weapons and tactics/uses are explored, as as are battlefield requirements, much of which still prove valuable to this very day.
Any veteran ground pounder can (and will) attest to the effectiveness of the General Electric 30mm GAU-8 rotary cannon, the principle tank killer weapon of the Hawg, and the use of that same weapon on targets beyond just tank destruction, which it excels at.
Obviously, kits exist in our scale, of the vaunted A-10, specifically the Trumpeter kit, which, with a little work, can be built into a real head turner; a big plus for large scale aircraft enthusiasts.
Photo Samples
The text alone of this volume is rather extensive, taking up a large percentage of the book. The numerous photos & illustrations, combined with the text, obviously form the backbone of this book. Not a walk around type of publication, but as a general overview of the type, still manages to offer up a good selection of clear detail shots of this tank killer supreme.
For any and all who seek out history, data, facts and figures, combined with great photos of the Warthog, this book is simply a "must have".
Summation
On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d rate this book as a solid 10, no question about it. Topping out at over 400 pages of iconic Warthog facts, anecdotes and history, all combined in a nice hardbound edition, while using good quality paper, it is highly recommended.
My review copy compliments of Casemate Publishers. Thanks a ton to Casemate, it's a truly outstanding piece of reference work, and one that will surely fill the bill for any tank killer/close air support aviation enthusiast/modeler that has a specific passion for the A-10.
© Kevin Williams 2022
This review was published on Wednesday, January 26 2022; Last modified on Thursday, June 13 2024