06-29-2007, 11:30
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#1
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Area Commander
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Pacific NorthWet
Posts: 1,495
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Great read on A10 support of SF team
I ran search on MacKay and did not find this, so I hope this is not a repeat. Great story of a Pilot's ingenuity in support of a SF team in A-Stan.
"Spangdahlem A-10 pilot takes top merit prize
An A-10 Thunderbolt pilot who came to the rescue of a Special Forces team in Afghanistan last year has been honored with the MacKay Trophy for flying the most meritorious Air Force flight of 2006.
Taking the honor is Capt. Scott L. Markle, of the 81st Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.
According to the award citation, Markle was directed to back up a 15-man Special Forces team battling Taliban fighters along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
“Markle arrived on scene to find the team engaged in hand-to-hand combat and expecting to be overrun by the enemy,” the citation said. “Unable to employ weapons due to the close proximity of the team, he flew a dangerously low pass over the enemy while dispensing self protection flares. After the ground controller noted the effectiveness of the pass in momentarily ceasing the enemy’s fire, Markle performed three additional passes, allowing the team to pull back farther each time.”
Markle also fired the jet’s 30mm Gatling gun, destroying three machine-gun nests and killing 40 Taliban fighters.
Despite being outnumbered by three to one, the Special Forces team fought their way out of the kill zone without suffering casualties.
The MacKay Trophy was created in 1912. Past recipients include Chuck Yeager, Hap Arnold, James Doolittle and Eddie Rickenbacker.
Markle will receive a gold medal at the MacKay Trophy presentation ceremony Oct. 29 at the National Aeronautic Association’s Fall Awards Banquet in the Washington, D.C., area. The trophy is on permanent display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington.
http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/20...trophy_070628/"
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HOLLiS is offline
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06-29-2007, 11:38
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#2
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 704
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by HOLLiS
Markle will receive a gold medal at the MacKay Trophy presentation ceremony Oct. 29 at the National Aeronautic Association’s Fall Awards Banquet in the Washington, D.C., area. The trophy is on permanent display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington.
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He probably won't have to pay for beer for a while....
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Five-O is offline
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06-29-2007, 11:47
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#3
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland
Posts: 24,810
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Gotta love the Warthog, and the pilots who fly them.
TR
__________________
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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The Reaper is offline
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06-29-2007, 12:11
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#4
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Consigliere
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland (at last)
Posts: 8,827
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by The Reaper
Gotta love the Warthog, and the pilots who fly them.
TR
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I would like to understand why we aren't making more of them, or a new version designed to do the same job even better. Instead of the F-22.
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Roguish Lawyer is offline
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06-29-2007, 12:20
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#5
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bangkok
Posts: 856
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Holy shit.
__________________
1st Platoon "Bad 'Muthers," Company A, 2d Ranger Battalion, 1980-1984;
ODA 151, Company B, 2d Battalion, 1SFGA, 1984-1986.
SFQC 04-84; Ranger class 14-81.
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magician is offline
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06-29-2007, 12:24
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#6
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: South Georiga
Posts: 797
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Roguish Lawyer
I would like to understand why we aren't making more of them, or a new version designed to do the same job even better. Instead of the F-22.
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It doesn't look "cool".
It doesn't fly at two or three time the seed of sound.
It has old technology.
It doesn't cost enough.
Jim
__________________
Breaking a law or violation of a regulation is not a mistake. It is willful misconduct.
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." [Samuel Adams]
Jim
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incommin is offline
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06-29-2007, 12:24
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#7
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Roguish Lawyer
I would like to understand why we aren't making more of them, or a new version designed to do the same job even better. Instead of the F-22.
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CAS, particularly from low and slow aircraft, is not an AF priority.
A-10 pilots are not normally at the top of their class, nor are they destined to become AF leadership, but they get low enough to see what they are shooting at, suck up lead, and save a lot of SF brothers.
God Bless them.
TR
__________________
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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The Reaper is offline
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06-29-2007, 14:29
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#8
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: San Miguel, CA
Posts: 407
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Wasnt there some idle chit chat a while back about the A10's (ACFT and Mission) going to the Army?
__________________
National Guard Marksmanship Training Center
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JGarcia is offline
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06-29-2007, 15:12
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#9
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Harrisburg PA
Posts: 864
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by incommin
It doesn't look "cool".
It doesn't fly at two or three time the seed of sound.
It has old technology.
It doesn't cost enough.
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Or drop a ton of bombs.
Seems like the AF has wanted to get rid of the A-10 since we got the frame. Most of us never understood that. I was told by an A-10 pilot once that doing CAS with an F-16 is like trying to toss a golfball into a teacup while driving over an highway overpass at 60 MPH.
They're sort of like helicopters. During a war, everyone likes them in the AF, but as soon as the shooting stops, they say, "Hey, why do we have these? Let's get rid of 'em!!"
__________________
So let me fill my children's hearts
With heroes tales and hope it starts
A fire in them so deeds are done
With no vain sighs for moments gone
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Monsoon65 is offline
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06-29-2007, 15:31
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#10
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by JGarcia
Wasnt there some idle chit chat a while back about the A10's (ACFT and Mission) going to the Army?
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As a spotter aircraft, minus the CAS mission, the gun, the hardpoints, the pilots, the ordnance, the crews, and the funding.
Funny, but the Army said "no, thanks."
TR
__________________
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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The Reaper is offline
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06-29-2007, 16:27
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#11
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Sneaking back and forth across the Border
Posts: 6,679
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Typical Blue suiters. They do not want the equipment or mission but do not want any one else to have it either. Hell we should not have let them leave the army.....
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SF_BHT is offline
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06-29-2007, 17:01
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#12
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: In transit somewhere
Posts: 4,044
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Best CAS platform in the inventory - hard hitting and accurate. Ugly, slow, and will take a beating, yet oh so lovely when it's on your side... The guys that fly them love them, even if they aren't F22 'cool'.
__________________
In the business of war, there is no invariable stategic advantage (shih) which can be relied upon at all times.
Sun-Tzu, "The Art of Warfare"
Hearing, I forget. Seeing, I remember. Writing (doing), I understand. Chinese Proverb
Too many people are looking for a magic bullet. As always, shot placement is the key. ~TR
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x SF med is offline
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06-29-2007, 17:18
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#13
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Area Commander
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Pacific NorthWet
Posts: 1,495
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by x SF med
Best CAS platform in the inventory - hard hitting and accurate. Ugly, slow, and will take a beating, yet oh so lovely when it's on your side... The guys that fly them love them, even if they aren't F22 'cool'.
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It is amazing, the A10.......... I have been wanting one for Christmas for a long time, but the wife won't budge. From my perspective that has got to be the greatest plane going. Then, I had to walk for a living.
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HOLLiS is offline
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06-29-2007, 18:07
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#14
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: South Georiga
Posts: 797
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The A-10 is the best CAS platform today. What do you think was the best during Vietnam? A1E Skyraider??????
Jim
__________________
Breaking a law or violation of a regulation is not a mistake. It is willful misconduct.
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." [Samuel Adams]
Jim
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incommin is offline
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06-29-2007, 19:39
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#15
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Suffering from SF TDY Envy
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: null
Posts: 228
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I think the AF did come around to the A10 a little after its performance in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. The record it racked up managed to open at least a few eyes, otherwise they would have been gone 10 years ago.
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ktek01 is offline
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