A-10 Warthog

[ZQuickSilverZ]

Can the cannon in an A-10 be slaved to the pilots helmet in real time? What Im asking is can I hit a target just by looking at in and pressing the fire button? Does the A-10 have radar or a radar jammer? Also can an A-10 drop bombs or does it just use ATG missles? Most importantly does it have a place for a cupholder, a bobblehead, and fuzzy dice air fresheners (just kidding)?

[Eddie]

The cannon is fixed in the fuselage, to aim it you point the whole aircraft at the target, just like in all jets.

 

There is no radar, put an ECM pod can be carried if required, and yes the A-10 can carry free fall dumb bombs and cluster munitions, as well as FFARs. In addition the A-10C can also employ the 500lb and 2000lb variants of the paveway series of LGBs and JDAM.

[EtherealN]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A10c :P

 

Note that the version to be simulated in DCS is the C model, not the A model.

Edited February 27, 2010 by EtherealN

[T-Bone]

[JimMack]

 

Unfortunately this clip only shows the first half of the documentary on the A-10C. If you can view Discovery channel, or buy the DVD, the second half is much more interesting. It shows the simulator and explains some of the new functions on the MFDs, sensor pod etc.

[ZQuickSilverZ]

Thank you guys.

[GGTharos]

All I can say is...

[SinandGrin]

Unfortunately this clip only shows the first half of the documentary on the A-10C. If you can view Discovery channel, or buy the DVD, the second half is much more interesting. It shows the simulator and explains some of the new functions on the MFDs, sensor pod etc.

 

 

I think this is the second part of the show, enjoy!

 

[159th_Viper]

 

Talk about Bleeding Ears......A Bird's Eye-View :fear:

 

[Mugenjin]

OP has an interesting idea though.

 

Imagine you could slew the GAU-8 to an HMS/MFD, kinda like in the KA-50

 

 

 

 

xD

[graywo1fg]

LMAO!!!! if the cannon could be slewed then when fired the whole aircraft could go out of control! that is probably the most hilarious question i have heard in a while. PFfffft

[Madog]

hmm, lets see, slewable, strong gun....

 

 

can not fly, but makes other things do that

[Bucic]

Talk about Bleeding Ears......A Bird's Eye-View :fear:

 

Now, is there a video of the guy who put music there hanging by the balls? :crazy:

[Martillo1]

All I can say is...

 

I see your move & raise it

 

[Feuerfalke]

Let's put things into perspective:

 

[bogusheadbox]

LMAO!!!! if the cannon could be slewed then when fired the whole aircraft could go out of control! that is probably the most hilarious question i have heard in a while. PFfffft

 

 

Nothing hilarious about it. :argue::spam_laser:

 

[topdog]

Let's put things into perspective:

 

[image]

 

From my perspective, if you strapped that gun to the VW Beetle and then fired it, the car's 0-60mph time would break records - in reverse :D

[graywo1fg]

yes but look at the size of the cannon on the AC130 and look how BIG the AC130 is?!? and compare that to the size of the GAU-8 and look at the size of the A-10? to me it looks like the Gau-8 is bigger or the same size than that cannon on the AC130, if you compare it to the picture beside the Volkswagen. when the Gau 8 is fired is has a big impact on the speed of the A-10 because of the sheer amount of lead and THRUST that the gun puts out (or recoil) ESPECIALLY when the rate of fire is 4200 rounds per min... if that gun was off axis or able to be "Slewed" it could cause the plane to go out of control, or if not go out of control, it would cause the pilot to input an incredible amount of control adjustment to compensate for the massive act of force on the aircraft and it would be a comPLETELY inaccurate piece of weaponry. the lack of common sense people have amazes me. Comparing a howitzer on the AC130 with the rate of fire of 5 rounds per min (low thrust) with a Gau-8 with the rate of fire of 4200RPM (high thrust) and on a aircraft many times smaller than that of the AC130, it is not comparable. the Howitzer may be a much bigger round but until it can be fired at a comparable thrust to the Gau-8 on the A-10, the AC-130 will easily be able to handle that size gun, if not bigger.

Edited February 28, 2010 by graywo1fg

[bogusheadbox]

the lack of common sense people have amazes me.

 

Yes you are quite correct with the above

 

You obviously have a bone to pick and missed the point of my post. See any other interesting / funny pictures before mine?

 

And no, i did not mistake the 130 for the a10.

 

But hey ho, i guess there is no common sense here at all.

 

Its a big gun though isn't it :-)

Edited February 28, 2010 by bogusheadbox

[EtherealN]

when the Gau 8 is fired is has a big impact on the speed of the A-10 because of the sheer amount of lead and THRUST that the gun puts out (or recoil)

 

Those are all the same thing. "Recoil" is the equal-and-opposite reaction governed by physics - that is, when you launch a projectile you will always have the same amount of force inflicted on the launching platform.

 

That said, the AC130 has the GAU-12, not the GAU-8, so it's 25mm instead of 30mm, and the nominal rate of fire is 3600 rpm, not 4200. (4200 is the maximum allowable by the construction, not what you actually use in combat if you want your equipment to stay serviceable.)

 

it would be a comPLETELY inaccurate piece of weaponry.

 

Well, the GAU-8 on the A10 isn't exactly a precision instrument either. :P

 

Comparing a howitzer on the AC130 with the rate of fire of 5 rounds per min (low thrust) with a Gau-8 with the rate of fire of 4200RPM (high thrust) and on a aircraft many times smaller than that of the AC130, it is not comparable. the Howitzer may be a much bigger round but until it can be fired at a comparable thrust to the Gau-8 on the A-10, the AC-130 will easily be able to handle that size gun, if not bigger.

 

It should be said that neither the A10 with it's GAU-8 nor the AC130 with it's GAU-12 spend eternities firing the weapons. Both are salvoe weapons because in both cases the weapon will completely overpower the aircraft (though it should be said that the A10 doesn't carry enough ammo for this to be a big problem, so it's more a matter of maintaining energy for defensive maneuvers, maintaining any resemblance of precision, and the simple fact that for any one target a second or three is all you need with either weapon).

 

I tried finding some numbers for the energy of the GAU-12 projectiles to see if I could calculate the lateral force compared to the GAU-8, but didn't find that data (not even tentative Wikipedia info). But even then, we need to remember that the lateral force in these cases don't quite translate, quite simply because the AC-130's vertical stabilizer is... well... HUGE. :P

[JimMack]

I think this is the second part of the show, enjoy!

 

 

Yes - that is the one:- you can now start some learning on the systems for DCS:A-10C!

[graywo1fg]

I Agree with you EtherealN. all i was trying to point out that it would not work for the A-10's gun to be able to be slewed around at that high rate of fire putting out that much recoil on such a comparably small airframe. thats all :)

[159th_Viper]

The OP's question at the Outset fails to take into account an Intergral Fact: The A-10C is an Airframe mounted on a Cannon and Not a Cannon mounted on an Airframe!

 

As such it could be correctly argued that the Cannon is indeed Slewable: Slew to Left = Cyclic Left/Slew to Right = Cyclic to Right/Slew Up = Cyclic Up/Slew Down = Cyclic Down/All the afore-said with a Liberal Dusting of Rudder as Required.

 

:pilotfly:

[graywo1fg]

ROFL!!! :megalol: yup that is very true lol!

[ZQuickSilverZ]

Wow. So are you trying to roast me or what Graywo1fg? I think the common sense comment was a little overboard. I would like to think were all gentlemen here with a common interest and not combative, partonizing, know it alls. Anyway, I'm not talking about a 45 degree slew here. Four degrees over range (4000 feet) could make a huge difference at the impact point distance wise. I'm pretty sure modern flight computers could compensate for the change in yaw. Not to mention the inertia, aerodynamics, and wind resistance from the vertical stabalizers (with pilot or computer input) are all favorable to keeping the aircraft going straight. That said I'm not a weapons expert (obviously). My goal of asking the question was to try to get information on the aircraft, not to get patronizing answers. I honestly had no idea how large the cannon was, rate of fire, or size and speed of the ammo. Thats why I asked. For someone that doesnt live and breath fixed wing ( I get enouph of that working at a commercial aircraft maintanace base) the only part of military aircraft I ever see like most other people is the exterior. So as a result I saw only a very small portion of that cannon. So Graywo1fg instead of trying to make people look stupid, why don't you instead assume that maybee not everyones aircraft and weapons knowledge is as abundant as you think yours is. Stupid would be acting like I know everything.

Edited March 1, 2010 by ZQuickSilverZ