Table of Contents
- 1 Does the A-10 gun slow the plane down?
- 2 How does the A-10 cannon work?
- 3 How fast does the Gau 8 shoot?
- 4 How many rounds does an A-10 Warthog carry?
- 5 What is the fastest machine gun?
- 6 Did Northrop ever actually carry the Avenger?
- 7 Why was the A-10 wing replacement program cancelled?
- 8 How many tanks did the A-10 shoot down in the Gulf War?
Does the A-10 gun slow the plane down?
The average recoil force of the GAU-8/A is 10,000 pounds-force (45 kN), which is slightly more than the output of each of the A-10’s two TF34 engines of 9,065 lbf (40.3 kN). While this recoil force is significant, in practice a cannon-fire burst slows the aircraft by only a few miles per hour in level flight.
How does the A-10 cannon work?
Everything in the A-10 is designed to “make room” to the gun, including the nose landing gear, offset to the right of the aircraft so that the firing barrel lines up along the center of the airframe. This arrangement accurately centers the recoil forces, preventing changes in aircraft pitch or yaw when fired.
Why is the A-10 cannon off center?
The nose landing gear is slightly offset to ensure the proper alignment of the firing barrel. The gun itself is mounted off-center, with the firing barrel positioned deliberately to control for a recoil force so strong that it can potentially cause the A-10 to veer off target.
How fast does the Gau 8 shoot?
The AN/GAU-8 Avenger 30mm gun system was specifically built to serve as a Close Air Support “Tank Buster” for the U.S. Air Force. Similar to the earlier M61 20mm Vulcan design, the Avenger uses seven barrels to achieve a rate of fire of 3,900 rounds per minute.
How many rounds does an A-10 Warthog carry?
The cannon can fire a range of ammunition, including armour-piercing incendiary rounds (API) weighing up to 0.75kg, or uranium-depleted 0.43kg API rounds. The magazine can hold 1,350 rounds of ammunition. The pilot can select a firing rate of 2,100 or 4,200 rounds a minute.
Can a 10s dogfight?
Originally Answered: Would an A-10 do good in a dogfight? No. The A-10 is too slow and too underpowered. Yes, he can turn tightly… but he has no way to force the enemy to slow down and sit in front of his nose, and the faster, more powerful aircraft can always escape at will.
What is the fastest machine gun?
M134 Minigun
Watch the world’s fastest gun effortlessly fire 1 million rounds per minute. The highest rate of fire for a machine gun in service is the M134 Minigun. The weapon was designed in the late 1960s for helicopters and armored vehicles.
Did Northrop ever actually carry the Avenger?
The Air Force provided smaller 20mm M61 Vulcan cannons instead for the fly-off tests to pick the winning airframe, which the Fairchild Republic design ultimately won. As such, Northrop’s entry never actually carried the Avenger. A YA-10A prototype with the smaller M61 Vulcan cannon installed.
What kind of weapons does the A-10 carry?
Although the A-10 can carry a considerable amount of munitions, its primary built-in weapon is the 30×173 mm GAU-8/A Avenger autocannon. One of the most powerful aircraft cannons ever flown, it fires large depleted uranium armor-piercing shells.
Why was the A-10 wing replacement program cancelled?
In 2014, as part of plans to retire the A-10, the USAF considered halting the wing replacement program to save an additional $500 million; however, by May 2015 the re-winging program was too far into the contract to be financially efficient to cancel.
How many tanks did the A-10 shoot down in the Gulf War?
The A-10 was used in combat for the first time during the Gulf War in 1991, destroying more than 900 Iraqi tanks, 2,000 other military vehicles and 1,200 artillery pieces. A-10s also shot down two Iraqi helicopters with the GAU-8 cannon.