P-63A Kingcobra
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The A-10 Thunderbolt II was developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force to provide close air support (CAS) of ground forces by attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets, also providing a limited air interdiction role. It is the first United States Air Force aircraft designed exclusively for close air support. The name A-10 came from the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt of the Second World War, a fighter that was effective at close air support. The A-10 is more commonly known by its nickname “Warthog” or simply “Hog”. As a secondary mission, it provides airborne forward air control, guiding other aircraft against ground targets.
The A-10 has superior maneuverability at low speeds and altitude, these also allow short take offs and landings, permitting operations from rugged, forward airfields near front lines. The A-10 is exceptionally handy; its strong airframe can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high-explosive projectiles up to 23mm. The Warthog has triple redundancy in its flight systems, with mechanical systems to back up double redundant hydraulic systems. The A-10 received many upgrades over the years. Aircraft were upgraded with inertial navigation and a Pave Penny laser sensor pod that allowed the pilot to detect laser energy for PID (Positive Identification) of an illuminated target. The A-10 is now compatible with night-vision goggles for low-light operation. In 1999, aircraft began to receive Global Positioning System navigation systems.
The A-10 is scheduled to stay in service with the USAF until 2028.
SBD Dauntless
The dive bomber SBD Dauntless was manufactured by Douglas during the Second World War. The SBD Dauntless was designed as a light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft but eventually redesigned to be a dive bomber. It’s first flight was on May 1, 1940.
The aircraft was primarily used by the U.S Navy especially during the Pacific War. Aside from U.S. Navy, the Dauntless was used by Marine Corps and Army Air and air forces in New Zealand and Mexico. It became a foundation of the Navy’s World War II air fleet in the Pacific, with the lowest loss ratio of any U.S. carrier-based aircraft. Douglas delivered a total of 5,936 SBDs and Army Air Forces A-24s between 1940 and the end of production in July 1944.
The design of the Dauntless was conventional with the large radial engine mounted in the extreme forward portion of the fuselage, just forward of the cockpit. The glazed cockpit could accommodate two personnel - the pilot in a forward area and the gunner in a rear cockpit, seated back-to-back. The rear cockpit contained a trainable gun position (7.62mm type machine guns) and played a major defensive role in the survival of many an SBD system and crew. The pilot doubled as the bombardier and also manned fixed-forward gun systems which (eventually) would feature two 12.7mm (.50 caliber) heavy machine guns. Wings were of low-wing monoplane types situated under the fuselage and featured the noticeably large perforated dive flaps so consistent with the series. The empennage was a traditional assembly with a single vertical tail surface. The real meat and potatoes for the SBD was in her ability to carried a substantial bomb load that could be supplanted by depth charges if need be. A total of 2,250lbs of external ordnance was capable.
Specifications (SBD Dauntless)
Type: Dive bomber
Crew: Two
Wingspan: 41 feet 6 inches
Length: 33 feet 1 inch
Height: 12 feet 11 inches
Weight (Empty): 6,404 lb
Weight (Max. Takeoff): 10,700 lb
Power plant: 1,200-horsepower Wright R-1820-60 engine
Speed: 252 mph
Max. Speed: 255 mph
Ceiling: 27,100 feet
Range: 1,205 miles
Armament: 2,250-lb bomb load; two fixed, forward-firing .50-caliber machine guns and one or two flexible, belt-fed .30-caliber machine guns mounted in rear cockpit
G-73 Mallard
The Grumman G-73 Mallard is a large, twin engine amphibious aircraft. Building on the success of the Goose and Widgeon, Grumman Aircraft developed the Mallard for commercial use. The G-73 retained many features of the Goose and Widgeon, such as twin radials, high wings with underwing floats, retractable gear and a large straight tail. Manufactured between 1946 and 1951, production ended when the SA-16 Albatross was introduced.
The Mallard prototype first flew on April 30, 1946, and the first production aircraft entered service later in September. While the G-73 was designed for regional airline operations with two pilots and ten passengers especially aimed at harbor-based, city-to-city hops on the eastern seaboard, postwar surplus aircraft sales and the availability of smaller airports limited market potential. Most Mallards ended up in corporate use. However, a number of small air carriers did use the aircraft in its intended role, notably Tahiti-Hawaii Airlines and Pacific Western Airlines.
Specifications (G-73T)
Length: 48 ft 4 in (14.7 m)
Wingspan: 66 ft 8 in (20.3 m)
Height: 18 ft 9 in (5.7 m)
Useful load: 5,000 lb (2,268 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34, 600 hp (447 kW) each
Never exceed speed: 187 Kts
Range: 1,120 nautical miles (2,070 km)
Rate of climb: 1350 ft/m
AH-1W SuperCobra
The Bell AH-1 SuperCobra is an attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It was developed from the AH-1 Cobra.
In 1990-1991, at the outbreak of the Gulf War, the Cobras and SeaCobras were deployed in a support role. AH-1 Cobras continues to operate with the U.S. Marine Corps and were used in operations throughout the 1990s. The AH-1 Cobras also served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and in Operation Iraqi Freedom in the ongoing conflict in Iraq. The primary users and operators of the AH-1 Supercobra are the United Sattes Marine Corps, Islamic Republic of Iran Army, Republic of China Army and the Turkish Army. There are at least 1,271 AH-1 SuperCobras built. The AH-1W SuperCobra is a day and night version equipped more powerful engines and advanced weapons capability. The AH-1W SuperCobra is also called the “Whiskey Cobra”.
The AH-1W SuperCobra has a crew of 2, for a pilot, co-pilot and gunner. It has a maximum speed of 190 knots and a range of 317 nmi. It incorporates two General Electric T700 turboshaft. M197 3-barreled 20 mm Gatling-style cannon in the A/A49E-7 turret, 2.75 in Hydra 70 rockets, 5 in Zuni rockets, TOW missiles, AGM-114 Hellfire Missiles and AIM-9 Sidewinder Anti-Aircraft Missiles.