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Warthog: Flying the A-10 in the Gulf War (Potomac Books' The Warriors series) | 
 enlarge | Author: William L. Smallwood
Publisher: Potomac Books Inc.
Category: Book
List Price: $8.95
Buy New: $4.66
You Save: $4.29 (48%)
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Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 410745
Media: Paperback
Pages: 268
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 4.8 x 0.7
ISBN: 1574888862
Dewey Decimal Number: 355
EAN: 9781574888867
ASIN: 1574888862
Publication Date: September 30, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: GREAT BUY!Brand New From US Distributor! WE ARE A 5 STAR SELLER with OVER 3,500,000 BOOKS SOLD!!! OVER ~ 600,000 FEEDBACKS ~ POSTED!!!
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Product Description
A valentine for one of the ugliest, albeit most lethally effective, warplanes ever built--as well as for the men who flew them during the Desert Storm campaign. Drawing on interviews with over one hundred A-10 pilots who served in the Persian Gulf during the 1990-91 hostilities, Smallwood (himself an aviator and Korean War vet) offers riveting perspectives on aerial combat. Setting the stage with an informative briefing on how, in the 70's, the Air Force developed the A-10 (a.k.a. ``Warthog'') as a means of supporting ground troops with massive firepower, he moves into anecdotal vignettes detailing the ways in which so-called ``hog drivers'' and their commanders whiled away the weary hours of the calm before the storm in Saudi Arabia's inhospitable clime. At the heart of his narrative, however, are vivid accounts of how A-10s accomplished their tank-busting missions and then some once the battle was joined. Tasked, among other objectives, to take out missile launchers and artillery emplacements far behind the front lines (assignments normally reserved for jet fighters), the slow-moving, heavily armed Warthogs were credited with over half the bomb damage inflicted on Iraqi forces and installations. Employing improvisational tactics, A-10s also flew reconnaissance and assisted in rescues of coalition pilots; they even scored air-to- air kills, downing a couple of enemy choppers. Indeed, the plane's ungainly Gatling-gun platform performed so well that pilots demanded their craft be redesignated ``RFOA-10'' (for ``reconnaissance/fighter/observation/attack'').
"An absorbing tale of how a decidedly ugly duckling became a military hero of some consequence." —Kirkus Reviews
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 Very well written and informative - hard to put down March 18, 1999
SD TX (Houston TX)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
I got this book because my son has recently been assigned to train in an A-10. I was very impressed with Mr. Smallwood's writing style. He manages to convey the excitement, danger, and novelty of the A-10's mission and the immense dedication of the brave and courageous pilots who flew in the Gulf War. I learned much of the "lingo" used by the "Hog Drivers" so if I hear it in the future I'll understand. I'm pleased to learn that my son will be flying in such a tough machine. I now call the A-10 the "Guardian Angel" of the ground troops. Please convey my appreciation to Mr. Smallwood for his excellent work. S. Doyle Houston TX
A Must-Read for Hog fans! March 14, 2000
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
I am a former Comm/Nav troop from the 76th that got out before the Gulf War. This book really helped me see what our planes did over there when all the news footage and other specials only show other bases! It was great to "hear" from people I knew on their experiences! I couldn't put the book down!
Great Book October 6, 2002
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a very entertaining and informative book. It tells the many interesting stories about the awesome plane, the A-10. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Wonderful nonfiction account of A-10's in Desert Storm July 13, 1998
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I am in the Air Force, and an admitted Warthog devotee. If you like the aircraft, this is the penultimate book for you, and even if you don't, this is definitely worth a read for any serious military enthusiast. The Warthog is often overlooked, undervalued, and underestimated as a viable air asset, when in truth, it is probably the most robust and useful aircraft in the inventory. The Warthog is it's own worst enemy, however. In an Air Force plagued by cost overruns and computerized, high-end parts, the Warthog takes damage and continues to generate high sortie rates. The book expresses not only the value of the airframe, but the value of the pilots, who often improvise and overcome with their old fashioned, low-tech airplane. I highly recommend this book as an exciting, illustrative read as to the quality and dedication of the Air Force's Warthog detachments.
 RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. August 23, 1997
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I found this book to very compelling and very easy on the reader. Mr. Smallwood's account of the A-10 and the men who flew them certainly made me proud to be one of the men who helped keep them flying. I felt an edge-of-your seat quality as I read, and his ability to describe the action was very succinct. However, I did feel it was rushed especially during the final chapters, as if he had run out of complementary adjectives for the "old ugly girl". I also felt slighted by his lack of appreciation for the enlisted men and women who remained on the ground waiting patiently for there beloved A-10's to return. He consistently misrpresented the enlisted force and did not have the courtesy to use the proper rank abbreviations. I would offer the following word of caution to the author: when writing on a subject such as this make sure you get your facts straight and next time please try to get the enlisted perspective. It has been my experience that often times they know more about the subject then you seemed willing to believe. As I stated earlier, I did find it to be very interesting and I would read the sequal, only this time get the "wrench turners" opinions, if nothing else it will make the story a lot more colorful
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