Bbrrrtttiful Images Of A Flightline Packed With A-10s For Hawgsmoke 2022
Emma Helfrich - Friday
The U.S. Air Force has released a number of striking photos showing 37 A-10 Warthogs in an orderly formation on the flightline at Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho. The Warthogs are from multiple units across the globe, which have gathered in Idaho for the latest iteration of a biennial bombing, missile, and tactical gunnery competition for A-10s dubbed Hawgsmoke.
Hawgsmoke 2022 kicked off on September 6 and will wrap up tonight. This year’s event was hosted by the Idaho Air National Guard’s 124th Fighter Wing, and the snapshots that have already come out of it are impressive. The 37 Warthogs involved in the competition make up more than a tenth of the Air Force’s entire 281-strong fleet all in one place. 150 Pilots, as well as maintainers and weapon teams from 15 active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve units, are participating in the overall competition, including the following outfits:
25th Fighter Squadron from Osan Air Base, South Korea47th Fighter Squadron from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona66th Weapons Squadron from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada74th Fighter Squadron from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia75th Fighter Squadron from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia76th Fighter Squadron from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia104th Fighter Squadron from Warfield Air National Guard Base, Middle River, Maryland107th Fighter Squadron from Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan163d Fighter Squadron from Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Indiana190th Fighter Squadron from Gowen Field Air National Guard Base, Boise, Idaho303rd Fighter Squadron from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri354th Fighter Squadron from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona357th Fighter Squadron from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona358th Fighter Squadron from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri422d Test and Evaluation Squadron from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada On Sept. 7, over 30 A-10s from across the nation parked at Gowen Field's flightline in preparation for the competition. Credit: U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Becky Vanshur More than 150 pilots, maintainers, and weapon teams from approximately 14 active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve units from across the globe are in the competition. Credit: U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Becky Vanshur
To start the competition, the 124th performed a missing man formation on Tuesday to honor fallen soldiers and mark the beginning of the traditional Hawgsmoke opening ceremony. The Air Force noted that Idaho's Warhawk Air Museum also performed a flyover with a Curtiss P-40N Warhawk and a Republic P-47D Thunderbolt. It is important to note that the A-10’s official nickname is actually Thunderbolt II, a direct reference to the P-47, and both aircraft were built by the same manufacturer.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/bbrrrtttiful-images-of-a-flightline-packed-with-a-10s-for-hawgsmoke-2022/ar-AA11F61G
