Warthog (H)

The A-10 is a slow, stick-and-rudder airplane built around a Gatling gun capable of firing 4000 rounds a minute. It is an ugly beast (thus its nickname: Warthog), but ``hog drivers'' think highly of it because of its ability to remain aloft after absorbing gross punishment from enemy aircraft. Smallwood, who interviewed 143 of the pilots who flew the A-10 in the Gulf War, here presents an exhilarating, fact-packed narrative that conveys the emotional as well as the technical/tactical aspects of the Warthog effort during Desert Storm. In the war's first phase, A-10 squadrons carried out a precise preemptive campaign against targets that could affect the outcome of the allied ground campaign. Throughout that four-day operation, A-10s provided close air support for advancing coalition forces and decimated two Republican Guard divisions. The Warthogs flew an average of 193 missions per day for 42 days and are credited with destroying at least half of the Iraqi armor. Six Warthogs were lost. Two pilots were killed. A valuable addition to air-war literature. Military Book Club main selection. (June)