Customer Reviews

Warthog: Flying the A-10 in the Gulf War (Potomac Books' The Warriors series)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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

This is an briliant book, even if you don't like the A-10 (which I love). It tells that story of how a ugly, slow plane became a swan during the Gulf War. You get an understanding of how it must have been to fly the Hog, on missions it wasn't designed for. As I said earlier, if you have just the smallest interest in aviation, you have to read this book, and if you like the A-10 - well then you MUST read this book.

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!

The A-10 "Warthog" is a slow, ugly warplane but deadly efficient in battle given that it operates under complete air supremacy. The author has done a great job describing in vivid details this potent aerial weapon as well as the brave fliers who took it in the Gulf War for its battle debut. The destruction that A-10s achieved against the Iraqi Army was awesome and the enemy's armour was decimated by the combination of Maverick missiles and the GAU-8/A Anenger gun. Smallwood gives many behind the scenes details of improvisation regarding the use of weapons, the tactics and the ways the pilots used to bring more firepower on the enemy. The vast array of the iraqi air-defense weapons and the dangers that Warthog pilots faced are also presented. Highly recommended!

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.

Quick, easy read about the role of the A-10 in the Gulf War. I'm a big fan of oral histories and this uses a lot of interviews with pilots and is written directly from those conversations. A great look into the buildup before Desert Storm and what the pilots did before and during the War in the Gulf area.

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.

I could not put this book down. If you like action with not-too-much boring background info and dialog in between, you will be happy with this book. The beginning of the book does have background information on the plane and the Desert Shield build-up, but soon enough it gets rocketing. Highly recommended.

Although very well documented, it really is not about flying the A-10 but more about the business of deploying and using an airwing in a combat scenario. If you want to know what it's like to manage squadrons of attack aircraft that get shot at every day, this is a very good read. If you are like me, interested in the nitty gritty details of fliping switches and pulling stick while being shot at, look elsewhere. The shooting doesn't start until well past the halfway point of the book and then it's very condensed and perfunctory. Reading through an action sequence feels more like a debriefing than a page turner.

Well written, well documented but unfortunately mislabeled which misleads thrill seekers like me.

This book is absolutely awesome. It really is well researched and deep. It really brings out emotion. I think you should reference the glossary a lot if you don't fly in the military. I am a KC-135 driver, so I naturally knew the language being spoken. The author paints a beautiful picture of the A-10 in Desert Storm.