Rockwell/North-America A-10 Bronco. Part-One.

Origins of!

The appearance of the A-10 Bronco of  the Vietnam war 1967-74 was an amazing site at this years Wales National Air show in Swansea (WNAS16), but I knew that I had seen something similar in aviation books about World-War-II (1939-45).

The A-10 Bronco is one of those types that seem to come out of the blue and the United States don't normally do that type of design idealism, but rather improve and expand on what they already have.

This aircraft was used in the role of reconnaissance during the Vietnam war, but it had several other roles in transport and light or counter insurgency (COIN). West-Germany was one of its first to receive the export versions, apart from Thailand.

But this aircraft looks very similar to Nazi-German Focke-Woulf  Fw-189 deigned in 1937 as a short range tactical reconnaissance aircraft. It entered service with the Luftwaffe in 1938 and into serious production in 1940, by the end of World War-II 864 had been built by Aero in Czechoslovakia 17 by Sud-Quest in France. Fourteen of the type was supplied to Slovakia and 30 to Hungary.

After the second world war many German aircraft and other military equipment became as always the spoils of war and were returned for storage in Britain, Russia and the United States, who got what is still not known today, but it can be easily guessed upon?

Pilatus Britten-Norman Islander/Defender. Part-Two.

Military Versions.

The first military version of this one plus nine passenger aircraft appeared in 1971. Capable of carrying an assortment of bombs and MATRA 68-mm rocket pods along with two 7.62mm guns in the Counter Insurgency role on four wing pods. It was closely followed by the Maritime Defender , which was modified to house a search radar in its nose.

It also carried a parachute dingy rescue pack, loud speakers, flares and alternative weapons points. Both the speed and range of the aircraft remained similar to its civil version, the Islander. Range was increased with the options of two fuel tanks in place of the two inner 750Ib (317.5Kg) bombs to 1,723 miles (2, 772Km's).

Sales and exports were world-wide Angola, Ghana, Guyana, Israel, Jamaica, Malagasy Republic, Malawi, Mauritania, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), Thailand and Turkey.

Land Rover. Part-One.

Landies.

The British Land Rover is one of the most prolific vehicles ever built, it has been exported world wide from its first conception as the Mark-1. The American Willey's Jeep was a great 4X4 in its own right, originating in 1927. 

But the British special forces needed an adaption to meet their own needs, there are in fact about a dozen takes on both the Jeep and the first Land Rovers that have seen widespread undercover service across the world.

Today the production of the long standing Defender has ended, but this is not the end of the Landie. Farmers, rangers, police, emergency services and many others will continue to use this vehicle for its tremendous capability. 

Exported to Australia and re-built as the 120, with a much longer chassis. Israel as the Dav'id APC and 87 other countries for various military roles.

Fighter Jets. Part-Two.

F-18 Hornet.

This is a jet that is now in widespread operational service with the armed forces of the united States of America and its NATO and other Allies, but it is relatively overlooked by the mainstream. Many of the current Russian Federation equivalents such as the MiG-33 and Sukhoi Su-27 are compatible, perhaps more on paper than actually ever seeing combat actions?

The McDonnell-Douglas FA-18 Hornet became operational in 1983 for the US Marine and Naval corps and was designed to be based on Aircraftcarrier fleet. There are various different types available and they have been exported to both Australia and Canada. 

Speed is 1.8 Mach, armaments a six barrel 20-mm canons and 9 wing positions for side-winder air to air missiles and other stand-off weapons.