The Maryland ANG shows off its A-10 Warthog attack aircraft in an excellent short film

The A-10 Thunderbolt II, popularly known as the "Warthog," is more than just an attack aircraft: it's already an aviation legend.

The audacity of two A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots to assist a comrade
The operation of the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft explained in great detail

This excellent aircraft, specialized in close air support, made its first flight on May 10, 1972, so it already has 53 years of history, despite which it remains a very valid aircraft and practically irreplaceable thanks to its peculiar characteristics, which make it a very resistant weapons platform, capable of diving into combat at low altitude in all types of conditions, often becoming a guardian angel for American soldiers.

Between 1972 and 1984, 715 A-10s were manufactured. According to data from the USAF Almanac 2025, 219 A-10s of the A-10C variant remain in active service today. The majority of these (141) are in USAF fighter squadrons, with 31 in the Air National Guard (ANG) and 47 in the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). Three Air National Guards operate the A-10: those of Idaho, Maryland, and Michigan.

The Maryland Air National Guard was the first to receive the A-10, in 1979, as part of its 175th Wing, 104th Fighter Squadron, based at Warfield ANGB, east of Baltimore. It received its aircraft directly from Fairchild's factory in Hagerstown, located in the same state. In 2007, the Maryland ANG's A-10As were replaced with the current A-10Cs. In 2010, the Maryland ANG's A-10Cs deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

This year, the Maryland ANG has begun sending some of its A-10Cs to the Davis-Monthan AFB aircraft boneyard, marking the end of active service for these fine aircraft. Perhaps that's why, this Friday, HeavyMetalConcepts has published another of its excellent videos in which the Maryland ANG shows these aircraft, to the pilots who fly them and to their ground crew, a short film full of nostalgia and admiration for this magnificent aircraft:

You can see some screenshots from this video here. Here we see two of the Maryland ANG's A-10Cs, AF78-626 (left) and AF78-682 (right). Both carry an AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile on their left wing and an AN/AAQ-28(V)4 LITENING target designator on their right wing.

The powerful GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon, caliber 30 mm, located in the nose of an A-10C. The Warthog was developed around this powerful cannon, specially designed to destroy armored vehicles. It has a rate of fire of 3,900 rounds per minute.

An AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile under the left wing of an A-10C. This weapon has been in service since 1972 and is TV-guided. It has a 135 kg explosive warhead.

An Mk-84 bomb with a GBU-31 JDAM guidance system under the left wing of an A-10C. A powerful 900 kg conventional bomb converted into a precision weapon capable of destroying all types of targets.