Joe's Bio

Fairchild Republic's "New Thunder" News-letters

Below are short snippet from each news letter. When you click on the news letter's date, or page number, it will open as a JPEG file suitable for printing. Most of the letters contain some very historic pictures along with the stories. I have a lot more letters and I will update this page as I get the time.

Sections

May 1976 - Page 1 - Second fatiuge testing complete.

August 1976 - Page 1 - DT&E aircraft reaches 1,000 flight hours Page 2 - Chief FR test pilot "Sam" Nelson (who later died in an A-10 crash) reaches 500 hours in the A-10. A-10 continue climate testing. Congressman Thomas Downey visits DM to view A-10.

October 1976 (PDF file) - Page 1 - One of the first Europen deployments for the A-10.

February 1977 Page1/2 - Sortie surge test nets 34 simulated combat missions in only 11 hours with two A-10s.

May 1977 - Page 1 - A-10s deploy to Europe for the first time. Nellis AFB NV. recieves their first A-10s. Page 2 - Brig. General William Curry checks out in the A-10 . A few happening at Edwards AFB and A-10 testing.

June 1977 - Page 1 - Myrtle Beach becomes first operational A-10 wing. Page 2 - First LT. to fly A-10s arrive at DM. First A-10 model on the market is unvaled

April 1978 - Page 1/2- The A-10 receives it's official name of "Thunderbolt II"

April 1978 (second edition) - Page 1- Training begins at Davis-Monthan AZ. Page -2- The new engine "quick change kit" is demonstrated- The first A-10 to be assembled and flight tested at the new Hagerstown plane was delivered to the UASF

June 1978 - Page 1 - Myrtle Beach AFB do FOL testing at Shaw AFB SC. Page 2 - Myrtle Beach becomes cretified in gun loading and hot pit refueling. Page 3 - Judge Willard Gatling, great grandson of the inventor of the gatling gun, views the GAU-8A Avenger cannon.

July 1978 Page 1/2 (PDF file) - A-10s from DM and Myrtle Beach play in war games. Open house at Myrtle Beach gives people first look at A-10s.

Novemebr 1979 - Page 1 - NAWS articles. Page 2 - AF introduces the Euro I paint scheme. Page 3 - Page 4 - More news.

June/July 1980 - Page 1 - Bentwaters A-10s in the news. Page 2 -104th, stationed at Barnes airfield Westfield Mass., become first ANG unit to pass an ORI. Page 3 - Pictures of the 104th ORI. Page 4 - Short news stories

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