One of the fondest memories of my life was sitting on a road near just off the runway at the Hagerstown, Maryland airport where they were made (Fairchild Republic) and watching them do touch and go's. Gave me the impetus to go and get my pilots license. Unfortunately, the Cessna 152 I learned in didn't have the big cannon in the front.

I remember seeing the A10 for the very first time right when they first came out. As a crash/rescue firefighter/paramedic at my USAF base IN THE MID 70’s, we had to do what we called pre-fire plans on all aircraft and buildings. So when the A10 arrived and parked on the tarmac the Chief arranged for us to go see and climb all over it. We were used to close air/ground support aircraft like the A10 but they were really just small little A37’s, about the size and shape of a squashed volkswagen with wings, so I expected just an updated version of them.

Always will be one of my favorite aircraft ever. Great firepower, extremely durable, and can even hold it's own in a dogfight if they get caught without their air cover.

When I was on active duty with the Air Force, I served with the Tactical Air Command and the A-10 was the plane where. I was based. An incredible ground forces support plane. I also served in SAC, at Anderson AFB, where the B-52s were used to bomb Hanoi and with MAC at Dover AFB, where we had the C-5 aircraft. I only had an opportunity to see these aircraft taking off and landing, but each were impressive aircraft in their own way.