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The Warthog

How the A-10 Thunderbolt II received the nickname “Warthog” (or simply “Hog”), dates back to Fairchild-Republic’s initial deliveries. The common story in circulation is that the name was derived mostly from the A-10’s lack of aesthetic appeal, slow speed and thick skin. The aircraft’s construction included protruding-head rivets on sections of the airframe not susceptible to drag which are uncommon in modern fighters and gave the appearance of warts. The protrusion of the GAU-8 cannon’s muzzle along with the blunt nose compared to sleeker fighter designs, like its contemporary the F-15 Eagle, resembles a hog’s snout or boar’s tusk, and the report of the gun is low and growling, all serving to make the aircraft reminiscent of a warthog. Engine exhaust passes over the aircraft’s horizontal stabilizer and between the twin tails, decreasing the A-10’s infrared signature and lowering the likelihood that the aircraft can be targeted by heatseeking missiles. The placement of the engines partially shields them from anti-aircraft fire behind the wings and tail.