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I've finally completed color profiles of A-10's representing (I hope) every active wing in the USAF. (I still need to do the 57th...photos welcome) I'm only a few profiles away from having profiles for each squadron, which I would prefer, but I've been struggling from a lack of satisfactory photo reference. If anyone has good pictures of A-10's from the 75th, 354th or 357th, especially high-res port side pix, or close-up shots of tail flash and other insignia, feel free to post'em (or email them to me: fritz at boomandzoomgraphics.com)

Eventually I'd like to have updated paint schemes for the samples rendered in the lizard camo. I did those in the old paint partly to keep things interesting, but primarily because I didn't have enough good reference to depict them in grey. I've omitted pilot names, since they are variable and it is generally impossible to make them out in most photos I have, anyway. Feel free to shout out if you see any other glaring inaccuracies, though.

Feel free to dice this image up and repost the art on your own site or whatever (just leave the copyright info intact, please)

Here's what I have so far:

EDIT: I've deleted this graphic, since it has been rendered obsolete by the updated graphics below.

Nice to see all those \"colors\". But the Spangdahlem is an old one. The Pantherhead is not anymore by a few years on the engine.

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73-1664

Here's a late-comer to the party...I don't need those 57th photos any more, unless someone has a good close-up of the 66thWPS insignia.

Any way of changing the tail number on the 104TH FW A-10 because we never had a number 617. If it can be changed 648 would be nice.

Not to be contrary, but it seems you did:

http://www.philippecolin.net/104thFWgallery.html

This particular hawg caught my eye because of the unusual camo treatment on the port nacelle.

I'm happy to paint an updated hawg for the unit, though, if you can point me to some good current photo reference.

And, yes, now that I have these profiles set up, it's relatively easy to customize them, especially if it's only minor changes like serial numbers, or adding a nameplate. I'm a stickler for detail though (cause everyone else is), so good photos are appreciated.

BTW, if anyone has a good photo of the tail flash on a Bulldogs A-10 (the flash that actually reads \"Bulldogs\"), I could use one.

The 4th FW one is messed up. EL was England AFB LA, the jets had FT on the tail when they belonged to Seymour Johnson. We never admitted to being from the 4th FW, we were always the 23rd Fighter Group.

You may want to do one on the 347th Wing, now at Moody AFB GA.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't that 103 FW scheme a one-off? I don't think all the jets were painted like that, just one.

Cheers! M2

We're actually the 23 WG. the 347th is the Rescue Group.

And what about the 81 TFW, the largest wing ever with six squadrons?

Cheers! M2

Anybody have a chart?

Seriously, I only paint what I see real photos of. Each plane's paint should be accurate for whatever time frame in which the photos I have of it were taken, although not all planes may be representative of the norm.

If anyone can recommend a comprehensive unit history of the Hawg that I can refer to, it might help me put the various schema into historical perspective. (How'd that be for a poster idea? A family tree of hawgs?) Most of my research is being done online, so there is less useful info about units that are no longer active. (which I have not profiled yet)

Here's the latest collection: I've reorganized the profiles by squadron, with a few more latecomers in there. I can't seem to find nicknames for the 66th WPS or the Maryland ANG. Anybody know if they have one?

(ignore the extra 124th profile...I automated the conversion to a single graphic in Photoshop, and it looks like it picked up an older file, too)

Might try Don Logan's two books on the Hawgs...great references and lots of pics!

Cheers! M2

Fritz,
referencing the 103rd FS 'Black Hogs'. check your inbox for some help.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Not 712! That jet is a piece of shit!

IIRC, the \"Bulldogs\" script was removed in favor of a small yellow Bulldog head in the center of the stripe on the tail. (Unless they brought it back in the last 4 years).

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3 Branches down... 2 to go!
Put on your tinfoil hats, the black choppers are coming, and I'm calling them in.
Former DCC OA-10A T/N 80-278

[/quote]

We're actually the 23 WG. the 347th is the Rescue Group.[/quote]

I am so sorry! How could I have been so stupid.

FLYING TIGERS RULE!

Fritz
Since the graphics are created how difficult would it be to incorporate an editable Pilot/CC/DCC name block and tail number? This way, people could place special orders for a specific aircraft with their names on the side.

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Faugh ah Ballaugh ~ Clear the Way

You are absolutely right Fritz we did have 78-017 at Barnes right from the assembly line. My opologies

Not hard at all. I've been toying with the idea. I had originally created the art for a t-shirt, so it isn't as polished as I'd like for a print, but I think I could work up a more life-like hawg from what I have pretty easily and use it as a template. (The current art is all vector art, which makes it useful for a lot of stuff, but is less lifelike than I'd want for a large wall hanging)

For other applications...like t-shirt art, mugs, etc...the current art would work great as is.

Why, were you interested in a custom print or something? If so, let me know. As soon as I've had a chance to polish up a better large-scale template, I'll post here and see if anyone is interested.

Sure would be, I think it would be nice to have prints of the jets I have crewed with the corresponding tails and name blocks.

BTW, do you have a banner for your website? I could add to my links page

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Faugh ah Ballaugh ~ Clear the Way

OK, I've been looking more closely at the artwork, and at sizes below 10 inches across, the nameplates are too small to be really legible. The art I have now wouldn't be much good beyond that size, so I may have to do a newer, more detailed version. Could be some time on that. In fact, I may wait until I can get up close and personal to a Hawg and take some real closeup pix. (If I have to paint another one, I might as well go whole hog, so to speak, and paint every rivet.) I'm not conveniently located for that here in Cincinnati...I think the closest A-10 would be at Wright-Pat in the museum, and it would obviously be an old one in poor light. Unless someone wants to volunteer to do a walkaround photo shoot for me and send me the pix, I'll probably put that off until summer when I can find a good example at an airshow. The Cereal Killers normally make it down here to Dayton every year.

Regarding banners: You can find some at

http://www.boomandzoomgraphics.com/free.html

Here is a sample of my flying Tiger A-10 (with a gag nameplate) at a size where the nameplate starts to become readable...you may be able to see from this that if it gets enlarged too far, the line work starts to look a bit cartoony. It's probably OK for letter sized reproduction or smaller, but not for a really large print. (I'd originally produced the art for t-shirts, so I didn't spend time on subtle shading, which simply gets lost on shirts)





I may try reconditioning the art in an effort to make it work, instead or redrawing it, but either way I suspect I'm looking at a bunch of work, so it may have to wait until I can scavenge a good block of time. I will keep everyone here posted, of course. Anyone interested in doing a close-up photo walkaround of a more or less current hawg (security permitting) is welcome to step up in the meanwhile

Hey fritz,

The 74TH jet is labeled wrong. We were the 23rd TFW back then and the 74th was the \"74th TFS\" Flying Tigers\" not a \"FS\". Plus inside the \"Lighting Bolt the \"74th\" was painted\" but it might be to hard.
If it has \"EL\" as the tail code its a \"TFS\" A-10. Sorry
But a Very NICE Job on the Jet Other than its a \"Blue Tail\"

Now to probably get on your bad side, Can you take that jet then and change the tail cap to the \"76th TFS Vanguards\" colors? It was RED with 6 White stars \"76th\" was painted in the middle like so \"***76th*** just to make it easier at that scale or just a row of stars would work. And use a 76th Jet like -----80-0166.

OR

You could just make it a \"23rd TFW\" CC jet. With the \"TRI COLOR cap\" for all 3 squadrons at England the time and use either 80-0223 , 79-9223 or 80-0186. That way it is a Representative of all the \"23rd TFW A-10's\" and you only need the one.
The only problem might be the \"Shadow Box\" Lettering

But that would be a way to \"Do 3 Squadrons \" at one time.

Goose

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\"Live Free Or Die\"

Hmmm, I can see it's going to be a challenge ferreting out the operational history of the various squadrons and their colors.

I'll tell you what I could really use to make everyone's dream plane easier to produce:

1) I could really use a good reference source for the various squadron insignia. The wing insignia are pretty well documented and standardized, but I've been relying on photos for squadron specific markings and tail flash, and it's pretty hit or miss when it comes to finding useful close-ups. Often I've been forced to puzzle it out from a blurry long shot and some squadron patches found on memorabilia sites.

2) I could use some sort of comprehensive operational history of the various squadrons. I'd like to cover units that have been disbanded as well as active ones, but I'm not sure where to look.

Would someone in one of the AF historical branches be able to help me there, you think? Anyone know any good books that cover that information? I've seen a couple promising book recommendations for Dana Bell's stuff, but most of that is out of print and hard to find. Don Logan's book has been recommended to me, but it's pricey and I'm not sure what's in it. If anyone knows if it covers the above stuff, let me know.

Regarding Tigers, I'll update accordingly. Do you have any close up pix of the tail flash?

Keep posting requests. I may drop out for a couple days while I catch up on some work, but I'll be back by...

I'll try to dig up some pictures from the 70th FS that was at Moody during the mid 1990s (Any other former 70th folks...got any pics as well?)

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Sorry about being AWOL, having some \"Mr. Shitty\" problems, so as soon as possible


Goose



















i

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\"Live Free Or Die\"

Hey Frittz, not to be contrary, but you need to change 617 to either 630, 642, or 583. All three of those jets were received new and stayed with us untill we lost our jets. We havent had a 617 in a long time, (has to be at least 17 years) and the other jets have served their time well in all battles that A-10's have been engaged in. And by the way, can you make a special one Goose and I ? 166 would look nice and the color is irrelevant as long as its not pink.

Mr Shitty problems ? You allright bro ? You aint gonna die on me buddy, I'm planning a visit this summer, so your gonna have to wait a bit.

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YGBSM !