Looks like an A-10, just flew over Swansea, what was it?

[The Nur]

Something that looked very similar in layout one of those A-10 Warthogs just flew overhead, pretty darn low and pretty darn loud. I don't know if Britain has any of those or if there are any American ones in the country...

What did I see? Apologies for not being able to give much detail but I didn't see it for very long

[TheEnd]

I don't think there is much else that looks like one.
They do have a characteristic engine note too.

[The Nur]

I've never seen or heard one so I wouldn't be able to compare. Distinctive shape though

[LimaDelta]

The only thing I can think of that is remotely A-10 shaped is a Global Hawk (straight wings, twin tails, engine high and aft, bulbous 'canopy')



Be afraid...

[The Nur]

Hehe, I don't think it was one of those

Is there anything else similar to an A-10 I can Google to compare with what I saw?

[Hugo a Gogo]

there certainly used to be American A10s in the UK, they used to always go over my primary school when I was there, early 80s

[steviejasp]

They certainly were here a few years ago. My brother got a right bking for sitting in one when he was supposed to be underpinning the hanger!!

[Eric Mc]

Hugo a Gogo said:

there certainly used to be American A10s in the UK, they used to always go over my primary school when I was there, early 80s

They were based at RAF Bentwaters, Suffolk. I visited the wing that was based there in 1987.

[Magog]

Hugo a Gogo said:

there certainly used to be American A10s in the UK, they used to always go over my primary school when I was there, early 80s

The A10s based at Bentwaters and Woodbridge till the late 80s early 90s. Think they went to Germany after that, no idea if there are any still based there.

[Johnnytheboy]

I saw one over Dorset in the 90s, for sure.

[Eric Mc]

Bentwaters and Woodbridge closed down in the early 1990s as part of "The Peace Dividend" following the end of the Cold War.

The A-10 is still in service and they make the odd return to the UK.

[ditchvisitor]

I just flew over Swansea! Wasn't in one of them though!

[rhinochopig]

I used to watch them practising on one of the naval ranges off the north east coast. Great fun to watch as a kid.

Huge flame from the front...few seconds of silence and then bararrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrp...few more seconds of silence and then some very large plumes out to sea.

Always used to amaze me just how big they are.

[The Nur]

Thanks chaps. Like I said earlier I'm not sure if it was an a-10 but that is the closest thing I am aware of that I can compare it to.

It didn't take the normal south westerly path that the usual (i presume) RAF aircraft take when flying over, instead flying directly over head to the north giving me a directly beneath view for a moment and then a view from behind as it went away

[ditchvisitor]

What time was it roughly?

[The Nur]

About ten minutes before I posted the OP, roughly.

[ditchvisitor]

Ok, I wouldn't have been on frequency then we headed past about 14:35ish, will see if I can find out tommorow!

[The Nur]

Brilliant, thanks very much!

[jmorgan]

There are ranges past Swansea and a firm or two that develop unmanned drones.

[ditchvisitor]

It wasn't anything at Castlemartin....