There are airshows and there are Open Houses at military installations. The latter generally are where you’ll see the military heavy iron do what it is designed to do. Restrictions at most civil airshow locations prevent military aircraft from really performing but most importantly showing what they were designed to do. If you are talking about aircraft that shoot at things on the ground or drop supplies to troops, you’re not going to get to see that very often…unless.

You go to a gunnery range such as Hardwood Range (see previous posts for location). Yesterday the weather was perfect for an Open House. The only detractor…the sun. Most of the time the sun was the backdrop for the aircraft…but that didn’t stop those in attendance with cameras from clicking away…including ME!

Aircraft on the range yesterday included UH-60 Blackhawk, F-16 Falcon, A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) and C-130 Hercules. Other than the helo, the other aircraft simulated (with training ordinance and live ammo) attacking various hard and soft targets on the range. They worked as they would with eyes on the ground, such as troops or in this case foward air controllers who directed the aircraft and their ordinance onto the “Bad Guys.” The range has runways complete with aircraft, buildings, vehicles and other structures much like one would find in any combat zone.

Besides the action in the air there were also some educational exhibits and demonstrations…K-9 (State Police Dog), Explosive Ordinance Disposal including a state of the art robot; live firing of Civil War cannons and mortars, plus other interesting exhibits. Of course I was there mostly to see the aircraft do what they do best.

The A-10s dropped a variety of training bombs, fired air to ground rockets and strafed with their 30mm cannon!

The practice bombs don’t blow up like those you see in real life in a combat zone or in the movies. They just emit a puff of smoke so the range personnel can see exactly where the bombs impacted to help score the pilot in their accuracy at hitting targets. Some of the larger bombs however like to skip after striking the ground…very cool to see as they bounce and plow through the trees at the back end of the range.

A-10 gun passes are impressive. They rake the target and stir up so much debris its easy to understand why the A-10 is feared whether in a building or an armored vehicle.

Even logistical aircraft are known to drop heavy loads in a combat environment. This C-130 drops a pallet to simulate a resupply. The aircrew is scored on not only their accuracy as to where the load lands on the ground, but the time of delivery.

When it comes to scale models, manufacturers forget wars are fought by fighters and bombers…but its the logistic birds that win those wars. A military is only as good as its supply bridge.

I’m looking forward to the next Hardwood Range Open House!