The five most legendary close-air-support aircraft


With former grunts on staff, we at Popular Military love Close Air Support. Ask any grunt worth his salt what his favorite aircraft is when he is in trouble and he will likely tell you it is an “A” something.

There is something to be said for college-educated flyboys who abandon the idea of flying above the clouds to scream just a few feet above the ground to support those who crawl through the mud and blood of their enemies. So, with that in mind, here are Popular Military’s five most legendary close support aircraft- from oldest to newest, with every branch represented.

P-47 Thunderbolt (US Army Air Corps)

P-47 cas

Known as the “Jug”, “T-Bolt” and a few things we can’t put in print, the P-47 was the most produced American fighter of World War II, spanning every frontline during the conflict.

While renowned for its massive engine and eight .50 caliber machine guns, the Thunderbolt was better known for its rugged build and astonishing ability to take insane amounts of punishment.

P-47s could handle just about anything the Axis could throw at them, often limping back to base with hundreds of bullet holes and chunks of missing parts. Unlike the more frail P-51 (which would eventually crash due to a single hit to the radiator), the P-47 could lose whole engine cylinders and fly home.

Former P-47 pilot George Sutcliffe said “It was the best airplane that I ever flew, particularly going into combat. You just felt that thing was gonna bring you home. No matter how shot up, it was gonna bring you home.”

Over 15,500 P-47s were built, scoring over 3,752 air to air kills. They also destroyed 86,000 railway cars, 19,000 locomotives, 6,000 armored vehicles and 68,000 trucks, making them on of the deadliest single-seat multirole aircraft of the war.

F4U Corsair (US Navy/ US Marine Corps)

Corsair Cas

Known as the “Whistling Death”, the F4U Corsair was an original design that became a staple for Marines in the Pacific. Originally designed as a fighter for the Navy, the Corsair was initially considered too dangerous for carrier use due to initial difficulties in developing a landing procedure.

Fortunately, this issue provided another branch with a considerable amount of Corsairs- the United States Marines.

First seeing combat in 1943, land-based Naval Aviators and Marines took to the sky against the Japanese- with blistering success- Corsairs claimed 2,140 air combat victories against 189 losses to enemy aircraft, for an overall kill ratio of over eleven to one.

In the realm of Close Air Support, the Corsair was a record holder- The Corsair bore the brunt of U.S. fighter-bomber missions, delivering 15,621 tons (14,171 tonnes) of bombs during the war (70% of total bombs dropped by U.S. fighters during the war).

The Corsair was an aircraft of renegades, flown by legendary rogues such as Marine legend “Pappy” Boyington and his “Black Sheep”, who would down enemy planes in such numbers, often taunting them over the radio to “come out and fight”.

The F4U would eventually be phased out of American service after the Korean War, it would see combat until the late 1960s, including an incident where a Honduran Corsair shot down a P-51 Mustang and two Corsairs of the El Salvadoran Air Force- during a short conflict that was triggered by the results of a soccer game, known as the “Football War”.

A-1 Skyraider (USAF, USN, USMC)

A1/A-1E/pho 115 K 19547 - An A-1E Skyraider escorts an HH-3C rescue helicopter as it goes to pick up a downed pilot in Vietnam. 1966 ["Carolyns Folly", A-1E, 1st Air Commando Squadron] Credit Photo to the National Museum of the USAF
An A-1E Skyraider escorts an HH-3C rescue helicopter as it goes to pick up a downed pilot in Vietnam. 1966
[“Carolyns Folly”, A-1E, 1st Air Commando Squadron] Credit Photo to the National Museum of the USAF
Beloved by grunts for two American conflicts, the A-1 Skyraider is the only aircraft on the list to have seen action in all three services that are allowed to have fixed wing combat aircraft.

Developed near the end of World War II, the Skyraider was too late to see combat. However, it proved so versatile that it managed to stay in service, fulfilling nearly every type of role you could imagine, from fighter to anti-submarine and drone controlling aircraft.

During the Korean War, the Skyraider had it’s chance to prove itself in combat. Providing close air support with enormous payloads beneath its wings (often greater than its own weight), the Skyraider’s propeller design in a jet war was overlooked due to it’s usefulness.

In Vietnam, the Skyraider became the embodiment of Close Air Support, often serving as guardian angels not only for infantry- but downed pilots as well.

Nicknamed “Sandy”, the A-1s were regularly called to rescue downed aviators, due to their ability to keep pace with the slower rescue helicopters, amazing payload and durability.

Many a pilot and grunt owed their lives to the pilots of Skyraiders, who would stay on station, often flying at treetop level, machine guns and rockets peppering targets before dropping napalm and bombs.

The A-1 also holds at least two honors of notoriety: shooting down two MiG-17s (making it the last prop aircraft to ever shoot down a jet) and dropping a toilet on the enemy during a bomb run (the only one to date).

A-10 Thunderbolt II (USAF)

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The undisputed queen of Close Air Support, the A-10 was the only aircraft in the list specifically designed for the role- with a big cannon to prove it.

Developed around its devastating 30mm GAU-8 gatling gun, the A-10 is essentially known as a giant gun wrapped in armor that just so happens to be able to carry a full complement of missiles and bombs.

Known for its ruggedness, A-10s have been known to fly home full of holes, missing wings and even engines. The A-10 can fly low, slow and for long periods of time- traits crucial for good close air support.

Originally cutting its teeth in the Gulf War, the A-10 made a name for itself after it destroyed over 900 iraqi tanks, 2,000 vehicles and 1,200 artillery pieces. Not one to be outdone, they also show down two helicopters with the 30mm cannon.

The personal favorite aircraft on station for most grunts in the War on Terror, the ‘hog has been on the front line in every major conflict since Desert Storm. Even now, some poor schmuck with ISIS is probably running in terror from the trademark brrrrrrt of its cannon.

Oddly enough, the US Air Force has never liked the A-10. Since its creation, less-enlightened leadership (such as General Mark Welsh) has tried over and over again to replace the cheap and efficient CAS plane with expensive, more concept-than-proven aircraft such as the F-35. Try as they may, they are always shot down by rallied protests by soldiers and politicians alike. Still, the A-10 is always being eyed for removal from the USAF inventory.

Despite this, the A-10 is here to stay, much to the cheers of the men on the ground who love her so.

AV8B Harrier II (USMC)

An AV-8B Harrier with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 261 (reinforced) stands by as a landing supervisor maneuvers a second Harrier into position behind the first and a third Harrier hovers over the flight deck of the U.S.S. Kearsarge during carrier qualifications March 30, 2007. HMM-261 (rein) is scheduled to deploy as the Aviation Combat Element for the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit later this year. (Official Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Matt Epright)
An AV-8B Harrier with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 261 (reinforced) stands by as a landing supervisor maneuvers a second Harrier into position behind the first and a third Harrier hovers over the flight deck of the U.S.S. Kearsarge during carrier qualifications March 30, 2007. HMM-261 (rein) is scheduled to deploy as the Aviation Combat Element for the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit later this year. (Official Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Matt Epright)

This aircraft wouldn’t have made the list if it weren’t for the protests of several Marines who heard the “top 5 CAS” was in the making.

Created by the United Kingdom, the first-generation Harrier had an awful reputation for being difficult to fly and bearing a very small payload. Eventually, the Americans got in the mix and improved upon the Harrier, resulting in the model we see today.

A staple of the Marine Corps, the  Harrier is known for its ability to hover, as well as take off and land from amphibious assault ships.

Piloted for Marines by Marines, the pilots of AV-8Bs have to attend an infantry-based course before they ever end up in the cockpit of their aircraft. By doing so, the Marines feel that this creates a tighter bond between the man on the ground and the pilot in the air, thus resulting in better close air support.

During Desert Storm, Harriers provided CAS to Marines on the ground and began a crusade against Iraqi artillery units, dropping more cluster bombs than all services combined in the war.

Much like the A-10, the Harrier still serves today, though it is scheduled to be replaced by the F-35. With budgets tight and Marine aviation running a little ragged these days, it is a struggle to keep many airframes in the air.

Despite this, Marine Aviators -including Harrier pilots- continue to take off on missions wearing camouflage helmet covers- reminding them that first and foremost, they are Marines.

Though warfare is an ever-changing environment, one constant will always remain: no matter how technologically advanced warfare becomes, there will always be a guy on the ground with a gun. When that guy on the ground needs a little help from above, there will always be CAS.

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Author

  • Andy Wolf

    Andy Wolf is an Appalachian native who spent much of his youth and young adulthood overseas in search of combat, riches, and adventure- accruing decades of experience in military, corporate, first responder, journalistic and advisory roles. He resides in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains with his K9 companion, Kiki.

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