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DCS World: Can a Squadron of A-10s Really Take Out a WW2 Navy Fleet?

You tend to hear a bunch of claims when you've been into military aviation for as long as some of us have. Many blanket statements proclaiming one aircraft to be demonstrably better than one from another time and another era. These debates only existed in dorks huddling around their local museums for decades. Today, simulator video games give us the chance to determine a winner, finally.
DCS World 8 photos
Photo: Grim Reapers
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It may be fair to say that no other modern aircraft have been thrown into this fray more than the Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog). Some of the lofty claims levied at the famous attack jet include being able to shoot down an F-22 Raptor in a dogfight for a start.

There's a whole other can of worms in that debate. But we've all no doubt heard this before, on comment sections across the web, no doubt. How about something more "spicy," so to say? Some claim a squadron of A-10s could have easily defeated a World War II-era Navy fleet all by themselves.

As bogus as that may sound, it does make a bit of sense if you're familiar with the weapons the Warthog flies into battle carrying. Most arguments can be settled with a couple of rounds of 30mm high explosive bullets. It would seem.

The YouTube channel Grim Reapers tested these claims in DCS World, a free-to-play, flight-combat simulation game. On one side was a sizeable formation of Warthogs with GAU-8 Avenger cannons ablaze.

The other side consisted of an Imperial Japanese Naval Fleet very similar to the one that attacked Pear Harbor in 1941. The Hogs featured Sidewinder air to air missiles and laser-guided bombs as their primary ordinance as well.

The battle was long and drawn-out, for sure. But not quite as dramatic as people telling tall tales about the Hog's perceived complete indestructibility seem to belive. Well, these people would be wrong, at least according to the results here.

Two Japanese carriers sunk compared to more than a few shoot-downs on the Hog's side. Undoubtedly not the result most of us would have hoped for, especially if you believe the Hog to be invincible. Give the whole video a look if you're interested. They also try with the AC-130 for good measure.


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