Thunderbolt II becomes "Thunderbolt I"

It is a fine tradition within the United States Air Force to pay tribute to its past by giving operational aircraft a special heritage paint.

The Idaho Air National Guard’s 124th Fighter Wing is no exception with the repainting of one of its A-10 Thunderbolt IIs. For this occasion Fairchild-Republic A-10C 78-0618 (c/n A10-0238), which is flown by the 190th Fighter Squadron, was selected.

It was painted with a heritage WWII paint scheme at the Air National Guard paint facility in Sioux City, Iowa. The paint scheme is designed to replicate the look of the original Republic P-47 Thunderbolt “405190” as it appeared during the 2nd World War.

The 124th Fighter Wing conceived the idea in order to commemorate the unit’s 75th anniversary and lineage to their predecessor, the 405th Fighter Squadron.

Photos by Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot, U.S. Air National Guard.