To gain as much training as possible and avoid unserviceability the 23rd Wing's A-10Cs are hot-refuelled after the first sortie: here a 75th Fighter Squadron takes on fuel prior to another sortie.

This angle of this photograph shows the tightness of the formation to great effect

The 74th FS (foreground) flies in formation with 75th FS A-10s over the Georgia countryside.

The maintenance crews with the 23rd AMXS get extremely busy at the end of runway (EOR), making weapons live and performing last-minute checks before the A-10s depart and land.

Crew co-operation is essential during CSAR operation; an A-10C circles the 7.62mm minigun-equipped CSAR HH-60G and HC-130P while inbound to a training CSAR exercise.

Mean'n'Moody - a 23rd Wing A-10C gets close to the cameraship.

Capt Brad Wethington from the 74th FS shows the training AGM-65 Mavericks along with 3kg practice bombs.

The 76th Fighter Squadron, part of the 476th Fighter Group, supports the 23rd Wing with personnel for exercises and deployments; currently the Group has personnel deployed at Kandahar as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. This A-10C was destroyed in a take-off accident on May 10, 2010, but luckily the pilot ejected.

Captain Dylan 'Habu' Thorpe demonstrates the A-10C dispensing flares while Captain Brad 'Slaw' Wethington formates for the camera.

Cavanaugh Flight Museum's Curtis P-40N Warhawk in original Flying Tiger colours for Maj Gen Charles Bond.

A 41st RQS HH-60G dispenses flares.

Capt Joel Martin and the crew members from the 71st RQS, who flew the author in an HC-130 and made the photographs for this article possible.

824th Security Force Squadron personnel prepare to jump from a HC-130P Combat King from the 71st Rescue Squadron.

Crewmen from the 71st Rescue Squadron push out a bag with the aim of getting it as close to the target as possible. Not all air drops are at high altitude: this was at 100ft (30m) and 300 knots.