[Rythena] A-130A | Supersonic CAS
The 60’s were good times–the greatest good times. Lots of girls on the beaches–not that they cared about flyboys, anywho. Flying was surreal; pushing Mach 1 with wires spitting sparks in your face as your bare skin burns against the heated metal that had been baking in the sun for hours. I flew a lot of things, but nothing ever came close to the one-thirty. That was something else, the smallest something else, but definitely the best.
–Cpt. Jarrett L. Beckham
Introduced in 1961, the A-130A was the first dedicated CAS aircraft to break the sound barrier. Built on an emphasis for precision and speed, the 130 traded endurance and durability for sheer speed and firepower. Normally, the single 20mm rotary was enough for a strafing run–sorties of three 130s packed together. When the situation demanded, the two cluster missiles were bound to destroy anything causing an issue. In case the CAS aircraft caught onto the tail of a fighter, two AAMs were sought to be employed.
Its small size made it a fan-favorite on unpaved runways, and while larger and more capable aircraft took its place by 1970, the 130 stayed strong in secondary roles in asymmetrical warfare. It had grabbed multiple nicknames, the most popular being "Dirtsit" for the time spent on dirt lots in foreign countries with the tail pointed down to the ground.
Starting:
> Equip Gear in Case
> Master Breaker
> Engine Master
> Engine Starter
> Release Wheel Brakes
> Close Canopy
> Radar Power
> Slave Throttle to Taxi
> Unslave and Accelerate
> Takeoff
Reloading:
> Locate panel under gear flap
> Reset numbering
> Ensure ropes from ordnance is attached to your respective winch pairs
> Raise weapons until the ordnance locks
> Detach ropes
Notes:
> Pitch your nose upwards when releasing ordnance
> The gun is dead-accurate, basically a laser beam
> Use one missile per target, conserve them
> Missiles have insane FOV so don’t worry about being right on target
