A Gun as Big as a Car: Unpacking the GAU-8 Avenger and the Weight of the A-10 Warthog’s Might

On airbases across the world, the unmistakable silhouette of the A-10 Thunderbolt II—better known as the “Warthog”—turns heads. With its straight wings, armored bubble canopy, and rugged landing gear, the A-10 is a blunt instrument of modern air warfare. But to those who are truly familiar with the aircraft, its most jaw-dropping feature hides in plain sight: the mighty GAU-8/A Avenger cannon, a weapon so massive and powerful that it literally dictates the plane’s design. To understand just how enormous and influential this gun is, consider this: set the GAU-8 next to the iconic Volkswagen Beetle, and you have a fair fight in size.

The GAU-8 Avenger: The Heart of the Warthog

The GAU-8/A Avenger is not just a gun. It is a behemoth, a seven-barreled, hydraulically driven Gatling-style autocannon capable of firing depleted uranium shells at a mind-boggling 3,900 rounds per minute. At 19 feet, 5 inches (nearly 6 meters) long, and weighing around 620 pounds (280 kg)—or nearly two tons with its feeding mechanism and ammo drum—the Avenger’s very presence defines the A-10.

The Volkswagen Beetle (the classic “Bug”) is about 13.5 feet (4.1 meters) long and roughly four feet tall and wide, much like the GAU-8 cannon and its feed apparatus. Photographs of the two side by side are internet legends for a reason—the cannon is nearly as long as the car itself and, perhaps more remarkably, heavier than the Beetle when loaded with ammunition.

Not Just for Show: Purposeful Firepower

Created at the height of the Cold War, when NATO planners feared armored columns from the Soviet Union storming through the Fulda Gap, the A-10 was designed with one uncompromising purpose: kill tanks. And nothing has ever lived up to that mission statement quite like the GAU-8.

Each 30mm round fired by the Avenger is nearly the size of a wine bottle, with the armor-piercing variant featuring a dense, dart-like penetrator of depleted uranium. When the trigger is pulled, the entire gun is capable of delivering devastating fire with surgical precision, shredding armored vehicles and fortifications in seconds.

But here’s the amazing part: over a third of the A-10’s entire mass is uniquely dedicated to the operation, mounting, and logistics of the Avenger. The cockpit and flight controls are offset to one side, so the gun can sit snug in the aircraft’s nose, perfectly aligned with the jet’s axis—if not, the recoil alone would literally throw the plane off course.

The Jack Under the Tail: Engineering for Balance

So how big a deal is the Avenger, really? Picture this—removing the GAU-8 from an A-10 is not simply a matter of “pulling out the gun.” It’s an aircraft-altering event.

The A-10’s design is so dependent on that front-loaded weight that if you wish to take the gun out, you must install a jack under the aircraft’s tail to prevent it from tipping backward. With the cannon and ammunition removed, the Warthog’s center of gravity lurches drastically rearward—without a counterweight, it would literally sit nose-high on its tail, like some comical, winged seesaw.

This level of dependency is nearly unheard of in fighter or attack aircraft design. The gun is not an optional add-on; it is the spine of the A-10’s existence. In practical terms, the aircraft flies “with” the gun, not “around” it.

From Concept to Reality: A Gun Worthy of a Plane

The fact that the Warthog is built around its gun, rather than vice versa, is a testament to the magnitude of the Avenger’s mission and its engineering impact. The gun can fire at variable rates, but pilots often use one or two-second bursts—enough to send up to 130 rounds downrange, each one capable of slicing through tank armor.

In action, firing the Avenger is an experience reported as both exhilarating and humbling. The sound—a distinctive “BRRRT!”—has become legend among soldiers and enemies alike. The recoil force is so substantial (10,000 pounds) that the A-10 actually decelerates slightly mid-flight each time the trigger is pressed.

Size and Spectacle: The Beetle Comparison

Why compare it to a Volkswagen Beetle? Because for many people, “19 feet” is meaningless—until you realize that it’s about as long as an entire car. The iconic Bug, a symbol of practicality and modesty, is virtually overshadowed by this gun’s brutal utility. Ammo for one sortie can weigh more than a modern subcompact, and aircrews often require forklifts and special rigs just to load the drums.

A Weapon That Defines an Era

The Avenger and the A-10 are relics and legends of a uniquely focused era—the Cold War’s tank-plagued nightmares and the U.S. Air Force’s relentless demand for survivability and lethality. While tank-killing was the original intent, the A-10 and its gun have excelled in close air support, rescuing ground forces countless times in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond.

Despite modern critics and persistent rumors of retirement, the Warthog continues to fly, if only because nothing else can fill its role with the same affordable brutality, and no gun offers the psychological and practical effect of the GAU-8/A Avenger.

More Than Just a Plane or a Gun

In the end, the story of the GAU-8 is the story of uncompromising specialization—a machine and a mission perfectly matched. The next time you see an A-10, imagine a Volkswagen Beetle tucked beneath its nose—and know that both in size and spirit, the Avenger is the most memorable passenger aboard America’s flying tank.