factor in the Mission role of an A-10.

I spoke to an A-10 pilot some time ago, we shared a couple of beers and swapped Nam stories.
His father was a Korean Air Vet, He compared the flight envelope of a 'Hog to WW-II vintage fighter.
They may be slow, they might be ugly, they could be called outdated.

But!

When they fly, do not get in the way. When that Multi barrelled cannon speaks, something dies.
And they are tough, damned tough, an A-10 will bring its pilot home almost every time, in one piece.
Even when the bird is full of holes, bleeding hydraulic fluid and shedding pieces.

I am old enough to have built many R/C models of Hellcats and P-51A's, when they were the hot kits. SO I am an old fart. I know what works in the combat zone.