Spotter's guide to Davis-Monthan's planes

In an Air Force town like Tucson, it’s common to see and hear fighters in the skies above.

As part of our investigation into the future of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Star reporters learned a lot about the planes that are based here — and those that could be here in the future. Flip through these slides for photos and facts about each air bird, as well as a drawing of what you’ll see if you look up at as each one flies overhead.

First delivered to D-M in October 1975,the A-10 is a common sight above Tucson. It’s easy to identify — just look for the twin turbofans on the rear fuselage.Nicknamed “Warthog”for its appearance, the A-10 has been used heavilyin Iraq and Afghanistan. Flying at low speed and altitude, it can identify and take out targets on the ground with fierce accuracy.

Manufacturer: Fairchild Republic Co.

Number of crew: One pilot

Maximum speed: 420 mph

Range: 800 miles

Ceiling: 45,000 feet

The HC-130P/N is the only dedicated fixed-wing combat search-and-rescue platform in the Air Force inventory. This extended-range version of the C-130 Hercules is used for transport and aerial refueling in combat rescue, humanitarian missions and NASA support operations.

The similar EC-130 Compass Call, a version of the Hercules fitted with sophisticated electronic surveillance and jamming equipment, is flown by the 55th Electronic Combat Group at D-M.

Manufacturer: Lockheed Aircraft Corp.

Number of crew: 10

Maximum speed: 289 mph

Range: At least 4,000 miles

Ceiling: 33,000 feet

The Pave Hawk’s primary mission is to head into hostile environments to recover people. This makes the twin-engine helicopter well-suited not only for combat, but also civil search and rescue. Twenty Pave Hawks were deployed to the New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Flying 24 hours a day for nearly a month,the crews saved more than 4,300 lives.

Manufacturer: United Technologies/SikorskyAircraft

Number of crew: 4

Maximum speed: 184 mph

Range: 580 miles

Ceiling: 14,000 feet

First introduced into service in 1978, the single-engine, multirole fighter has been a mainstay of the Air Force and allied fleets for missions including air combat and ground support. Four squadrons of F-16s are based at the Air National Guard 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International Airport, which mainly trains foreign pilots, while a small detachment from the 162nd is based at Davis-Monthan on homeland-security alert duty.

Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin (originally General Dynamics)

Number of crew: One pilot (two in training version)

Maximum speed: 1,500 mph

Range: More than 2,200 miles

Ceiling: Above 50,000 feet

The A-29 is a highly maneuverable, turboprop aircraft with advanced avionics and weapons systems, designed for light-attack, counter-insurgency, close air support and reconnaissance roles. It is in service with the air forces of several foreign nations including Brazil and Colombia. The U.S. Air Force doesn’t fly the A-29 but has ordered 20 Super Tucanos for Afghanistan’s air forces, with final assembly by a U.S.-based company in Florida.

Manufacturer: Embraer Defense (Brazil)

Number of crew: One pilot (two in training version)

Maximum speed: 367 mph

Range: 827 miles

Ceiling: 35,000 feet

Though it's never flown from Davis-Monthan, the F-35A is the Air Force version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a fifth-generation fighter that is the planned multirole, multi-service replacement for aging planes like the F-16 and the A-10. The single-engine F-35 features the latest stealth technology and advanced avionics, but the program has been criticized for numerous delays and burgeoning costs. Though it’s not yet combat-ready, the F-35 is being deployed at bases including Luke Air Force Base in Glendale; D-M has been passed over so far as a base for the F-35 but some may eventually train here.

Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin

Number of crew: One pilot

Maximum speed: About 1,200 mph

Range: More than 1,350 miles

Ceiling: Above 50,000 feet