Somewhere above the Middle East, an A-10C Thunderbolt II carrying the colorful identity “Rainbow Warrior” is flying under U.S. Central Command. The command recently shared images of the distinctively marked attack aircraft, better known as the “Warthog.”
The photographs were posted to the Defense Visual Information Distribution System, the military’s primary image hosting platform. They offer a close look at an aircraft whose personality is displayed both outside its fuselage and inside its ladder hatch.
Taken on Oct. 8, the images show the A-10 being guided across the tarmac at an undisclosed location within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Its “Rainbow Warrior” identification remains brightly colored, although the paint appears slightly faded.
One photograph reveals another striking detail. The interior door art features the face of late movie star Marilyn Monroe, adding a touch of Hollywood glamour to an aircraft built for punishing close air support missions.
Door art is painted inside the hatch for the aircraft’s ladder. Among A-10 pilots and sustainers, it represents more than simple decoration or a passing burst of creativity.
One A-10 pilot told Task & Purpose that the artwork is “not for public consumption.” Its placement keeps the design relatively private while helping crews recognize particular aircraft and remember their individual characteristics.
“You can see that ‘this is the Tasmanian Devil jet,’ so you remember the last time you flew it, and the quirks and the ins and outs,” the pilot said. “The A-10, I think, is kinda unique with that, where units are allowing guys to do that, but it’s a little more covert.”
The Warthog already carries one of military aviation’s most recognizable visual features in its fanged nose art. Units have also added creative and colorful identifying designs to the sides of the close air support aircraft.
Late last year, several A-10s were photographed during a series of airstrikes against Islamic State fighters called Operation Hawkeye Strike. Images posted to DVIDS showed aircraft carrying art inspired by video games, including “Metroid” and “Diddy Kong.”
Why Marilyn Monroe was selected for the “Rainbow Warrior” door remains unclear. Her image, however, has appeared as art on more than one aircraft.
Monroe worked in an aircraft factory during World War II and helped assemble OQ-2 radioplanes, an early type of drone. That wartime connection gives her image a place in aviation history beyond her later fame as a movie star.
This summer, a California Air National Guard C-130J carrying nose art of the “Some Like It Hot” star was seen flying into the United Kingdom. The “Rainbow Warrior” now adds another Monroe portrait to that small collection of aircraft artwork.
The A-10 was designed around its powerful GAU-8 30mm cannon, which was intended to destroy Soviet tanks. The aircraft has remained an important part of U.S. operations against Iran, including missions in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The Air Force had planned to retire the A-10 fleet completely and had begun taking steps to divest from the aircraft. This year, however, the Secretary of the Air Force said the Warthog will remain in operational service through 2030.
Some of the remaining A-10s have operated regularly in the Middle East over the past year. Their missions have included support for operations against Islamic State militants and the continuing war with Iran.
The aircraft have also supported combat search and rescue operations this year. That included an April mission to rescue the crew of a downed F-15E inside Iran.
One A-10 was damaged during that rescue operation. Its pilot ejected over friendly waters, and the Warthog crashed, another reminder that behind the colorful names and hidden artwork, these aircraft continue to fly demanding combat missions.