Experience early in the Korean conflict convinced the U.S. Air Force of the need for a dedicated ground attack jet with tank-busting capability to destroy the hordes of T-34s which were currently overwhelming U.N. forces on the peninsula. Because the Air Force requirement was for a jet-powered aircraft, then a relatively new technology, North American Aviation decided a tried & true fuselage design would be best.
They mated their famous B-25 Mitchell fuselage & twin tail with an entirely new broader wing which not only enhanced low-altitude performance, but could also carry a potent bomb load. The most unique feature of the ground attack prototype were the power plants, twin jet engines mounted on the mid-upper fuselage. Along with this, North American, in partnership with the Sperry Corp., added a remotely-operated radar-controlled 20 mm tail gun for rear defense.
Another innovation was the multi-barreled 37 mm GAU-X2 rotary cannon mounted where the old 75 mm gun had been in the W.W. II vintage B-25. This weapon packed an enormous punch and absolutely obliterated anything it hit, leaving heavy tanks looking like torn up tin cans in its wake.
The prototype first flew in early 1951 and not only exceeded all expectations in flight trials, it also amazed onlookers by sweeping down to tree-top level at high speed, cutting loose with its GAU-X2 gun. The attack jet's wicked fast low-level performance earned it the nickname Hedgehog, but its official designation was A-46.
It was ordered into immediate production and the first models were sent to Korea to stem the tide of the Communist onslaught. Praise for the Hedgehog was universal among pilots and the troops it saved from previously unstoppable Red T-34s, but the twin jet engines meant double duty for maintenance crews.
The Hedgehog gave sterling performance for the remainder of the Korean conflict, but over-worked mechanics were by now, at the end of their rope. The A-46 would eventually be undone not by enemy action, design defects nor politics, but by collective bargaining. After the end of hostilities in Korea, over-worked ground crews sought and received representation by the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers. The contract signed between the U.S. Air Force and the I.A.M. required the Hedgehog's retirement due to the brutal workload of the two jet engines.
The U.S. Air Force would not field another twin-engine ground attack jet for 20 years until technology improved so the maintenance workload was manageable. Mostly forgotten today, the A-46 Hedgehog's main claim to fame is being the inspiration behind the famous A-10 Thunderbolt II. No A-46s were preserved and all that exists today are these blurry photos taken during their Korean deployment.
Brian da Basher