Macross: The Thunderbolt Legacy

The name "Thunderbolt" brings with it a great deal of history. In WWII, the P-47 Thunderbolt was used as an attacker as was the A-10 Thunderbolt II. Both aircraft excelled at destroying hard targets like armored vehicles, earning them the title of "Tank Buster". 

The VF-11, known as the Thunderbolt III continues that tradition in the next century, carrying a gun pod in the same caliber as it's grandfather, the A-10 (30mm). While it's a fighter first, the VF-11 makes a lethal tank killer when attacking ground targets.

-Excerpt, Sky Angels Volume IV, 2060