The lockheed ac gunship is a heavily armed, longendurance, groundattack variant of the c hercules transport, fixedwing aircraft. The acw stinger ii, previously known as the mcw dragon spear, is a gunship that is created by applying a rollon, rolloff precision strike package to existing mcw combat spear aircraft. The acus call sign is spooky, and traces its history to the first operational gunship, the ac47. This title explores the development and use of the ac hu gunship. Continuing the distinguished combat history of sidefiring ac gunships, the acu spooky gunship was fielded in the 1990s as a replacement for the remaining aca aircraft and to. When it hits the battlefield in a few short years, the acj ghostrider will be the most heavily armed gunship in history a badass plane providing closeair support to u. Jockey 14 was operating in support of ongoing operations in and around mogadishu, somalia at the time of the accident. Readers will follow the history of the aircraft and learn about its military and performance. Air force acu gunship a10, c and f16 aircraft under.
The ac gunship has a combat history dating to vietnam. The gunship strikes with such force that it actually chops down a tree under which an insurgent is hiding. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most definitive collection ever assembled. Ach spectre gunships final mission the aviationist. Aboard the ac spectre gunship, he flew a total of 287 combat missions over laos, south vietnam, and cambodia, in pursuit of the truck traffic coming down the ho chi minh trail.
The lockheed ac gunship is a heavily armed ground attack aircraft currently in service with the united states air force. An acu spooky flies a training mission over hurlburt field, fla usaf photo. It carries a wide array of ground attack weapons that are integrated with sophisticated sensors, navigation, and firecontrol systems. The ac gunship and millions of other books are available for amazon. Readers will learn about the acs navigational devices, which include inertial navigation systems and global positioning systems. It is powerful enough to provide close air support to ground troops and also against insurgents. Unfollow ac gunship to stop getting updates on your ebay feed.
Michael nardo, gunship requirements officer and ac instructor pilot at the 1st. The ac a gunship ii superseded the ac 47 gunship i during the vietnam war the gunships sole user is the united states air force, which. Features such as sidefiring weapons, sophisticated television and infrared senso. The video includes handling of the gunships unique weapon systems, some.
The ace was a truly awesome gunship able to destroy whole supply convoys and more upgraded avionics and this massive gun created the ach. The acu gunships all light level television system and its infrared detection system can both scan a full 360 degrees, allowing the gunship crew to search for and find targets much faster. Gunships destroyed more than 10,000 trucks and were credited with many lifesaving close air support missions. The acj ghostrider is the fourth generation gunship set to replace the special operations fleet of achuw gunships at hurlburt field, fla. Air force acu spooky and acw stinger ii gunship aircrew members from the 4th special operations squadron prepare their aircraft for a. At the time the aircraft was known as a dragonship, puff, the magic dragon. On march 14, 1994, an ach spectre gunship from the 16th special operations squadron crashlanded 200 yards off the kenyan coast, near the town of malindi. Each book is bolstered with a glossary, list of further reading, and index. Continuing the distinguished combat history of sidefiring ac gunships, the new acu spectre gunship is being fielded as a replacement for the aca aircraft. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options.
The resulting acw stinger iis are operated by the air force 73rd special operations squadron out of cannon air force base, new mexico. Dubbed the surprise package, the new model sported two 20mm rapidfiring vulcan cannon, two 40mm bofors cannon, and advanced electronics. Gunships destroyed more than 10,000 trucks and were credited with many. The aca gunships principal advantages were more power four engines, more. Eight of the 14 crewmen aboard were killed in the crash. Air force video offers a rare glimpse inside an ac spooky ii gunship during a livefire exercise over florida. The final evaluation stated that the ac had three times the combat effectiveness of the ac47. Unlike other military fixedwing aircraft, the ac relies on visual targeting. In may 2015, the air force finally retired the last ach during a ceremony at cannon air force base in new mexico. The ach spectres by gladys green and michael green 2008, reinforced, revised at the best online prices at ebay. Aboard the ac spectre gunship, he flew a total of 287 combat missions over.
Burns, an aerial gunner assigned to the deadliest squadron in air force history. Ach gunship hurlburt field hurlburt field fact sheets. The air forces newest, deadliest gunship just hit a major. Therefore, the wright r3350powered ac119 was also selected for the gunship role. All achs started out as aces, but in the 1970s received upgraded engines, and other modifications, that led to their redesignation as achs. Readers will follow the history of the aircraft and learn about its military and performance specifications, as well as.
The books first half presents a fixedwing gunship history through the vietnam war. The vulnerability of the gunship was underscored in the early morning of jan. Features such as sidefiring weapons, sophisticated television and infrared. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Introduces the aircraft known as the ach gunship, along with its specifications, weapons, missions, and future in the u. This program acquires new basic ch aircraft for modification and integration by boeing to the acu gunship configuration. Features such as sidefiring weapons, sophisticated television and infrared sensors, navigation and fire control systems and synthetic aperture strike radar are detailed. The lockheed ac gunship is a heavily armed, longendurance, ground attack variant of. His squadron destroyed more than fifteen thousand trucks loaded with war munitions. Readers will follow the history of the aircraft and learn about its military and performance specifications, as well as its advantages in the field. For the ac to perform its mission, it needs the air force to achieve air dominance or air superiority.
It is a variation of the c hercules transport plane. The lockheed ac gunship is a heavily armed groundattack aircraft variant of the c hercules transport plane. The lockheed ac spectre is a tactical support version of the c hercules. With the increase enemy anti aircraft guns a bigger weapon was needed on the gunship and the rear 40mm guns were replaced with a single 105mm howitzer the biggest gun carried by any aircraft. Medical drones could soon be helping american airlines sunsets five aircraft fleets.
The basic airframe is manufactured by lockheed, while boeing is responsible for the conversion into a gunship and for aircraft support. Two months later, the service received the first of the newest gunship variant, the acj. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and. Readers will discover the aircrafts operational use in the vietnam war, operation urgent fury, and operation desert storm and learn about its weapon systems including cannons and autocannons. This title explores the development and use of the achu gunship. The douglas ac47 spooky was the first notable modern gunship. Meet the air forces ultimate battle plane and your new. It carries a wide array of antiground oriented weapons that are integrated with sophisticated sensors, navigation, and firecontrol systems. The usaf uses the ac for close support, air interdiction and force protection including supporting ground troops, escorting convoys, flying urban operations and covering air bases and other facilities. Meanwhile, photos of crew members going about their duties are often shown without manipulation. The aca prototype test program ended on december 12, 1967. The project gunship ii lockheed aca spectre was also in use at the time, but was in short supply due to the air force s need for standard c hercules airlifters to process the war in vietnam and meet worldwide airlift commitments. Achu gunships covers the ins and outs of the huge air force plane that provides gunfire cover for ground troops. The television also incorporates a laser target designator and rangefinder that allows the acu to designate targets for other aircraft armed with.
Unfollow spectre ac gunship to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. By the spring of 1969 there were six aca spectre gunships operating in southeast asia. The lockheed ac gunship is a heavily armed, longendurance groundattack variant of the c hercules transport fixedwing aircraft. In 1964, during the vietnam war, the popular douglas c47 skytrain transport was successfully modified into a gunship by the united states air force with three sidefiring miniguns for circling attacks. The ac gunship and the vietnam war warfare history. In december 1969, a newly modified ac gunship arrived at ubon air base. None of our partner shops or mates has this currently for sale. By january 2016, the flying branch still had nearly 30 of the older acus and acws. John hamilton presents information about achu gunships, covering how they are used, their history, and their specifications. The acu spooky and acw stinger ii variants are used to support ground troops, escort convoys, and in towns and cities. All gunships evolved from the first operational gunship, the ac47, to the ac119, and then the aca which was the basis for the modern c gunship.
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