![]() ![]() It was at this time that the C-130A gunship was designated the AC-130A. ![]() ![]() While there, Detachment 2, 14th Air Commando Wing, was assigned to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing and became the 16th Special Operations Squadron. In June 1968, Spectre was deployed to Tan Son Nhut AB near Saigon for support against the TET Offensive. This task force became Detachment 2, 14th Air Commando Wing. The first truck busting mission was flown on 9 November 1967. The first AC-130 gunship was known as "Super Spook" during those first few days of operation. The first combat mission was flown shortly thereafter on 27 September 1967. The bird saw its first combat when a C-130A Task Force was deployed to Nha Trang, Republic of Vietnam, on 20 September 1967. To provide additional power, the AC-119K also had two underwing-mounted jet engines.Īs the war came to a close, the USAF transferred its AC-119Gs and AC-119Ks to the South Vietnamese Air Force.Ĭlick here to return to the Gunships Overview.Spectre had its beginning when operational testing of a C-130 as a gunship was conducted at Eglin AFB FL from June through September of 1967. Armed with four 7.62mm miniguns and two 20 mm cannons, the AC-119K carried many of the same sophisticated sensors as the larger AC-130. ![]() The first combat mission took place in November 1969. Armed with four 7.62mm miniguns and additional sensors, the Shadow gunship was more capable than its Spooky predecessor.ĪC-119K Stinger crews destroyed trucks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail and performed close air support, especially during large enemy offenses. The AC-119G Shadow replaced the AC-47, and it entered combat in January 1969 with the 71st Special Operations Squadron. The Gunship III program had two versions, the AC-119G Shadow and the AC-119K Stinger. With few C-130s available for gunship conversion, the Air Force turned to the Korean War-era C-119 transport. ![]()
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