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Author : Anonim
Publisher : DIANE Publishing
Page : 342 pages
File Size : 46,9 Mb
Release : 2024-04-26
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9781428993648
Author : Jack S. Ballard
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 342 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 1982
Category : Gunships (Military aircraft)
ISBN : UCR:31210024769471
Author : Jack Ballard
Publisher : CreateSpace
Page : 342 pages
File Size : 55,8 Mb
Release : 2012-05-25
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1477541802
One of the more striking aspects of the war in Southeast Asia was the adaptation of existing weapons in the American arsenal to the peculiar needs of an unconventional war. This volume traces the history from initial conception of the fixed-wing gunship in the early 1960's through deployment and operations to the end of American combat involvement in early 1973.
Author : Office of Air Force History and U S Air,Office of Office of Air Force History and U.S. Air Force
Publisher : CreateSpace
Page : 436 pages
File Size : 50,5 Mb
Release : 2015-03-23
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1508994498
This is the sixteenth of a series of historical reports on Air Force plans and operations in Southeast Asia prepared by the Office of Air Force History. The author, a former history instructor at the Air Force Academy, interviewed many key participants involved in the development and employment of gunships and has amassed extensive data relating to this unique weapon system. Among the primary sources he consulted were official letters, messages, memoranda, reports, and minutes of meetings. He also consulted a number of historical studies dealing with gunships. Most of his research was conducted in the Office of Air Force History, the Albert F. Simpson Historical Research Center and Air University Library, Maxwell AFB, Ala., and in the records of the Air Staff and Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. In addition, he visited the Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, and flew as an observer aboard a gunship during a training mission at Eglin AFB, Fla. In this history, the author discusses the little-known origin of the gunship and the important pioneering efforts of a handful of dedicated men. He records the remarkable improvisations in aircraft and equipment that continually marked the progress of the gunship as a weapon system. Further, he examines the controversy that the gunships provoked as they evolved toward greater, sophistication. Throughout the narrative, the author details the successes, problems, and failures of the gunship force. The result is a very informative study which will be of long-term interest and value to the Air Force.
Author : Jack S. Ballard
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 326 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 1996-07-01
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 0788132512
Describes the components & characteristics of the different gunships. Chapters include: the origin & early development of the gunship; Gunship I, II & III (AC-47, AC-130 & AC-119G/K); Advanced AC-130 Gunship; Commando Hunt VII & the enemy's 1972 offensive (the final major American combat challenge); & the aftermath (expansion of the employment of gunships). Appendices: gunship types: components & characteristics; & credible chase aircraft & test items. Glossary, bibliography & index. Photos, maps & charts.
Author : Office of Air Force History,U.s. Air Force
Publisher : CreateSpace
Page : 342 pages
File Size : 44,5 Mb
Release : 2015-02-11
Category : History
ISBN : 1508431140
One of the more striking aspects of the war in Southeast Asia was the adaptation of existing weapons in the American arsenal to the peculiar needs of an unconventional war. Total air superiority presented to the United States great opportunities to support ground operations. Very early some in the Air Force saw the need for a system that could saturate the ground with fire for interdicting enemy reinforcements, for supporting ground troops in contact with the enemy, and for defending isolated hamlets and outposts under attack. Such a weapons system had to be able to hit small, often fleeting targets in difficult terrain, at night, and in bad weather, through thick jungle cover. It had to be flexible and survivable, to linger for a protracted time over targets, and above all it had to possess great firepower. Nothing in the inventory could do all of this, so the Air Force developed the fixed-wing gunship. This volume, written by Lt. Col. Jack S. Ballard during his assignment to the Office of Air Force History, traces the gunship's history from initial conception in the early 1960s through deployment and operations to the end of American combat involvement in early 1973. Gunship theory-flying an airplane in a pylon turn to aim side-mounted guns at a fixed point on the ground-had been known for years. But it took men of vision and persistence to mate the theory with modern technology, and then sell the idea to higher authorities. Once the concept had been accepted, the resulting family of gunships was designed to meet specific requirements, then modified as requirements changed. The result was one of the most innovative and successful weapons used in the war. As impressive as was the hardware, the author does not ignore the human element. The gunship program had its share of high-level indecision, production snarls, and equipment failure; but these were overcome by sound management and determination. Sometimes tactics were faulty, even dangerous, and had to be adjusted to the realities of combat. Gunship crews enjoyed a relatively wide latitude in methods of attacking individual targets; not infrequently they found themselves acting as airborne commanders directing the employment of other strike aircraft. Most of the tactical decisions and a large number of key management decisions were made by officers of surprisingly junior rank. The gunship story shows that the individual still makes a difference in modern war, no matter what the dependence on technology.
Author : Jack S. Ballard,United States. Air Force. Office of Air Force History
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 1980
Category : Vietnam War, 1961-1975
ISBN : LCCN:80607950
Author : Jack S. Ballard
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 342 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 1982-01-01
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 0160613787
Author : Department of Defense,U. S. Air Force (USAF),U. S. Government
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 335 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2017-05-30
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1521402906
This unique USAF publication traces the gunship's history from initial conception in the early 1960s through deployment and operations to the end of American combat involvement in early 1973. One of the more striking aspects of the war in Southeast Asia was the adaptation of existing weapons in the American arsenal to the peculiar needs of an unconventional war. Total air superiority presented to the United States great opportunities to support ground operations. Very early some in the Air Force saw the need for a system that could saturate the ground with fire for interdicting enemy reinforcements, for supporting ground troops in contact with the enemy, and for defending isolated hamlets and outposts under attack. Such a weapons system had to be able to hit small, often fleeting targets in difficult terrain, at night, and in bad weather, through thick jungle cover. It had to be flexible and survivable, to linger for a protracted time over targets, and above all it had to possess great firepower. Nothing in the inventory could do all of this, so the Air Force developed the fixed-wing gunship. Gunship theory-flying an airplane in a pylon turn to aim side-mounted guns at a fixed point on the ground-had been known for years. But it took men of vision and persistence to mate the theory with modern technology, and then sell the idea to higher authorities. Once the concept had been accepted, the resulting family of gunships was designed to meet specific requirements, then modified as requirements changed. The result was one of the most innovative and successful weapons used in the war. As impressive as was the hardware, the author does not ignore the human element. The gunship program had its share of high-level indecision, production snarls, and equipment failure; but these were overcome by sound management and determination. Sometimes tactics were faulty, even dangerous, and had to be adjusted to the realities of combat. Gunship crews enjoyed a relatively wide latitude in methods of attacking individual targets; not infrequently they found themselves acting as airborne commanders directing the employment of other strike aircraft. Most of the tactical decisions and a large number of key management decisions were made by officers of surprisingly junior rank. The gunship story shows that the individual still makes a difference in modern war, no matter what the dependence on technology. One of the most instructive aspects of Ballard's volume is the relationship between theory and experience. Theory drove the initial design concept and employment, but experience in combat drove modification of the aircraft and execution of tactics throughout the war. While the evolution of the gunship and the changing character of its use were not always smooth processes, the gunship worked successfully. The goal of meeting mission requirements always remained paramount. Lt. Col. Ballard interviewed many key participants involved in this story and gathered extensive data relating to this unique weapon. His principal sources include official letters, messages, memoranda, reports, and minutes of meetings. Most of his research was conducted in the Office of Air Force History, the Albert F. Simpson Historical Research Center and Air University Library, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in the records of the Air Staff, and Offices of the Secretary of the Air Force.
Author : Dr Donald J. Mrozek
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
Page : 248 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2015-11-06
Category : History
ISBN : 9781786250131
Ultimately, this study is about a smaller Vietnam War than that which is commonly recalled. It focuses on expectations concerning the impact of air power on the ground war and on some of its actual effects, but it avoids major treatment of some of the most dramatic air actions of the war, such as the bombing of Hanoi. To many who fought the war and believe it ought to have been conducted on a still larger scale or with fewer restraints, this study may seem almost perverse, emphasizing as it does the utility of air power in conducting the conflict as a ground war and without total exploitation of our most awe-inspiring technology. Although the chapters in this study are intended to form a coherent and unified argument, each also offers discrete messages. The chapters are not meant to be definitive. They do not exhaust available documentary material, and they often rely heavily on published accounts. Nor do they provide a complete chronological picture of the uses of air power, even with respect to the ground war. Nor is coverage of areas in which air power was employed—South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam—evenly distributed nor necessarily proportionate to the effort expended in each place during the war. Lastly, some may find one or another form of air power either slightly or insufficiently treated. Such criticisms are beside the point, for the objectives of this study are to explore a comparatively neglected theme—the impact of air power on the ground—and to encourage further utilization of lessons drawn from the Vietnam experience.
Author : William P. Head
Publisher : Texas A&M University Press
Page : 340 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : AC-119 (Gunship)
ISBN : 9781603445078
Author : William Pace Head
Publisher : Texas A&M University Press
Page : 442 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2014-03-18
Category : History
ISBN : 9781623491185
In Night Hunters, air power historian William P. Head provides the first detailed study of the development and deployment of the AC-130 gunship. While other airframes and other types of close air support (CAS) and interdiction weapon systems preceded or flew with the AC-130s, this four-engine cargo airframe proved to be not only the longest serving fixed-wing gunship but also the most effective by far. During the Vietnam War, the US military developed new tactics and weapons systems to counter a diversity of enemy tactics and geographic features, the difficult climate, and the shifting diplomatic context. One of the most important was the development of the AC-130. Its ability to transport heavier payloads at higher altitudes across longer distances made it the logical choice to be the final Vietnam-era fixed-wing gunship and the only one that continues to fly missions in the twenty-first century. In addition, it employed many of the most advanced weapons, sensors, targeting devices, and fire control systems of the 1970s or of any era. By recounting both the technical development and the combat operations of the plane, and by looking at the proposed alternatives for its use in the War on Terror, Night Hunters offers a clear view of the role of gunships and of close air support in US wars. In today’s never-ending brushfire wars, the AC-130s continue to uphold their reputation for excellence.
Author : Orr Kelly
Publisher : Open Road Media
Page : 337 pages
File Size : 44,5 Mb
Release : 2014-06-24
Category : History
ISBN : 9781497645660
A fascinating history of the most secretive and unsung branch of the US military’s Special Forces, from World War II through Desert Storm Very little is known about USAF Special Operations—yet their exploits have been as daring and their achievements as remarkable as anything accomplished by their brother warriors. Since World War II, these ultra-secretive “air commandos” have routinely performed the near-impossible, undertaking missions that typically carry them across enemy lines. From secretly inserting covert operatives into North Korea and participating in clandestine CIA operations in Vietnam and Cambodia to providing air support for partisans in Nazi-occupied France and rescuing dozens of downed fliers trapped deep in enemy territory, these courageous airmen have done the jobs that no one else could do, often in the most technologically advanced war machinery the Air Force has at its disposal. Sometimes called “ravens” or “carpetbaggers,” the air commandos have a history that has long been buried beneath layers of official cover stories, rumors, and deceptions—until now. An expert in military affairs, Orr Kelly has already written what many believe to be the definitive history of the US Navy SEALs (Brave Men, Dark Waters). Now, he turns his attention to this unsung branch of the military’s Special Forces, relating a true story of courage, skill, and commitment that spans decades. With uncompromising honesty, he explores both the triumphs (Project 9 in Burma) and the disasters (the failed rescue of hostages in Iran) of these incomparable heroes of the sky, who have never sought recognition or glory.
Author : John S. Raschke, Colonel US Army Retired
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 247 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2022-10-03
Category : History
ISBN : 9781476689081
In the summer of 1969, as the Vietnam War was being turned over to the South Vietnamese, Lieutenant John Raschke arrived in Chuong Thien Province deep in the Mekong Delta, eager to have a positive impact. Recounting his assignment to a provincial advisory team of military and civilian personnel, this memoir depicts the ordinary and the extraordinary of life both inside and outside the wire--mortar attacks, firefights and snipers, hot showers, good meals and comradery, the life and death struggles of the Vietnamese people and the bonds he formed with them.
Author : Mark
Publisher : DIANE Publishing
Page : 444 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 1995-07
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9780788119668
Examines the practice of air interdiction in three wars: World War II, the Korean War, & the war in Southeast Asia. The author proposes a realistic objective for interdiction: preventing men, equipment, & supplies from reaching the combat area when the enemy needs them & in the amount he requires. Bibliography & index. Contains over 100 charts, tables, maps, & photos.