The Fairchild AC-119G Shadow and AC-119K Stinger were twin-engine piston-powered gunships developed by the United States during the Vietnam War. They replaced the Douglas AC-47 Spooky and operated alongside the early versions of the AC-130 Spectre gunship.

Design and development

By late 1967, the idea of the fixed-wing gunship had been proven so successful, the United States Air Force was having a difficult time keeping up with demand. The newer AC-130s that had been created under Project Gunship II were effective, but were being mostly used for armed reconnaissance and interdiction of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Furthermore, the C-130 airframe was in active service as a transport, vital to the war effort in Southeast Asia. The Air Force desperately needed a new gunship to replace the vulnerable and underpowered AC-47 in the close air support role, as well as supplementing the AC-130 in attacking targets on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

In addition, Fairchild-Hiller, which was contracted for all the conversions, converted another 26 C-119Gs into AC-119Ks, primarily for the "truck hunter" role over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. These aircraft were called "Stingers" primarily in reference to the two M61 Vulcan 20-mm cannons they carried in addition to the AC-119G's four GAU-2/A miniguns. The AC-119K could be visually distinguished by the addition of two General Electric J85 turbojet engines in underwing pods. The conversions were completed at Fairchild-Hiller's facility in St. Augustine, Florida.

Project Gunship III, being a follow-on to the success of the AC-130 series, meant that the AC-119 was a more advanced aircraft in both its iterations than the AC-47. Even the TIC AC-119G featured some of the most up-to-date electronic countermeasures and radar equipment, as well as more basic technology, including an AVQ-8 xenon light, a night observation sight, and an LAU-74/A flare launcher.

The AC-119K, designed to hit trucks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, was more advanced. Included in the conversion was the AN/APN-147 Doppler navigation radar, AN/AAD-4 forward looking infrared, AN/APQ-133 side-looking beacon tracking radar and AN/APQ-136 search radar.

The armament scheme for both aircraft was simpler than that of the AC-130. The AC-119G had a total of four GAU-2A/A miniguns in SUU-11A/A pods, all on mounts similar to those used on early AC-47s. Like late-model AC-47s, these were soon changed to the purpose-built MXU-470/A minigun modules. The AC-119K, needing a more powerful and longer range "punch" to take out vehicles, featured two M61 20-mm cannons in addition to the four miniguns of the AC-119G.

Operational history

thumb|One of the [[General Electric J85|J85 turbojet engines added to later models of the AC-119 is visible below the wing on the right in this photo]]

By November 1968, the aircraft had deployed to Vietnam and joined the 14th Special Operations Wing at Nha Trang Air Base. The AC-119Gs were placed in the 71st Special Operations Squadron which was formed from the activated 71st Troop Carrier Squadron, of the Air Force Reserve located at Bakalar Air Force Base in Columbus, Indiana. When the 71 SOS returned to continental USA in 1969, the gunships were taken over by the newly formed 17 SOS.

Earlier on November 8, the 4413th Combat Crew Training Squadron received its first AC-119K.

[[File:Fairchild AC-119K Stinger of the 18th SOS fires minigun, circa in 1970.jpg|thumb|U.S. Air Force Fairchild AC-119K Stinger of the 18th Special Operations Squadron fires one of its 7.62mm miniguns, circa 1970.

The AC-119 were used to attack the North Vietnamese trucks on Ho Chi Minh trail.

Operators

thumb|A Republic of Vietnam Air Force AC-119K, in April 1975.

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Republic of Vietnam Air Force

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United States Air Force

  • 14th Special Operations Wing – Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam

:: 17th Special Operations Squadron 1969–1971

:: 18th Special Operations Squadron 1969–1971

:: 71st Special Operations Squadron 1968–1969

:: (Detachments at Tan San Nhut, Phan Rang and Phu Cat AB)

  • 56th Special Operations Wing – Nakhon Phanom Air Base, Thailand

:: 18th Special Operations Squadron 1971–1972

Surviving example

  • AC-119G Shadow, AF Ser. No. 53-3144, is on display at the Air Commando Heritage Park at Hurlburt Field, Florida.

Specifications (AC-119G)

<gallery widths="200">

File:Fairchild AC-119G Shadow drawing.jpg|Armament layout of AC-119G Shadow.

File:MXU-470.jpg|MXU-470 installed on a AC-47.

File:Fairchild AC-119K Stinger drawing.jpg|Armament layout of AC-119K Stinger.

File:M18 Components.jpg|SUU-11A/A components.

</gallery>

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Hobson, Chris. Vietnam Air Losses, USAF/USN/USMC, Fixed-Wing Aircraft Losses in Southeast Asia, 1961–1973. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2001. .
  • Petrie, Bill. "AC-119G Shadow (USAF AC-119 Gunships)". AC-119 Gunship Association, updated: 12 January 2006.Retrieved: 11 April 2007.
  • Petrie, Bill. "AC-119K Stinger' (USAF AC-119 Gunships)". AC-119 Gunship Association, updated: 27 February 2006. Retrieved: 11 April 2007.
  • Project CHECO. Contemporary Historical Evaluation of Combat Operations: Fixed Wing Gunships in Southeast Asia, Retrieved: 22 November 2012.
  • AC-119 Gunship Association website
  • Fairchild AC-119K – National Museum of the United States Air Force