AC-47 Spooky - Valparaiso, FL
N 30° 28.018 W 086° 33.685
16R E 542101 N 3370612
This aircraft is C-47K S/N 44-76486 painted as S/N 43-49010, one of the first twenty C-47s converted to the AC-47 configuration.
Waymark Code: WMGVED
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 04/11/2013
Views: 9
In the early 1960s, Air Force Systems Command began experimenting with side-firing weapons systems for possible use in Vietnam in point defense and night Close Air Support (CAS) roles. In late 1964, the first gunship conversion of a World War II Douglas C-47D was done. The gunship version of the C-47D was initially designated FC-47D (Fighter-Cargo), but was changed to AC (Attack Cargo) primarily because of complaints by traditional fighter pilots. The aircraft had several nicknames: "Spooky," "Puff the Magic Dragon" and "Puff."
The USAF converted 53 C-47s for use as gunships during the Vietnam War. Although the AC-47 was an effective attack system, it was also vulnerable to enemy fire. Fifteen aircraft were lost between Dec. 17, 1965, when the first AC-47 was lost due to ground fire and Sept. 5, 1969, when an VNAF AC-47D crashed due to pilot error. In 1969 the USAF turned over its AC-47s to the VNAF under the "Vietnamization" program.
The lessons learned with the AC-47 Gunship I program were used to design an improved version in the Gunship II program using the Lockheed C-130 as the base platform. Later, the Gunship III program converted Fairchild C-119s into side-firing gunships.
(
visit link)