Posted on 02/13/2016 8:37:58 PM PST by Rebelbase
SUMMARY: F-100's, F-104's, F-105's and I think there was a B-58 Hustler on the ground near the end. Gatling guns, napalm, missiles, bombs, cannons and JATO assist take-offs also.
U.S. Air Force film shows tactical weapons tests against various types of targets using F-100 Super Sabre and other aircraft. Over 100 target complexes were built to simulate enemy positions including anti-aircraft missiles sights similar to those used in Cuba. Tests were also conducted of air to air missiles, air to ground and anti-tank weapons, and bombs. At the 3 minute mark, a radio-controlled drone is destroyed flying at 180 miles per hour. A sidewinder missile fired from the F-104 sidewinder is seen destroying an F-80 at the 3:30 mark. The F-105 Thunderchief is also seen performing ground attacks, including attacks with napalm. F-84F Thunderstreaks are also seen in the film. The Zuni rocket is seen at the 6:30 mark. At 11:40 four Starfighters are seen dropping napalm on a simulated enemy convoy. Barges were also used in the test to simulate enemy landing forces (see 14:30). At the 15 minute mark a terrible accident is seen, in which the chase aircraft and primary in a test strike were destroyed by fragments, forcing both pilots to eject. At the 16 minute mark, F-100s and F-104s fire Bullpup missiles at a parked train including a steam locomotive. The Fairchild C-123 Provider, shown in 123H prototype form with wide track undercarriage and two underwing J85 booster engines is also shown being tested at the 17:30 mark. The C-130 is also shown being put through its paces as part of combat testing.
Video at link above and below.
Great video! Too many highlights to mention, but I will say I always like seeing some Thunderchief.
I watched about 12 minutes.
These tests were at Eglin AFB.
They used to have a firepower demonstration which lasted around 2 hours. There were bleachers for around 2000 people. It was constant bombing, firing, missile launchings etc.
One year President Kennedy attended. They actually had two demonstrations. One for the general public which I got to see twice and one a week or so later just for the bigwigs (like Kennedy).
One thing they did was at the start a reconnaissance jet would fly over and photograph the stands. At the end, a helicopter would land and they would hand out several hundred copies. My older brother got one and the detail was good enough that you could see yourself.
Me too, however it was nice seeing the F-104 star fighter, an aircraft that never got to show off its potential in a real dogfight.
Very interesting vintage weapons
They did admit (a few of) the problems (hit from of convoy only, instantaneous explosion of one bomb killed two of the aircraft, etc) but ... the targets were visible.
And the hundreds of misses were not so obvious, and the costs of the weapons not so obvious either: A single truck costing 10,000.00 today cannot be killed by a missile costing 150,000.00 (today) or you will lose the war blowing up the enemy’s cheap pickup truck.
The Washington heads, from seeing this, would think too highly of the effects of bombing jungles and fields were the targets were not so obvious.
The Pentagon strategy has not changed much since then - they used expensive weapons to destroy cheep weapons - the only real change today is in using extremely expensive weapons to theoretically blow up very cheap weapons.
Of all the targets in the video only the bridge across a stream was truly representative of what was being seen and would be seen in Vietnam. It was interesting that they used an A-26 as the test aircraft. It was the only aircraft used that had actually seen service in Vietnam when the film was made.
One final thought - how accurate would all those fighter strikes have been if the testing had been done a night - when the VC and NVA normally operated?
These firepower demonstrations were always a high point of Squadron Officer School (lieutenants and captains) and Air War College (Lt. Colonels and Colonels). I assume they were also part of the curriculum for the Command and Staff College, but I didn't attend that.
Yes it was a great show.
I suppose you got to attend the one for the VIPs.
One thing which sticks in my mind is they had an F-104 fly by and break the sound barrier. You could see it coming in total silence then all of a sudden a blast so loud that I suspect it caused some hearing damage.
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