[Dirk McQuickly]

In case you haven't seen a picture of one of these in flight, here's a great image from The Aviation Zone.

Have any FREEpers seen this baby up close?

[Nick Thimmesch]

No, I ain't never seen one of these and hopefully, I never will have to in person, but it sure is beautiful!!!

[Katie_Colic]

Have any FREEpers seen this baby up close?

Some Afghanis have but I doubt they will be talking about it!

[lodwick]

1967 - 1969 I worked at LTV installing the gattling-guns. Awesome firepower, and I suppose they've updated the firepower since then. Nice pic, thanks.

[jsraggmann]

The taliban just opened the whole can of whup-ass!

[opbuzz]

I've been in it, never flown tho. Did some nightime fire adjustment with it. At night you can hear the whirs and booms, then you see the results. Much better with NVGs.

[Blueflag]

Dirk--

You're likely to get some mild flaming on your post, as this is about the tenth post where the SPECTRE (C-130/H) and the SPOOKY C-130/U) are referred to as "Puff the Magic Dragon" which began life as a C-47 / DC-3.

http://www.theaviationzone.com/facts/ac130.htm

Otherwise, thanks for the cool pic.

[SLB]

I am not an Air Force type, but I think if you check you will find the AC-130 is a "Spectre" and the original AC-47 used in Vietnam was "Puff."

[deport]

Lockheed AC-130A "Spectre" Gunship

The crew of this AC-130A "Spectre" gunship, named Azrael--Angel of Death, (Azrael, in the Koran, was the angel of death who severed the soul from the body) displayed courage and heroism during the closing hours of Desert Storm. On February 26, 1991, the allied ground forces were driving the Iraqi army out of Kuwait. The crew of Azrael, Spectre #54-1630, was sent to the Al Jahra highway between Kuwait City and Basrah, Iraq, to intercept the convoys of tanks, trucks, buses, and cars that were fleeing the battle. Facing numerous enemy batteries of SA-6 and SA-8 missiles, and 37mm and 57mm radar-guided anti-aircraft artillery, the crew attacked the enemy skillfully, inflicting significant damage to the convoys. The crew's heroic efforts left much of the enemy's equipment destroyed or unserviceable, contributing to the defeat of the Iraqi forces. On February 28, 1991, Iraq agreed to a cease-fire.

During the 1950s the versatile C-130 Hercules was originally designed as an assault transport but was adapted for a variety of missions, including weather mapping and reconnaissance, mid-air space capsule recovery, search and rescue, ambulance service, drone launching, and mid-air refueling of helicopters. The C-130 could transport up to 92 combat troops and their gear or 45,000 pounds of cargo. Where facilities were inadequate, the Hercules could deliver cargo by parachute or by using the low altitude parachute extraction system (LAPES) without landing. The AC-130A "Spectre" is a C-130 that was converted to a side-firing gunship, primarily for night attacks against ground targets. In addition to its armament, it also possessed sensors, a target acquisition system, and a forward looking infra-red (FLIR) and lowlight television system.

The aircraft on display was assigned to the 919th Special Operations Wing (SOW) and was retired to the Museum in October 1995.

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 132 ft. 7 in.
Length: 96 ft. 10 in.
Weight: 124,200 lbs. max.
Armament: Two 7.62 miniguns plus two 20mm and two 40mm cannon
Engines: Four Allison T-56-A-9D turboprops of 3,750 equivalent shaft horsepower ea.
Serial number: 54-1630

PERFORMANCE
Max. speed: 380 mph/330 knots
Cruising speed: 335 mph/291 knots
Range: 2,500 statute miles/2,172 nautical miles
Service ceiling: 33,000 ft.

More AC-130A images...

• The aircraft parked in the restoration area
• Front view
• Left forward fuselage detail
• The 7.62 miniguns
• The 20mm Cannon
• The 40mm Cannon

Click the above links for additional views of Azreal

[Robe]

I took my family to the “Freedom 2001” airshow at Pope AFB this spring. Among the various and sundry static displays were the AC-130/U gunship, a heavily armed Blackhawk (dont remember the designation) used for SAR. and another C-130 known as SNATCH JOB to the crew, all from Elgin AFB I believe.

The gun ship had 2 side firing 20mm Vulcan cannons (gatling guns) a 105mm cannon, and a 40 mm cannon , all individually targeted via a “suite”consisting of four crewmen sitting on the starboard side (right). Most of the monitors were covered with canvas covers and IDed by a crewman as “sensors”.

Snatch Job was VERY interesting, in the “Cargo Area” was configured to hold about 30 pax, in the ole “sling” seats. A VERY young crew chief explained that this a/c was designed to land and take off on about 1300ft. His quote” We can land this without any reference to the ground in any weather, day or night, we prefer the night” The cockpit had a impressive array of FLIR monitors.

I left feeling very proud of the crews, they were our very best and brightest, and VERY brave. My thoughts these days are with them, may God watch over them and keep them safe for they truly are the tip of the spear in this operation.

God Bless America

[XA-3Whaler]

This pic looks as though they maybe dropping flares used to fake out heat seekers. You should see it in action she'll really light up the sky.

[spectr17]

During a night defense of a hamlet in the Mekong River Delta, a reporter from the Stars and Stripes watched an AC-47 attack from inside the fortitfications. Upon witnessing the wrath that the AC-47 brought down on the VC attackers that night, he reported that visual effect of the tracers, 1 in every 5 rounds or 20 per second, gave the appearance of dragon's breath. He also tied the roar of the guns into the description. Upon reading the account in the Stars and Stripes, the CO of the 1st Commando Squadron exclaimed "Well, I'll be damned! Puff, the Magic Dragon." from a child's song recently popularized in the U.S. by the trio Peter, Paul and Mary. Captured VC documents later told of orders not to attack the Dragon as weapons are useless and it will only infuriate the monster.

Pic of a AC-47 gunship aka "Puff".

My service in the USAF special ops was a bit after the Vietnam war. A few of the old sergeants I worked with related how the mere mention of Puff on the radio sent the VC scurrying out of the area. Sometimes they even simulated a call to Puff to get the same effect when no Puff was available.

[LibWhacker]

Have any FREEpers seen this baby up close?

This REMF has only seen one at an air show. They actually let us walk through it. An amazin' machine!

Here's another pretty piece of eye candy I haven't seen on FR before:

Here's another one, over Vietnam perhaps?

Anyone know? . . . What is the difference between Puff the Magic Dragon and Spooky?

[Junior]

The AC-130 is not Puff the Magic Dragon -- it is Specter or Spooky. Puff the Magic Dragon was built on a DC-3 airframe.

This is Puff:

More information can be found at this website.