An acj ghostrider gunship performs a routine training mission at hurlburt field, fla. Some careers in the air force will have different groupings of afscs, these are called special duty assignment a job outside your specialty but related in this case. Aboard the ac spectre gunship, he flew a total of 287 combat missions over laos. C hercules vietnam war cap black at amazon mens clothing. Customize and personalize this 16th special operations squadron ach spectre model with your choice of pilot and crew chief names, weapons load out and patch and text on stand.
The concept had been tested and the c airframe was selected, however, very few c aircraft were available for configuration to gunships and alternate airframes were used. The ac 47 pilot ordered his crew to bail out from the aircraft, a radio call heard by the controlling fac. Made to sew on much like a traditional rank or identification patch, these. About the us gunship ac spectre in action duration. Oct 19, 2017 crew of ac gunship honored for suppressing taliban ambush. Its no wonder then that morale patches have been an important element in military culture for generations. Nonprofit organization celebrating the legacy of the mighty spectre gunship all models. Spirit 03 is a revered name in the afsoc community, often spoken of in hushed and pained tones. The ach spectre gunships primary missions are close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance. In my 14 years in the af i saw more crazy stuff than anyone else i knew. The lockheed ac gunship is a heavily armed, longendurance, groundattack variant of the c hercules transport, fixedwing aircraft. Prior to the ac s, aircrews flew the latest in the family of gunships which included the famous ac 47 spooky, ac 119g shadow, and the ac 119k stinger. The story of spirit 03, whilst sad, was also one of heroism the kind youd find in the us air force special operations command community. Deadly ac gunship in action firing all its cannons the ac is the worlds biggest flying artillery gunship, nicknamed hell in the sky.
Shortly after the bailout call, the fac pilot saw the ac 47 roll into a steep descent and crash. Why the c is such a badass plane popular mechanics. The kcj is the latest variant operated by the united states marine corps, with 48 delivered out of 79 ordered. Its 105mm gun, called a m102 howitzer, fires 33pound high explosive shells at a. With three sidefiring weaponsa 25mm gatling gun, a 40mm bofors cannon, and a 105mm howitzerits easy to see why it got its name. Crew of ac gunship honored for suppressing taliban ambush. Dec 20, 2017 about the us gunship ac spectre in action duration. Distinguished flying crosses awarded to 24 ac crew members. The acj is the fourth generation gunship replacing the aging fleet of acu spooky and acw stinger ii gunships. Shortly after the bailout call, the fac pilot saw the ac47 roll into a steep descent and crash. There are a electronic warfare officer, and a fire control officer on board the ac. Acj ghostrider gunship upgrade gives afsoc its most lethal. The lockheed martin kc is the basic designation for a family of the extendedrange tanker version of the c hercules transport aircraft modified for aerial refueling.
Custom patches for variants of the lockheed c hercules and cj super hercules. Usaf 22nd airlift squadron hells crew chief military patch. Man was it cold at 6000 ft over indiana in november and december. The aircraft is powered by four turboprop engines and has a flight speed of 300 mph and a flight range of 1,300 miles, depending on weight. Show your military pride with the finest quality military patches, pins and gifts from all branches of the military. Air force ac crew buried in arlington national cemetery november 1995. While developing the ac j, lockheed was having problems with the 105mm gun. The ac gunship can provide accurate fire support for extended. This book gives a good thumb nail sketch of what it was like to be a young c crew chief during the viet nam war and also travel the world.
Our high quality air force crew chief patches are professionally printed and perfect to sew onto backpacks, jackets and more to give them some unique personality. Bone and teeth fragments unearthed 2 years ago at the crash site of an usaf gunship shot down over laos in 1970 left some relatives unconvinced that their loved ones died. Our c patches are 100% embroidered with velcro backing. C patches ac spectre gunship patch asif shamim collection ac spectre the night hides not vietnam made repro patch asif shamim collection. History of the 16th special operations squadron in vietnam. Unlike other modern military fixedwing aircraft, the ac relies on visual targeting. The good times bad times and long days were hard but worth it.
As far as i know, those directly involved in the shooting are all officers. So hot that the crew of the acu spooky 43 didnt know if they could. Gallery c patches ac spectre gunship patch asif shamim collection ac spectre the night hides not vietnam made repro patch asif. C crew chief jennifer franke talks about her role in the air force reserve. Ach spectre acu spooky acw stinger ii acj ghostrider. The aca was equipped with down facing gatling guns affixed to the left side of the aircraft with an analog fire control system. Three ac crew members from the 4th special operations squadron were awarded the distinguished flying cross june 20 for their heroic achievements during a mission sept.
C reunited with crew chief from vietnam war article. Other roles include air interdiction preplanned airtoground strikes, armed reconnaissance and force protection flying defensive patrols over friendly forces bases. Deadly ac gunship in action firing all its cannons. This is americas lethal ac gunship on steroids the. I was a c crew chief for many years and wondered why no one ever wrote about the trials and tribulations of our trade. I was at ubon, thailand before the end of january, and flew my first mission the next day, my first time in an ac.
The fac reported he saw no ground fire directed at the ac 47, saw no parachutes, and heard no emergency radio beepers. Ac crewmembers receive distinguished flying crosses. This cap has an embroidered patch with the c hercules vietnam war seal on the cap. I departed for sea on jan 3, 1970, arriving at clark for jungle school. Feb, 2011 the one who actually aims and fires on the ac is actually the pilot, the aircraft commander. The fac reported he saw no ground fire directed at the ac47, saw. Nov 25, 2015 the ac attack on a kunduz hospital that killed 30 last month was the result of a series of errors by special operations teams. The ac spooky ii gunship is a standard c transport aircraft engineered for closeair support combat. Theres nothing easy about military worklong hours, early mornings, extensive travel, and demanding conditions are all part of the game. The yc flying from burbank, california, to edwards air force base during its. The basic c, aft of the cockpit and before the ramp, is the length of a railroad boxcar, rhodes says. Prior to the acs, aircrews flew the latest in the family of gunships which included the famous ac47 spooky, ac119g shadow, and the ac119k stinger.
Data from lockheed martin kcj super tanker fact sheet, general characteristics crew. C crew patch osw dhahran, saudi arabia 1996 the guard takes over. Official patch of the crew for the blue angels fat albert airlines get. Ac h crew chief nov 97 sept 05, afsoc moc controller sept 05 aug 09, mcw ac w crew chief aug 09aug 11, lockheed martin iso crew chief jan 12 current. Bel air, md patch breaking local news events schools. The ac is flown by usaf special operations, mostly in the close air support role. Ach crew chief nov 97 sept 05, afsoc moc controller sept 05 aug 09, mcwacw crew chief aug 09aug 11, lockheed martin iso crew chief jan 12 current. Some careers in the air force will have different groupings of afscs, these are called special duty assignment a job outside. I was scheduled to pt test today due in june, however last week i was laid up in the hospital for a few weeks due to a gi bleed.
The ac crew will maintain radio contact with the ground forces at all. The door gunner of a helicopter hh60 or the ac gunship has responsibilities and training that include inspection, maintenance, testing, as well as operating some of the fastest shooting weapons in the military. Usaf patch air force west coast c 17 demo team mccord. Acu spooky gunship model 4 sos customize and personalize this 4th special operations squadron acu spooky gunship model with your choice of pilot and crew chief names, weapons load out and patch and text on stand. It was the call sign of the last ac gunship shot down in combat. This estimate is based upon 2 us air force c crew chief salary reports provided by employees or estimated based upon statistical methods. Cortnie echterling c pilot with the 9th airlift wing duration. This is not an easy job, but it can be very rewarding. I was stationed at ubon from july 1971 to may 1972.
The lockheed ac is a c cargo plane converted into a gunship. So hot that the crew of the ac u spooky 43 didnt know if they could. C hercules fe flight engineer usaf navy usmc lockheed. Find out more about a career in tactical aircraft maintenance. The port side of the ac houses firing ports for an array of cannons, howitzers and gatling guns. New unused 4 12 patch lockheed c hercules flight engineer powered by sixbits ecommerce solution 163630881074. Operation kingfish providing close air support for the task force 141. Ac h spectre model 16 sos customize and personalize this 16th special operations squadron ac h spectre model with your choice of pilot and crew chief names, weapons load out and patch and text on stand. I was at an army hospital and they wrote me a profile in army form stating to be exempt from all aspects of the pt test to. May 21, 2019 the door gunner of a helicopter hh60 or the ac gunship has responsibilities and training that include inspection, maintenance, testing, as well as operating some of the fastest shooting weapons in the military. The ac crew came to their rescue, firing round after round from the 25mm, 40mm and 105mm, while coordinating hellfire missile strikes, bomb runs and other attacks from nearby helicopters and. The ac attack on a kunduz hospital that killed 30 last month was the result of a series of errors by special operations teams. United states air force ac gunship afsoc crew chief military patch size. Air force crew chiefs are trained to diagnose and repair, coordinate, and supervise.
I do remember that the unit received the outstanding unit award, with v device for valor while i was there, and i just missed eligibility for the presidential citation. Ac bullet flag velcro patches danger close apparel. The spooky ii is a c transport aircraft converted to an attack role for close air support and armed reconnaissance. The distinguished flying cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the u. Your 73 amu patches are 4 diameter, and 100% embroidered with velcro backing. Crew chief, ce part ways december 9, 2016 by a1c grace nichols crew chiefs are the individuals who are essential in the upkeep and maintenance of aircraft, so its no surprise that they would be prone to remember certain aircraft. It carries a wide array of ground attack weapons that are integrated with sophisticated sensors, navigation, and firecontrol systems. An ac, callsign spectre 64, was seen in find makarov. It replaced older kcf, kcr, and kct variants, while one usmc reserve unit still operates 12 kc. Background the spooky is the third generation of c gunships. Other missions include perimeter and point defense, escort, landing, drop and extraction zone support, forward air control, limited command and control, and combat search and rescue. Air force secretary heather wilson recently touted the feats of an ac crew. Airman first class joshua hornbrook, 1st special operations aircraft maintenance squadron assistant crew chief, inspects an acu spooky before its retirement flight at hurlburt field, fla. Vietnam conflict ac47d spooky gunship aircrew losses.
Get the best deals on c patch when you shop the largest online. Richard burton, crew chief with the infantry division, provides security in a. This is for anyone who has ever been a crew chief on the mighty c hercules what airplanes did you crew and. See all c crew chief salaries to learn how this stacks up in the market. Ac crew members, ground troops punished for kunduz hospital. Ac crew members, ground troops punished for kunduz. The acs navigational devices include inertial navigation systems and global positioning systems.
The ac47 pilot ordered his crew to bail out from the aircraft, a radio call heard by the controlling fac. Usaf 123rd special tactics squadron patch military insignia. The acu has a crew of thirteen, including four gunners. The acus capability to track and engage two targets simultaneously with different levels of ordnance is an invaluable asset to special operations forces on the ground.
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