Airframes
Benevolens Magister
i Believe that was for anti-submarine work.
B-24 ground attack tactics
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Glider
Captain
I think I am right when I remember that in late 1944 a few Wellingtons were used at night to attack transport at low level in Europe. They could strafe but delayed action bombs were the main weapon.
wuzak
Captain
MIflyer
1st Lieutenant
And let me add this opinion. In Desert Shield we lost an AC-130. An officer I served with had the job of going to tell some of the next of kin. I was shocked - and I'm still shocked - that we were using such a weapons system in daylight against an enemy as well equipped with AAA and SAMs as the Iraqis. At night, against forces equipped with not much more than small arms, or plinking trucks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, it is fine, given suitable precautions. In daylight, under clear air conditions against forces that have a dozen different ways to shoot down that lumbering beast from miles away, such employment is sheer insanity in my book. There were plenty of other aircraft available that could have done the job with much better survivability.
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Greg Boeser
2nd Lieutenant
Hubris is a terrible thing.
It's what led the Japanese to lose four carriers at Midway. Plenty of examples on the Allied side all through the war, too.
It's what led the Japanese to lose four carriers at Midway. Plenty of examples on the Allied side all through the war, too.
MIflyer
1st Lieutenant
It is often difficult to tell the difference between "hubris" and stupidity.
During Desert Shield, within the USAF everyone knew that a successful career would depend on your being in there with "Stormin" Norman." I'm sure that having that AC-130 there was due to either people seeking to enhance their careers or a general officer trying to prove that his guys were as good as anyone else. "Stormin' Normam" specifically asked for every A-10 he could get but I really doubt he asked for any AC-130's.
During Desert Shield, within the USAF everyone knew that a successful career would depend on your being in there with "Stormin" Norman." I'm sure that having that AC-130 there was due to either people seeking to enhance their careers or a general officer trying to prove that his guys were as good as anyone else. "Stormin' Normam" specifically asked for every A-10 he could get but I really doubt he asked for any AC-130's.
MIflyer,
Even back in the dark ages of Desert Storm the AC-130 was formidable. If I were a downed Airman, wanting top cover for an extraction they would have been high on my list (threat permitting). They were also extraordinarily accurate even then.
A guy I flew with called one in during our run through Panama. His Army unit was taking sniper fire from a building. The Gunship took out the building and did not damage the sidewalk that wrapped around it 3' away.
Cheers,
Biff
