Fig. 2-1. Map of Southeast Asia showing the seven Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) bases occupied by the US Air Force. (Non-linked)


Fig. 2-8. The Convair F-102 "Delta Dagger" was deployed to Thailand in the early 1960s to provide air defense.
Fig. 2-9. Original members of the Able Mable Reconnaissance Task Force standing next to an RF-101 "Voodoo." Based at Don Muang RTAFB, which was actually Thailand's main international airport (near Bangkok), the task force began flying missions over Laos late in 1961. (Click HERE to see more photos of the AMTF, including a good air-to-air photo of the RF-101.)
Fig. 2-11. Two F-100s on take-off roll from Takhli RTAFB, in central Thailand. This photo was taken in June 1962, more than two years before the United States was "officially" involved in the Vietnam war. Various USAF fighter units were based in Thailand at this time on a contingency basis due to insurgent activities in Laos.
Fig. 4-2 The Douglas EB-66 "Destroyer" was a medium bomber that was converted to electronic warfare (reconnaissance and active jamming) use. Keeping these birds in the air was a never-ending job; its unofficial nickname was "Soowie."
Fig. 4-4. The AC-47 was the military variant of the popular Douglas DC-3 converted to offensive use by the addition of three Gatling guns. Some of its many nicknames were "Dragonship" and "Puff, The Magic Dragon." (On the downloaded photo, note the tracer in the lower right.)

Fig. 4-5. Dramatic view of the AC-47's "mini-guns" firing at night.

Fig. 4-6. The Douglas A-26 "(Counter) Invader" was a modified version of the 1940s-vintage B-26. It was an effective weapons platform for disrupting traffic along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. They were based at NKP under operation Big Eagle, beginning in 1966. The predecessor B-26 had seen service in South Vietnam in the early 1960s.
Fig. 4-7. Groundcrewmen are loading the eight .50 cal. machine guns on an A-26. Photo copyright Randolph Ryman.
Fig. 5-5. The Fairchild C-123 "Provider" was used for many purposes. One of its lesser known functions was as a flareship, to illuminate targets for strike aircraft operating in Laos. Working under the callsign "Candlestick," this aircraft was hit in the left engine nacelle and fuel tanks by enemy groundfire. The burning fuel reached the back of the plane, which managed to land safely.
Fig. 5-8. The Lockheed F-104 "Starfighter" saw limited service in the Vietnam war. These planes, based at Udorn, were intended to provide gun-capable cover for F-4s, some of which were not equipped with an internal cannon. The Starfighters were less than totally effective and withdrawn after a short time.

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