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Another of the many uses of the Lockheed C-130 was
as an airborne command and control center. For this role, a large trailer
filled with communications gear was loaded into the plane. This view shows
the radio technician's section of the ABCCC 2 capsule in a plane flown
by the 7th ACCS. (Thanks, Robert Hemme) |
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A Douglas B-26, s/n 25855, photographed among beautiful
clouds, is supporting South Vietnamese paratroopers fighting the Viet Cong
in June 1962. This medium bomber was used by USAF Air Commando units in
South Vietnam in the early 60s but withdrawn due to structural failures.
They were rebuilt and returned to SEA as the A-26K "Counter-Invader." |
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The DeHavilland C-7 "Caribou" was a Canadian design
that saw tactical service in South Vietnam. In later models, the reciprocating
propeller engines were replaced with turboprops. |
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A C-47 lurks among the foliage at NKP in 1973. At
this stage of the game, the venerable "Gooney Bird" design was nearing
40 years old! |
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Another variant of the Lockheed "Hercules," the HC-130P,
refuels an HH-53 "Super Jolly Green Giant" rescue helicopter. |
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The Douglas HC-54 "Rescuemaster" was the military
version of the DC-4 airliner. It was used as a command ship for search
and rescue missions in the early days of the Vietnam war. |
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The Sikorsky HH-3C "Jolly Green Giant" rescue helicopter.
An angel of mercy to a downed crewman. |
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The Grumman HU-16 "Albatross" was another early airborne
vehicle for coordinating search and rescue operations. |
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A Boeing KB-50 (a suped-up B-29) refuels a pair of
F-100s over the Atlantic Ocean in 1961. Propeller-driven tankers such as
the converted bomber (despite the addition of auxiliary jet engines) and
a cargo plane, the KC-97, were inferior in performance to the jets they
were refueling; both were replaced by the KC-135. |
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NKP in 1973. The runway is concrete and there are
revetments around the planes, but they're still the same old warhorse A-1s
and C-47s. |
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A closer look at the A-1s tucked away in individual
revetments. (What do they think these are...F-111s?!?!) |
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The Cessna O-1"Bird Dog" was used as a forward air
controller (FAC) aircraft. The pilot would fly low and slow to spot enemy
troops, mark their location with a rocket (seen here under the wings),
then it would be bombed by tactical aircraft. |
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Another Cessna FAC aircraft, the O-2 was based on
the model 336 and 337 "Skymaster." It was a two-engined aircraft of more
(slightly) robust construction than the O-1. |
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The Rockwell OV-10 "Bronco" was a twin-turboporp FAC
and utility plane used by the Air Force and Marines. It could haul cargo
or passengers (paratroopers) in the rear compartment. |
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A Beech QU-22B "Pave Eagle II" drone/relay ship warms
up the engine at NKP. The large engine cowling houses a gear reduction
system that helped it fly quieter. |
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A look at a UC-123 on a Ranch Hand defoliant mission.
Isn't it amazing that these chemicals could burn off all this vegetation
and yet have -- allegedly -- no effect on a human being? |
