Your custom 4 sos ac u spooky ii model will be a perfect replication with squadron markings and any tail number. As the vietnam war came to an end, the dating douglas ac47 spooky gunship needed an upgrade. It is a variation of the c hercules transport plane. The aircraft is equipped with trainable, sidefiring 105mm, 40mm and 25mm guns mounted in its port fuselage. Acu spooky gunships firing during training of the the 4th special operations squadron in florida. Some great stories on the lockheed c hercules and history of the gunship. How the ac destroyed at least 20 vehicles per night. The gunships sole user is the united states air force, which uses ach spectre and acu spooky variants. After 41 years of flying the c aircraft, the 144th airlift squadrons eight cs were divested, with the planes either being transferred to outside units or retired from service. An ac u gunship from the 4th special operations squadron. The lockheed martin ach spectre retired, acu spooky, acw stinger ii, and acj ghostrider new are fixedwing gunship variants of the c hercules military transport aircraft. In addition, afsoc will retain their remaining acu spectres, while retiring older gunships based on earlier hercules models. Acu spooky gunship rolls into retirement an acu spooky gunship retires to the 309th aerospace maintenance and regeneration group at davismonthan air force base, arizona, aug. An ac u spooky gunship c hercules variant from the 4th special operations squadron jettisons flares over an area near hurlburt field, florida, on august 20, 2008.
It was the original prototype of what was to become a long line of aircraft, ones still in use today. The spooky is being replaced with a newer gunship, the acj ghostrider. It carries a wide array of ground attack weapons that are integrated with sophisticated sensors, navigation, and firecontrol systems. The current ac u is armed with a gau12 equalizer 25 mm cannon, one bofors 40 mm cannon and one m102 105 mm howitzer. The spooky ii became operational in 1994, revitalizing the special operations gunship fleet as a replacement for the aca aircraft, and to supplement the workhorse ach spectre, which was retired in 2015. The squadron plans, prepares, and executes ac spooky gunship missions, providing precise delivery of 2540. In 1987, north american rockwell began to modify the c hercules airframe. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. All gunships evolved from the first operational gunship, the ac 47 the ac gunship has a combat history dating to vietnam. The port side of the ac houses firing ports for an array of cannons, howitzers and gatling guns.
See more ideas about ac, military aircraft and fighter jets. There were many things that made the hercules stand out from its competition, but the chief point of distinction were the engines powering this airborne beast. Daron worldwide trading postage stamp usaf c 1200 spare 617 airplane model. The basic airframe is manufactured by lockheed, while boeing is responsible for the conversion into a gunship and for aircraft support. In 1987, north american rockwell began to modify the c hercules airframe, manufactured by the lockheed martin aeronautics company, for the ac gunship. Acu spooky us air force special forces aerial gunship based on the mch, equipped with a new 25mm gatling gun and upgraded electronics. Oct 27, 20 the ac u spooky gunships, located at hurlburt field, fla. Missionthe acu spooky gunships primary missions are close air. The ac gunship has a few variants, the main being transport plane called c hercules. Under a contract awarded in 1987, boeing manufactures and supports the acu gunship aircraft for the u. Lockheed ac spectre gunship the lockheed c hercules went into production at the lockheed aircraft co. It is powerful enough to provide close air support to ground troops and also against insurgents.
It also has twice the munitions capacity of the ach. The acu employs the latest technologies and can attack two targets simultaneously. During the battle, the aircrew facilitated additional fire support from ah64 apache helicopters, prepared medical helicopters to evacuate casualties, and launched a quick reaction force qrf to help. The squadron plans, prepares, and executes ac spooky gunship. This replica model is made and available factory direct from scalecraft models. For the ac to perform its mission, it needs the air force to achieve air dominance or air superiority. Therefore, the wright r3350powered ac119 was also selected for the gunship role. Evasive action ac u hercules gunship aircraft an ac u gunship jettisons flares aug. I had decided a couple of years ago that i wanted to build displays of the two aircraft i spent 24 years of my life on, the first 17 years being on the b52h at castle afb, ca and the last seven with the umodel gunship program at hurlburt field, fl. Many were called, but few were chosen, and the contract for this new aircraft went to lockheed and their c hercules.
The spooky, a close air support variant of the lockheed ac hercules aircraft. Airmen from the 4th special operations squadron load a 105mm gun aboard an acu spooky during a training mission at hurlburt field, fla. The acu spooky gunships, located at hurlburt field, florida, are attached to the 4th special operations squadron 4th sos. The lockheed ac gunship is a heavily armed, longendurance, ground attack variant of the c hercules transport, fixedwing aircraft. The ach spectre gunships primary missions are close air. Acu spooky gunship conducts livefire training dvids. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. The ac u spooky gunships primary missions are close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance. During the vietnam war the c hercules airframe was selected to replace the original gunship, the douglas ac47 spooky project gunship i. They also did the ac h spooky, i built this version with 40mm bofors cannon instead of 105mm cannon on u model. Jan 06, 2005 italeri diddoes the ac u spectre gunship. A c hercules from the 144th airlift squadron, alaska air national guard, flies away from denali, the highest point in north america, march 4, 2017.
Acu spooky gunship rolls into retirement the last armed acu spooky gunship, tail number 5, retired to the 309th aerospace maintenance and regeneration group at davismonthan air force base, ariz. The air commando association stories on the lockheed c. Air force said its acu, known as the spooky, has returned stateside from its last scheduled deployment. Upgrade your style with gunship tshirts from zazzle.
Ac spectre spooky gunship being mothballed carolina. Ac gunship airplane aircraft model is made from the highest quality mahogany wood and workmanship. The lockheed ac gunship is a heavily armed ground attack aircraft currently in service with the united states air force. The acu spooky gunship has completed its final combat. C hercules was selected to replace the douglas ac47 spooky gunship project. The acquisition program for the acu gunship evolved from a. Acw spectrestinger ii bullet flag premium tee limited supply.
The usaf finally gives its acw gunship the big gun it desperately needs the service did not originally plan to put the hardhitting 105mm howitzer on newer gunships, but has since made the. Effective range of the gun is about 3,000 meters 9,800 feet. The acus call sign is spooky, and traces its history to the first operational gunship, the ac47. Brett laswell, an acu spooky gunship special missions aviator and evaluator with the 4th special operations squadron, performs preflight checks on the 105 mm howitzer. Background the spooky is the third generation of c gunships. This article by oriana pawlyk originally appeared on, a leading source of news for the military and veteran community. This book features a wealth of outstanding color photographs, many of which. The hercules cargo airframe was converted into aca project gunship ii because it could fly faster, longer, higher and with increased munitions load capabilities. The ac gunship ii superseded the ac47 gunship i in vietnam. During the vietnam war, the c hercules was selected to replace the douglas ac47 spooky gunship project gunship i in order to improve mission. Compilation with the ac ach spectre, acu spooky ii, acw stinger ii during conducting live fire missions during exercise emerald warrior 2011 2016. Lockheed acu spooky ii shows off its power military.
The ac is operated by a crew of 11 men, depending on the variant. The crew of acu spooky gunship busy at work weapons. The c hercules was chosen to be the aircraft the next. An acu spooky gunship c hercules variant from the 4th special operations squadron jettisons flares over an area near hurlburt field, florida, on august 20, 2008. Lockheed c hercules military aircraft military machine. The air force s famous acu spooky gunship is on the verge of retirement with the heavily armed cargo plane returning on monday from its last scheduled overseas mission. This aircraft has a sophisticated fire control system. The erusean air force operated at least one spooky during operation werewolf, but it was shot over cape rainy by. An acu spooky gunship is prepped to be moved into the 309th aerospace maintenance and regeneration group at davismonthan air force base, arizona, aug. Thats why the aging ac gunship is still revered by ground troops for its ability. The spooky ii is a c transport aircraft converted to an attack role for close air support and armed reconnaissance. I had decided a couple of years ago that i wanted to build displays of the two aircraft i spent 24 years of my life on, the first 17 years being on the b52h at castle afb, ca and the last seven with the u.
The accepted callsign for the ach series is the threatening spectre while the acu series enjoys the mysterious spooky callsign. The ac family is slowly morphing from cannon shell spraying aerial gunships to arsenal ships packed with a wide array of guided munitions and direct fire systems, and soon they will be. It contains 3 weapons the models are based on the zu23 aa gun. The ac u spooky was originally armed with a 25mm gau12u cannon capable of firing 1,800 rounds per minute, a singlebarrel, rapidfire 40mm bofors l60 cannon, and a modified 105mm m102.
From the acu spooky gunship 25mm gatlingtype rotary cannon gunners point of view during live firing in korea september 20, 2012 david cenciotti military aviation 0. 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. The ac is powered by four turboprops and has an armament ranging from 20 mm gatling guns to 105 mm howitzers. Although the ac j is still yet to take to the skies operationally, take a few minutes and fly along on a some training missions aboard afsocs legacy ac specter and spooky flying gunships. Fast forward half a century and the usaf now operates the acu spooky ii for close air support, air interdiction, and armed. The airsource military recently posted up this video of an acu during livefire training. 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. The ac u has a crew of thirteen, including four gunners. Org in late december 2001 a department of defense program budget decision pbd called for purchasing at least eight additional ac u spooky gunships, and initiating work on a possible replacement gunship aircraft.
In the video below, the loadmaster and aerial gunners load various ammunition onto the acu spooky ii. The acu spooky was originally armed with a 25mm gau12u cannon capable of firing 1,800 rounds per minute, a singlebarrel, rapidfire 40mm bofors l60 cannon, and a modified 105mm m102. The spooky ii is armed with a 25mm gau12u gatling gun 1800 rpm, a 40mm l60 bofors cannon 120 rpm and a 10mm m102 howitzer 610 rpm. Its armed with a single sidemounted 25 mm gau12 equalizer gatling gun capable of unloading 1800 rounds a minute. It features a 25mm, 40mm and 105mm cannon to provide air support for ground troops. This quarter there have been some great stories of the c and a history of the gunship on the internet. The acj ghostrider will get a big ass gun afterall. The ac has a rich history that includes support of military operations in vietnam, panama and iraq as well as performing in many combat missions since it was fielded in. The newest version, the acu spectre gunship, replaced the original aca and represented a major advancement.
Requested many times on many pages and here we finally go. The lockheed ac gunship is a heavily armed, longendurance, groundattack variant of the c hercules transport, fixedwing aircraft. It was retired to the 309th aerospace maintenance and regeneration group, known as the aircraft boneyard, at davismonthan air force base, ariz. Acu gatling cannon gau12u fires 25mm caliber rounds at a rate of 1,800 rounds per minute as in, 30 rounds every second. This custom model is made from scratch just for you in only 910 weeks, with rush production available to meet tight deadlines. Air force selected the c hercules airframe as its new gunship because it could fly faster, longer and at higher altitudes, all while carrying more munition. The lockheed ac gunship is a heavily armed groundattack aircraft variant of the c hercules transport plane. This mod lets you take control of the ac and all of its weapons.
The story of spooky, shadow, stinger and spectre mutza, wayne on. Aug 06, 2007 found this while looking through globalsecurity. Any variant of the lockheed ac from any service or country. The spooky umodel is the third generation of c gunships.
The usaf finally gives its acw gunship the big gun it. The acu represents a major advancement over previous generation gunships. The aca gunship ii superseded the ac47 gunship i during the vietnam war. By continuing to use this site you consent to our use of cookies. The acu gunship has completed its final combat deployment. The acu spooky and acw stinger ii variants are used to support ground troops, escort convoys, and in towns and cities. Apr 29, 2012 ac u spooky gunships firing during training of the the 4th special operations squadron in florida. Aerial gunners aboard a usaf acu spooky gunship of the 4th special operations squadron load the 40mm bofors cannon background and the 105mm howitzer foreground at the end of a typical fire mission the cabin floor is covered with expended shell casings. The lockheed ac is a c cargo plane converted into a gunship. The lockheed martin ac spookyspectre is an gunship, that is used by the united states air force for close air support. It builds up nicely, only things missing are the gunners control box in the cargo bay.
Ac spectre spooky gunship being mothballed discussion in off topic discussion started by 9outof10mms, feb 7, 2014. Missionthe acu spooky gunships primary missions are close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance. May 10, 2016 the spooky ii is a c transport aircraft converted to an attack role for close air support and armed reconnaissance. The acu has a crew of thirteen, including four gunners. An air force acu gunship from the 4th special operations squadron goes into a lwft bank during a training mission the acu spooky is a variant of the c cargo plane which has been mnodified in order to operate as a gunship.
The acs navigational devices include inertial navigation systems and global positioning systems. The acu spooky gunships, located at hurlburt field, fla. The gunship contains a 40mm l60 bofors cannon firing at 120 rpm, a 10mm m102 howitzer firing at 610 rpm, and a downwardfacing 25mm gau12 u gatling gun, firing at 1800 rpm. Usaf keeping spare acus gunships for laser and pain. The flares are a countermeasure for heatseeking missiles that may be fired at the aircraft during real world missions. Ac aircraft provide close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance in support of special operation forces sof.
Us air force poster acu spectre gunship ac poster 18x24 af56 5. I absolutely love this plane and am very happy with how this came out. Acj ghostrider gunship upgrade gives afsoc its most lethal. Former and current members of the 4th special operations squadron. The ac is flown by usaf special operations, mostly in the close air support role. Different avionics and subsystems aside, the two aircraft share many similarities. Unlike other modern military fixedwing aircraft, the ac relies on visual targeting. Plans announced in april 2010 are for afsoc to acquire 15 of the new acjs, based on new production airframes from lockheed martin.
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. The ac u spooky and ac w stinger ii variants are used to support ground troops, escort convoys, and in towns and cities. Compilation with the ac ach spectre, acu spooky ii, acw stinger ii during conducting live fire missions during exercise emerald warrior 20. The usaf finally gives its acw gunship the big gun it desperately needs the service did not originally plan to put the hardhitting 105mm howitzer on. The ach spectre gunships primary missions are close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance. The acu gunship has completed its final combat deployment the u. Acu gunship spooky hyperscale is proudly supported by squadron. Close air support missions include troops in contact, convoy escort and point air defense. Existing c airframes receive the latest sensor technologies and fire control systems that, together, substantially increase the gunships combat. Lockheed ac gunship copybook global business network. Apr 01, 2016 this aircraft paper model is a lockheed ac u spooky ii gunship, a variant of the lockheed ac gunship, which is a heavily armed, longendurance groundattack variant of the c hercules transport aircraft, the papercraft is created by bruno vanhecke, there are 1. Sep 29, 2017 the project gunship ii lockheed aca spectre was also in use at the time, but was in short supply due to the air forces need for standard c hercules airlifters to process the war in vietnam and meet worldwide airlift commitments.
All gunships evolved from the first operational gunship, the ac47 the ac gunship has a combat history dating to vietnam. In terms of armament however, the acu incorporated a 25mm gun to compliment the standard 40mm cannon and 105mm howitzer. Photo of a usaf ac u spooky aircraft in flight more special operations photos at this site uses cookies. The acus armament includes a 25mm gatling gun, as well as 40mm and 105mm cannons. This version depicts the ac u spooky ii version currently in service with the usaf. Air force acu spooky gunship, tail number 890511, sits on the flightline at hurlburt field, fla. It also employs a bofors 40mm antiaircraft autocannonthink a machine gun that fires artillery shellsas well as a 105 mm m102 howitzer that. Description development of the ac begun with a requirement in the vietnam war, where an aircraft with more enhanced groundattack capabilities was needed.
474 1087 1129 1309 699 546 240 592 367 1107 1238 1320 61 553 331 381 1414 33 397 1020 1445 501 874 1091 925 1023 570 657 269 995 397 569 129 440 201 1233 1450 73