And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Close air support before the A-10
SOUTH VIETNAM. December 26, 1964. Flying low over the jungle, an A-1 Skyraider drops 500-pound bombs on a Viet Cong position below as smoke rises from a previous pass at the target.
Even today in many environments, the SPAD is an effective close support weapons system. True, it's not a Warthog. but in low intensity conflicts it's a beast.
Those are Napalm. They come off the wing nose down, then flip up behind the wing and flip nose over tail backward until impact. The "knob" looking thing is the WP igniter sticking out of the back end, it is the giveaway. The little things still on the wing hardpoints are the frag bombs. The other two napalm canisters are inboard, with the fuel tank carried center line. --Ray
"E" Model from the South Vietnamese AF. The "E" often had "guest" pilots from the USAF flying with new VNAF pilots although the VNAF "old hands" were Sierra Hotel. Worked with a few on a couple of occasions. They did good work. regards, Alemaster
worked many hours on A1H battle damage. tough well engineered vibrators with wings. stop drilled cracks every where. consumed vast quantities of 115/145 gas, 50wt oil, and 20mike mike. used to stuff flak jackets under the seat. going to battle is an A10 is the way to do it. armor all around the cockpit to deflect the golden bb's that come up from below. rugged brick shit house with wings and a bad attitude. take that over a Spad any day.
Even today in many environments, the SPAD is an effective close support weapons system. True, it's not a Warthog. but in low intensity conflicts it's a beast.
ReplyDeleteHaving no tail fins, I suspect these bombs are napalm.
ReplyDeleteThat was my first impression
DeleteThose are Napalm. They come off the wing nose down, then flip up behind the wing and flip nose over tail backward until impact. The "knob" looking thing is the WP igniter sticking out of the back end, it is the giveaway. The little things still on the wing hardpoints are the frag bombs. The other two napalm canisters are inboard, with the fuel tank carried center line. --Ray
ReplyDelete"E" Model from the South Vietnamese AF. The "E" often had "guest" pilots from the USAF flying with new VNAF pilots although the VNAF "old hands" were Sierra Hotel. Worked with a few on a couple of occasions. They did good work. regards, Alemaster
ReplyDeleteworked many hours on A1H battle damage. tough well engineered vibrators with wings. stop drilled cracks every where. consumed vast quantities of 115/145 gas, 50wt oil, and 20mike mike. used to stuff flak jackets under the seat. going to battle is an A10 is the way to do it. armor all around the cockpit to deflect the golden bb's that come up from below. rugged brick shit house with wings and a bad attitude. take that over a Spad any day.
ReplyDelete