Sud Aviation Vautour

The Sud Aviation Vautour (S.O.4050) was a ground-attack and all-weather fighter aircraft in service with the French Air Force during the Cold War. It was a versatile twin-jet warplane which was produced by the French firm Sud Aviation (Sud-Ouest) in both single-seat and two-seat versions from 1956 to 1959. The Vautour was also used as a bomber, interceptor, and reconnaissance aircraft. As a matter of fact, for several years, it was France's only all-weather fighter and it remained operational in this role until 1973 when it was replaced by the Dassault Mirage F1. Fitted with sweptback wing, it was a maneuverable and reliable warplane, which was used also by the Israeli Air Force during the 1967 Six Day War. Due to its wing and tail configuration, its appearance was reminiscent of the North American F-86 Sabre or the Soviet MiG-17.

The prototype of the Sud Aviation Vautour made its maiden flight on October 16, 1952. Since jet-powered, swept-wing aircraft was a novelty in those days in the French aviation, the flight test phase to improve and set right technical problems lasted four years, and the aircraft was finally introduced into service with the French Air Force in July 1956 as the Vautour IIN, which was a two-seat, all-weather night fighter and interceptor fitted with a radar set up in the nose, and armed with four 30-mm cannons and air-to-air rockets. Next, Sud Aviation produced the IIA variant, which was a single-seat, ground-attack aircraft; this is version that was acquired by Israel, while the IIB variant was a two-seat bomber, which could carry up to 4,400 kg (9,700-lb) of bombs. All versions were powered by the French-made SNECMA Atar 101 turbojet engines.

Technical Characteristics

The Sud Aviation Vautour was a medium-size, twin-engine, subsonic monoplane. It had a semi-monocoque, all-metal fuselage, with a conical nose and a tapering rear section. The aircraft featured sweptback, shoulder wing, with a sweep of 35°. The tailplane also had a sweptback configuration and it was mounted on the vertical fin of tail assembly. The Vautour was fitted with a bicycle landing gear, which consisted of two main legs set in tandem and retracting into the fuselage. The two SNECMA Atar 101 jet engines were contained in pods carried under the wings. The weapon bay, for bombs or missiles, was located in central portion of fuselage. The cockpit was pressurized and equipped with ejection seat(s). Only the IIN all-weather fighter was equipped with a radar, which was mounted in nose of aircraft.

Specifications (Vautour IIA)

Type: ground-attack aircraft

Length: 15.57 m (51 feet, 1 inch)

Wing Span: 15.09 m (49 feet, 6 inches)

Wing Area: 45 m2 (484 square feet)

Height: 4.5 m (14 feet, 9 inches)

Power Plant: two 7,719-lb-thrust, SNECMA Atar 101E-3 turbojet engines

Maximum Speed: 1,105 km/h (687 mph)

Range: 2,575 km (1,600 miles)

Service Ceiling: 15,000 m (49,210 feet)

Weight: 10,000 kg (empty)

Crew: 1

Armament: four 30-mm DEFA cannons; 240 rockets or 10 bombs in fuselage weapon bay.

Above, the Vautour IIA ground-attack version flying over the French countryside.

The IIN version of the aircraft.

The second prototype, S.O.4050-2, which would become the IIA version.

LTV A-7 Corsair II

The LTV A-7 Corsair II was a carrier-borne attack aircraft, which was used by the US Navy and US Air Force during the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. Despite its stubby appearance, it proved to be one of the most capable attack aircraft in service with the US Navy. Compared to the small A-4 Skyhawk it replaced,  the A-7 represented a great leap in technology as it could deliver weapons with an accuracy unheard of in their day. It achieved the lowest loss rate of any aircraft in the Vietnam War. The head-up display, the central navigation and weapon delivery computer, and other avionics innovations were first used on this subsonic aircraft.

The A-7 Corsair II was developed and produced by LTV (Ling-Temco Vought) in the United States of America. The prototype made its maiden flight on September 20, 1965, and the first operational US Navy squadron airplane was delivered in October 1966. It finally entered service on February 1, 1967, as the A-7A Corsair II. The A-7A, A-7B, and A-7E versions took part in the Vietnam War. The first combat mission assigned to this attack aircraft took place in December 1967. The Corsair II was a true naval attack aircraft in every way, flying its last combat sorties during the 1991 Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm). The A-7D and A-7K were the variants used by USAF. It was also employed by the Portuguese and Greek Air Force. A total of 1,545 aircraft was produced between 1965 and 1984.

Technical Description

The LTV A-7 Corsair II was a single-seat, single-engine monoplane designed to operate from aircraft carrier. It had a short, stubby, all-metal fuselage and moderate swept wing, which was mounted on shoulder of fuselage. The wing outer panel could be folded upward to facilitate aircraft stowage beneath the carrier deck. The wing trailing edge was fitted with conventional outboard ailerons and slotted flaps. There were three pylons under each wing for carrying bombs and missiles. The cockpit had an upward hinging canopy, giving pilot excellent visibility. The pilot sat on an Escapat ejection seat. The A-7E version was powered by one Rolls Royce Allison TTF41-A-2 turbofan engine, which delivered 14,979 pounds of thrust. The engine air intake was located on belly of  aircraft, under cockpit. The Corsair II had short and sturdy retractable landing gear.

Specifications (A-7E)

Type: carrier-based subsonic attack aircraft

Length: 14.06 m (46 feet, 2 inches)

Wing Span: 11.81 m (38 feet, 9 inches)

Wing Area: 34.83 m2 (375 square feet)

Height: 4.88 m (16 feet)

Power Plant: one 14,979-lb, Rolls Royce Allison TTF41-A-2 turbofan engine

Maximum Speed: 1,123 km/h (698 mph)

Climb Rate: 4,572 m/minute

Service Ceiling: 12,800 m (41,995 feet)

Crew: one

Armament: one M61A1 Vulcan six-barrel 20-mm gun; maximum bomb-load of 6,804 kg (15,000-lb).

Above, a US Navy's A-7A version flying off the coast of California around 1968.

Above, a USAF's A-7D variant makes a pass over a land airbase.

A Crusader II taxing towards the runway to take off.

A-7 attack aircraft on the flight deck of carrier USS America.

A Corsair II in service with the Portuguese Air Force.

Douglas AC-47 Spooky

The Douglas AC-47 'Spooky' was an American counter-insurgency gunship used by the US Air Force during the Vietnam War and other low-intensity armed conflict around the world. It was developed from a World War II cargo plane, the C-47 Skytrain, to meet the need of bringing accurate and concentrated fire to bear on an enemy position from the air. It would also be employed to attack concentration of enemy ground troops, thus providing fire support to friendly spearhead forces to allow them to keep advancing. By the time the cargo plane began to be converted into a gunship aircraft, the versatile C-47 was already more than twenty years old.

The Douglas AC-47 first flew in 1964 in a combat mission to test the effectiveness and capability of the gunship. It would enter service with the US Air Force the following year, in November 1965, as the AC-47D, and it would soon be given the code name 'Spooky'. A total of 53 cargo planes were converted into gunships. From the outset, this ground-attack aircraft was seen as a night weapon, since it flew combat sorties at night. Each gunship carried 56 flares to illuminate targets and make them visible for the gunners operating the Miniguns. The first night mission was flown on the night of December 23/24, 1964, and it was deemed very successful. The aircraft was able to loiter for long periods over suspected Viet Cong ground positions. In Vietnam, it was also known as the 'Magic Dragon'.

On February 8, 1965, the AC-47 was sent to the Bong Son area in the face of a Viet Cong offensive in Central Highlands, South Vietnam. In under five hours, the gunship poured 20,500 rounds of 7.62-mm ammunition into a hilltop where the VC were dug in. More than 300 Viet Cong guerrilla fighters were killed that night. Each Spooky mission was manned by seven US Air Force personnel and a South Vietnamese observer. During its first eleven days of use, the AC-47 flew 18 combat missions, which were also training sorties. By the end of 1965, the Spooky was also based in Thailand, from which it flew combat sorties over Laos to attack VC's sanctuaries.

Specifications (AC-47D)

Type: gunship/ground-attack fixed-wing aircraft

Length: 19.43 m (63 feet, 9 inches)

Wing Span: 29,11 m (95 feet, 6 inches)

Wing Area: 91.69 m2 (987 square feet)

Height: 17 m (55 feet, 9 inches)

Power Plant: two 1,100-HP Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90D Twin Wasp, radial piston engines.

Maximum Speed: 257 km/h (160 mph)

Range: 2,575 km (1,600 miles)

Service Ceiling: 7,450 m (24,450 feet)

Crew: 7

Armament: three 7.62-mm (.30-cal) General Electric SUU-11A Miniguns, which having 6,000 round per minute rate of fire; five .30-cal Browning machine guns.

Above, the AC-47 flying over Vietnam.

The GE SUU-11A Miniguns mounted on the port side of aircraft.

The WW2 Douglas C-47 cargo plane, which would be adapted for combat missions.

AC-47 Spooky in action in Vietnam (footage)

Lockheed AC-130

The Lockheed AC-130, Spectre, is an American, large, ground-attack aircraft used by the US Air Force in low-intensity and anti-insurgent warfare since 1968. This heavy gunship is a derivative of the C-130 Hercules, which is the most widely used military transport plane. Because of its long-range flight capability (4,100 km), the AC-130 has a great advantage over helicopter gunships, which have limited range and service ceiling. It has been employed in the Vietnam War, the 1991 Desert Storm military campaign, the war in Afghanistan, and in the American invasion of Iraq. The last two variants of this attack aircraft, the AC-130U and AC-130W, are called 'Spooky' and 'Stinger II', respectively.

The Lockheed AC-130A, called 'Spectre', first flew in 1966, and it was introduced into service two years later, in July 1968. To fly sorties in Vietnam, the AC-130A and E versions were fitted with a magnetic anomaly detector system, which is called Black Crow (designated AN/ASD-5). It is a highly-sensitive passive device, with a phased-array antenna set up in nose radome. It could pick up localized deviations in the Earth's magnetic field normally used to detect submerged submarines. The Black Crow system was linked to the targeting computers of the AC-130A/E/H. This enabled the detection of the unshielded ignition coils of North Vietnamese trucks hidden under dense jungle foliage along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Technical Description

The Lockheed AC-130 is a large, four-engine monoplane of all-metal construction. It has a wide, barrel-shaped fuselage, with all the armament mounted on the port side of aircraft. Like its cargo counterpart, this airplane is fitted with shoulder-wing, with straight leading edge and a tapering trailing edge. It has a convention tail assembly, with a wide and straight horizontal stabilizer and a large tail fin. The cabin is unpressurized and the landing gear is retractable. The AC-130U is equipped with the AN/APQ-180, a synthetic aperture radar, for long-range target detection and identification.

Armament

The AC-130H version is equipped with one 105-mm howitzer; two 20-mm M61 Vulcan Gatling cannons; and a Bofords 40-mm cannon. All weapons are mounted to fire from the left hand side (port) while the aircraft flies in circle over and around the target.

Specifications (AC-130J)

Type: heavily-armed, attack aircraft

Length: 29.79 m (97 feet, 9 inches)

Wing Span: 40.41 m (132 feet, 7 inches)

Wing Area: 162.16 m2 (1,745.5 square feet)

Height: 11.73 m (38.6 feet)

Power Plant: four 4,300-HP, Rolls-Royce AE-2100D3 turboprop engines.

Maximum Speed: 480 km/h (300 mph)

Service Ceiling: 12,000 m (39,000 feet)

Crew: 13

Above, an AC-130E takes off from US Air Force base.

The AC-130A version used in Vietnam. You can see, two 20-mm M61 Vulcan Gatling guns sticking out of the fore portion of aircraft, and two 40-mm Bofors in middle of fuselage under wing.

Lockheed AC-130 Spectre in action in Vietnam (video)

Dassault Étendard IV

The Dassault Étendard IV was an attack aircraft in service with the French Navy during the Cold War. It was the first French, carrier-based strike aircraft powered by a turbojet engine. Developed from the Dassault Mystère XXIV, it was originally intended as a close-support combat plane for the French Air Force. However, the Étendard IV was a versatile machine that would be developed to become the Navy's reliable carrier-based attack aircraft of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. With a total of 90 aircraft produced, it was retired from service in 1991 as it was replaced by the Super Étendard.

The prototype of the Dassault Étendard IV first flew on July 24, 1956, at Mérignac. It was flown by pilot Georges Brian. The flight tests showed that it was an excellent aircraft for attack missions, both in the anti-ship and land-attack roles. In January 1958, the prototype would break the world speed record, flying at 1,020 km per hour on 1,000 km distance. The aircraft would finally be introduced into service with the French Navy in June 1962 as the Étendard IVM ('M' for 'Marine', the French word for navy). Also the IVP variant, for photographic reconnaissance missions, would be developed. Thus, 69 Étendard IVM and 21 IVP aircraft operated from the French Foch and Clémenceau aircraft carriers during the Cold War, until the early 1990s. For attack missions, this naval combat plane was armed with AS-30 air-to-ground missiles, plus bombs and rockets.

The Etendard IVM in flight in 1975.

Technical Descriptions

The Dassault Etendard IV was a single-seat, single-engine jet monoplane of all-metal construction. It was fitted with cantilever, swept mid-wing. The wing trailing edge was equipped with double-slotted flaps and electrically-powered ailerons. The tip of wing could be folded up for storage. The tail assembly consisted of a large vertical fin and swept horizontal plane which was mounted on the lower portion of fin. The Étendard IVM was powered by one SNECMA Atar-88, single-shaft, non-afterburner, turbojet engine, which could generate 9,700 pounds of thrust. The engine air intakes were located on the sides of fuselage. Landing gear was retractable.

Specifications

Type: carrier-borne attack aircraft

Length: 14.43 m (47 feet, 4 inches)

Wing Span: 9.60 m (31 feet, 6 inches)

Wing Area: 28.99 m (312 square feet)

Height: 4.32 m (14 feet, 2 inches)

Power Plant: one 9,700-lb, SNECMA Atar-88 turbojet engine

Maximum Speed: 1,096 km/h (681 mph)

Combat Radius: 300 km (186 miles), when flying at low levels; 805 km (500 miles) at high altitudes.

Service Ceiling: 15,500 m (50,850 feet)

Crew: one

Avionics: one AIDA radar

Armament: two 30-mm DEFA cannons; AS-30 and AS-20 air-to-ground missiles; 68-mm Matra rockets launched from two rocket pods; up to 1,360-kg (3,000-lb) of bombs; and Matra-Magic air-to-air missiles for self-defense.

The Etendard IV takes off the flight deck of the Clemenceau aircraft carrier

The Etendard IVP reconnaissance version. You can see the high-resolution photographic camera on belly of aircraft.

Saab J 32 Lansen

The Saab J 32 Lansen was a second-generation jet fighter and attack aircraft used by the Swedish Air Force during the Cold War. It was the first Swedish combat plane fitted with built-in surveillance and attack radar. The Lansen was a versatile and rugged aircraft that served mainly in the all-weather, attack and night fighter roles, but it was also used as a reconnaissance and electronic interference plane. With its low swept-wing configuration, it resembled the North American F-100 Super Sabre.

The origin of the Saab J 32 Lansen goes back to December 1948, when the Swedish Air Force Board ordered the development of a new, two-seat, single-engine, transonic combat aircraft for attack, reconnaissance, and night fighter use. It was called Project 1150. The first prototype made its maiden flight on November 3, 1951. It was flown by test pilot Bengt Olow. During October 1953, the Lansen became the first Saab aircraft to break the sound barrier, flying at the speed of Mach 1.12. It was introduced into service with the Swedish Air Force in July 1956 as the Saab A 32, the ground-attack version, with 290 aircraft produced. In 1958, the Saab J 32B all-weather night fighter variant was introduced, with a total of 130 combat plane built.

Technical Description

The Saab J 32 Lansen was a two-seat, single-engine monoplane of all-metal construction. It had cantilever swept wing mounted low on the fuselage. The wing trailing edge was fitted with large flaps and hydraulically-controlled ailerons. It had also swept tailplane (horizontal stabilizer), with the same angle of sweep as the wing. The Lansen was equipped with retractable landing gear, with main wheels folding up inwards into root of wing. The aircraft was powered by one Svenska Flygmotor RM6A turbojet engine, which delivered 11,000 pounds of thrust. The engine two air intakes were located on the sides of fuselage.

Specifications

Type: all-weather, two-seat, attack and fighter aircraft

Length: 14.94 m (49 feet)

Wing Span: 13 m (42 feet, 8 inches)

Wing Area: 37.4 m2 (403 square feet)

Height: 4.65 m (15 fee, 3 inches)

Power Plant: one 11,000-lb-thrust, Svenska RM6A turbojet engine with afterburner.

Maximum Speed: 1,200 km/h (750 mph)

Range: 2,000 km (1,200 miles)

Service Ceiling: 15,000 m (49,000 feet)

Crew: 2

Armament: four 30-mm cannons; 75-mm rockets; four Rb-24 air-to-air missiles; three 600-kg bombs.

Front view of the Lansen before take-off.

The Saab J 32B version in flight, banking right.

The Saab 32 reconnaissance version. Notice the radar dome on belly of aircraft.

The Saab J 32 Lansen during an airshow in Sweden (video)

McDonnell Douglas F-4G Wild Weasel

The McDonnell Douglas F-4G Wild Weasel was a two-seat, strike aircraft, which was specialized in suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD). It was in service with the US Air Force between 1978 and 1995. It saw combat action in Operation Desert Storm, which was the 1991 Gulf War. Based on the F-4 Phantom II, the F-4G replaced the Republic F-105E/G Thunderchief in the role of suppressor of enemy air defenses. Thus, it was specifically developed for the task of finding and destroying the enemy air defense radars and their surface-to-air missile platforms. For this mission, the aircraft was armed with anti-radiation missiles and equipped with advanced radars and avionics.

The F-4G Wild Weasel was the direct result of the hard-learned lesson in Vietnam, where many American bombers and attack aircraft were shot down by Soviet-made North Vietnamese SAMs. The lesson was that before carrying out a bombing raid, air defenses must first be suppressed, and for that, both the US Navy and Air Force developed specialized aircraft to carry out this mission. This is why, in early 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, Wild Weasels were the first combat aircraft to attack, accounting for 74 per cent of the Iraqi air defense radars and missile-launching platforms. However, only one F-4G was lost in action during this armed conflict.

It made its maiden flight on December 6, 1975, as a prototype. The first F-4G Wild Weasels were delivered to the USAF's 35th Wing in 1978. It had been created by modifying the F-4E Phantom II fighter, removing its 20-mm cannon and mounting electronic equipment in the nose of aircraft to detect enemy radars on earth. Then its radar guided anti-radiation missiles to wipe them out. The detection system used by the F-4G was the AN/APR-38, which provided comprehensive radar warning and homing, with the help of 52 special antennas. To be able to destroy the enemy air defenses on the ground, the Wild Weasel was armed with AGM-65 Maverick and AGM-88 HARM anti-radiaton missiles.

Specifications

Type: strike aircraft specialized in suppressing enemy air defenses.

Length: 19.20 m (62 feet, 11 inches)

Wing Span: 11.71 m (38 feet, 5 inches)

Wing Area: 49.24 m2 (530 square feet)

Height: 5 m (16 feet, 6 inches)

Power Plant: two General Electric J79-GE-17A after-burning turbojet engines, which generated 17,910 pounds of thrust.

Maximum Speed: 2,300 km/h (1,429 mph)

Combat Radius: 964 km (600 miles)

Service Ceiling: 18,975 m (62,000 feet)

Crew: two

Armament: AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles; AGM-65 Maverick electro-optical air-to-ground missiles; AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

Above, two F-4Gs in flight during Operation Desert Storm.

A Wild Weasel of the 35th Wing in California, in 1978.

The McDonnell Douglas F-4G Wild Weasel in action in the Gulf War (Footage)

SEPECAT Jaguar

The SEPECAT Jaguar was a single-seat, ground-attack aircraft, which was in service with the French Air Force and the RAF between 1973 and 2007. It was the mainstay strike aircraft of the British Royal Air Force during the Cold War period. By the time it was retired in 2007, it had successfully participated in a number of armed conflicts around world. It took part in the Chad-Libyan War in 1978, being flown by French pilots of the French intervention force in Africa, in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. In Operation Desert Storm, 12 RAF's Jaguars flew 618 sorties between January and February 1991.

Designed and developed by the French and British company, SEPECAT, the prototype of the Jaguar flew for the first time on September 8, 1968. Having undergone many flight tests, it would be introduced into service with the French Air Force on August 20, 1978. A total of 543 Jaguar aircraft would be produced. They included the Jaguar GR.Mk 1A, GR.Mk 1B, and T versions. The last one was a two-seat trainer used by both the British and French Air Force. This aircraft was also used by the Indian, Oman, and Ecuadorian Air Force.

Technical Description

The SEPECAT Jaguar was a single-seat, twin-engine, supersonic jet aircraft. It was fitted with swept shoulder wing. It had an all-metal fuselage and a conventional tail assembly, whose tailplane was also swept back at the same angle the wing leading edge was. The tail fin fairing was equipped with a radar warning receiver which warned the pilot when his plane was being illuminated by enemy radar. The aircraft had a tricycle-type, retractable landing gear. It was was powered by two Rolls Royce Turbomeca Adour turbofan engines, with afterburner. Each one of them provided slightly more than 8,000 pounds of thrust.

Specifications

Type: strike-bomber aircraft

Length: 15.52 m (50 feet, 11 inches)

Wing Span: 8.69 m (28 feet, 6 inches)

Wing Area: 24.18 m2 (260 square feet)

Height: 4.92 m (16 feet, 2 inches)

Power Plant: two 8,045-lb, Rolls Royce/Turbomeca Adour turbofan engines.

Maximum Speed: Mach 1.5 (1,690 km/h = 1,050 mph)

Combat Radius: 852 km (529 miles)

Service Ceiling: 14,020 m (45,997 feet)

Armament: two 30-mm ADEN cannons; two air-to-air Sidewinder missiles on overwing pylons; 4,534 kg (9,996-lb) of bombs.

A Jaguar GR.Mk 1A in flight over England

Ilyushin Il-2

The Ilyushin Il-2, Shturmovik, was a Soviet ground-attack aircraft extensively used during World War II. Heavily-armed and armored, it was an effective weapon, with a tremendous destructive capacity. The Shturmovik was massively used as it became a legend to the Russian people, who saw it as an instrument of salvation fighting against German armored vehicles. A total of 36,184 Il-2 ground-attack aircraft were made between 1939 and 1945. It was also used by the communist forces in the Korean War.

The prototype of the Ilyushin Il-2, the CKB-57, performed its maiden flight on October 2, 1939. It was flown by test pilot Vladimir Kokkinaki. It was powered by one AM-35 V-shaped piston engine, which generated 1,370 horsepower. Since this engine was not strong enough to lift into the air the four tons of airframe and armor, the aircraft would be upgraded with the new 1,680-HP, Mikulin AM-38 engine. Competing with the Sukhoi Su-6, it was finally accepted by the Soviet government, entering service on May 19, 1941, one month before the start of Operation Barbarossa.

The Shturmovik´s main versions were the Il-2M, which was fitted with a machine gun in the rear cockpit, and the Il-2M3, which had modified wings (its leading edge had increased sweep). Although it looked unsophisticated, it would prove to be a devastating ground-attack aircraft. It was armed with either two 20-mm or two 37-mm cannons set up in wing and one manually-operated 12.7-mm machine gun in rear. To attack massive concentration of troops and vehicles, it carried 600-kg (1,320-lb) of bombs, or eight RS-82 rockets. The aircraft was large, rugged, and cheap to produce, earning the unwavering trust of its pilots. It was known as the ¨Flying Tank¨ by the Russians, and the ¨Schwarz Tod¨ (Black Death) by the Germans.

Technical Characteristics

The Ilyushin Il-2 was a two-seat, single-engine, low-wing monoplane. The fore section of fuselage was all-metal, with cockpit and engine being protected by 12-mm-thick armor plates, while the aft portion was wooden monocoque. However, the tail assembly and wing outer panels were all-metal. Due to its large wing area, it had good low-level performance. Landing gear was retractable.

Specifications (Il-2M3)

Length: 11.65 m (38 feet)

Wing Span: 14,60 m (48 feet)

Wing Area: 38.50 m2 (414 square feet)

Height: 3.40 m (11 feet)

Power Plant: one 1,720-HP, Mikulin AM-38F, piston engine.

Maximum Speed: 430 km/h (267 mph)

Range: 600 km (375 miles)

Service Ceiling: 9,700 m (31,825 feet)

Armament: two 37-mm cannons in wings; one 12.7-mm machine gun; six 100-kg bombs; rockets.

Crew: two

Below, a colorized photo of the Ilyushin Il-2 in 1942.

The first production Shturmovik parked in front of factory right before mass production began in 1941.

Below, the Il-2M3 model in flight in late 1943.

The Shturmovik on a military base in the winter of 1944.

Below, the Il-2M3 in 1952, during the Korean War.

Henschel Hs 129

The Henschel Hs 129 was a single-seat, close-support aircraft used by the German Luftwaffe during World War II. It was the only aircraft in this armed conflict to be designed from the outset explicitly to attack and destroy enemy armored vehicles. Thus, it provided fire support to Wehrmacht front line ground forces during offensives. Its angular shape and small cross-section made the aircraft look aggressive and reduced to a minimum the risk of damage from enemy machine gun fire. As a result, it had a very narrow and cramped cockpit.

The Henschel Hs 129 prototype, the Hs 129V-1, performed its maiden flight on May 25, 1939. It was powered by two Argus As 410-A-1, air-cooled, inverted V-12, piston engines, each one delivering 470 horsepower. Eight prototypes would be built as they would be put through prolonged trials and evaluation programs. Because it was cheap to produce, with slightly better performance than its contender, the Focke-Wulf Fw 189, the Henschel prototype won the contract, entering service with the Luftwaffe on April 20, 1942, as the Hs 129A version. However, it proved to be underpowered. Thus, it would be upgraded into the Hs 129B variant, with the Argus As engines being replaced by two Gnome-Rhône 14M radial engines; each one of them could produce 700 horsepower. Aside from improved power plant, the cockpit of this variant was fitted with larger area of armored glass, giving the aircraft pilot better protection and vision.

At the end of Operation Barbarossa, it had become evident that the Henschel Hs 129 would be very important in the future to provide close support to ground units as an anti-tank aircraft, especially after the irruption in the battle field of the Soviet T-34 tank in December 1941. Therefore, the Hs 129B-3 would be developed. This aircraft had been equipped with a powerful 75-mm Pak anti-tank gun, which was mounted on a ventral turret. This gun replaced the 30-mm gun in the first versions. This is how this German combat aircraft became a flying artillery piece. Not only was it deployed on the Eastern Front but also in North Africa.

Technical Description

The Henschel Hs 129 was a two-seat, twin-engine monoplane. It had straight, cantilever, low wing, with a tapering trailing edge. It was built with a strong center section integral with the fuselage. The trailing edge flaps and ailerons were hydraulically operated. The tail assembly was of the conventional type, with the vertical fin having a broad rudder. The main landing gear wheels retracted backwards hydraulically into the rear portion of engine nacelles, partially remaining exposed.

The all-metal fuselage was remarkably slim, with a triangular section (narrow at the top and broad at the bottom). The front end held the cramped cockpit, which was surrounded by welded armor that ranged between 6 and 12mm in thickness, and with small panes of glass 75mm thick. The fuel was housed in a single cell in the fuselage and in a tank in each wing, inboard of the nacelles.

Specifications

Type: close-support and anti-tank aircraft

Length: 9.75 m (31 feet, 9 inches)

Wing Span: 14.20 m (46 feet, 5 inches)

Wing Area: 29 m² (312 square feet)

Height: 3.25 m (10 feet, 6 inches)

Power Plant: two 700HP, Gnome-Rhône 14M 4/5, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines.

Maximum Speed: 407 km/h (253 mph)

Range: 688 km (427 miles)

Service Ceiling: 9,000 m (29,530 feet)

Crew: one

Armament: two 20-mm MG-151 guns in nose; one 30-mm guns in ventral turret; one 75-mm anti-tank Kanone (in the Hs 129B-3 version); two 7.92-mm MG-17 machine guns; four 50-kg bombs.

Below, a photo of the Henschel Hs 129B-1 version in 1943.

Rear view of the same aircraft.

Below, the Hs 129B-3, exhibiting its powerful 75-mm anti-tank gun set up on belly of aircraft.

The Hs 129B-1 on a road in Libya, North Africa, prior to take off.

The first variant of the German aircraft in flight: the Hs 129A, powered by the Argus As 410-A-1 engines.

Cessna A-37 Dragonfly

The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly was a ground-attack aircraft employed by the US Air Force during the Vietnam War. Since it was a low-cost, light combat airplane, it was used to fight guerrilla armies in low-intensity warfare in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. It was a very maneuverable and reliable aircraft due to its wide wing span and sturdy fuselage, capable of carrying and delivering a heavy bomb-load. It was exported to Latin American countries, such as Peru, Colombia, and Chile.

Most military trainers are usually developed from combat aircraft. However, the case of the A-37 Dragonfly was the other way around, for it was based on a trainer; the Cessna T-37, whose prototype, the XT-37, had made its first flight on October 12, 1954. The combat version prototype (YAT-37D), on the other hand, first flew on October 22, 1963, entering service with the US Air Force in May 1967 as the A-37 Dragonfly, which would be nicknamed the 'Super Tweet'. Having been introduced, it was immediately deployed in Vietnam, where it would fly many combat sorties, providing important fire support to ground troops during search and destroy missions. When the war in Southeast Asia ended in 1975, some were abandoned to the communist forces.

Below, the A-37B version flying over the jungle-covered terrain of Vietnam.

Technical Characteristics

The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly was a two-seat, twin-engine monoplane. It had an all-metal, semi-monocoque fuselage. It was fitted with cantilever low-wing, with straight leading edge and a trailing edge that tapered only slightly. Thus, the wing was rather rectangular in shape. Because of its low drag characteristics, the aircraft featured a hydraulically-operated speed brake located on belly of fuselage. The A-37B version was powered by two General Electric J85-17A turbojet engines, each of which could deliver 2,850 pounds of thrust. To lengthen the combat range, the aircraft was equipped with two wing-tip fuel tanks.

Both trainer and attack aircraft were equipped with two ejection seats and jettisonable canopy. It had a wide-tread landing gear and steerable nose wheel for maximum safety in landing and ground operations. The cockpit was wide and comfortable, with two, side by side seats. To withstand the rigor of combat flying at low altitudes, the A-37 was stressed for 6-G loading and, as such, was a capable dogfighter. The nose of the aircraft housed a gatling-type GAU-2 minigun.

Specifications (A-37B)

Type: two-seat ground-attack aircraft

Length: 8.62 m (28 feet, 3 inches)

Wing Span: 10.93 m (35 feet, 10 inches)

Wing Area: 17.09 m2 (184 sqaure feet)

Height: 2.70 m (8 feet, 10 inches)

Power Plant: two General Electric J85-17A turbojet engines.

Maximum Speed: 816 km/h (507 mph)

Range: 740 km (460 miles), with maximum bomb-load.

Service Ceiling: 12,730 m (41,750 feet)

Armament: one 7.62-mm, GAU-2B minugun; 2,268-kg (5,450-lb) of bombs/rockets.

Crew: two

Below, the T-37B trainer, from which the A-37 would be developed.

A Dragonfly in a combat operation drops two Mk 82 bombs on enemy positions.

Below, the Super Tweet during combat exercises in the 1970s.

Combat footage of a squadron of A-37 Dragonfly aircraft in Vietnam (video)

Below, the nose of a A-37B was opened to expose the GAU-2 minigun.

Douglas A-1 Skyraider

The Douglas A-1 Skyraider was a ground-attack, piston-engine aircraft used by the US Navy in the Korean and Vietnam War. It was sturdy, with a good performance, and it was able to deliver an incredible array of ordnance with pinpoint accuracy. Although the jet combat aircraft had already arrived in the theater of operations by the time the armed conflict in Southeast Asia broke out, this carrier-based attack aircraft showed the world that the old piston-engine warplanes could still be valuable and vital, specially when it came to provide fire support to ground troops.

The prototype of the Douglas A-1 Skyraider, the XBT2D-1, made its maiden flight on March 18, 1945, at the end of WW2. This aircraft, which would be nicknamed the 'Spad' by the American pilots, had been designed by the renowned engineer Edward H. Heinemann. When it was introduced into service with the US Navy in 1946, many officers thought that it would have a short career, not only because WW2 had ended but also because jet planes were already being developed. However, in the Korean War, the Spad, along with two distinguished WW2 fighters, the F4U Corsair and P-51 Mustang, would show the military leaders that piston-engine aircraft were still valuable in combat due to their maneuverability, low-level flight capacity, and ruggedness.

The Skyraider entered service on July 27, 1946, as the AD-1, which was the former official designation it had been given. In 1962, it was redesignated A-1. Until 1957, several more variants would be produced, such as the AD-2, AD-3, AD-4, AD-4E, AD-4W, and AD-7. A total of 3,180 aircraft were built between 1945 and 1957, when production ended. The AD-4W and AD-5W were early-warning Skyraiders, which were fitted with a large radome on belly of fuselage containing a powerful radar. Its strong Wright R-3350 Cyclone radial piston engine and wing area gave it the same bomb-load capacity as the B-17 Flying Fortress.

Below, old but not obsolete, still a flying terminator; an AD-7 version of the Skyraider among jet combat aircraft on the flight deck of USS Shangri-LA (CV-38). It was assigned to VA-115.

Technical Description

The Douglas A-1 Skyraider was a single-seat, single-engine monoplane of all-metal construction. It was fitted with straight, cantilever, low wing, with a slight dihedral angle. The wing leading and trailing edge tapered slightly towards the tip at angle of 12 degrees. The wing aileron was mounted on outer panel of wing, which could be folded up, while the flap was on inner panel of wing. The landing gear was a tricycle design.

The cockpit of the Spad was large and comfortable, topped by a bubble canopy, which gave the pilot excellent view. However, it had no ejector seat and pilots had to bail out manually and jump out of it, making the sign of the cross and looking up into the sky. The 388-gallon fuel tank was located right behind the cockpit next to the avionics and radio racks. The pair of large speed breakers lay on the sides of fuselage. The aircraft was powered by one Wright R-3350-26W, 18-cylinder, radial, piston engine, which delivered 3,020 horsepower.

Specifications (AD-2/A-1B)

Type: dive-bomber/ground attack aircraft

Length: 11.63 m (38 feet, 2 inches)

Wing Span: 15.24 m (50 feet)

Wing Area: 37.16 m2 (400 square feet)

Height: 4.7 m (15 feet, 5 inches)

Power Plant: one 3,020-HP, Wright R-3350-26W Cyclone, radial piston engine.

Maximum Speed: 498 km/h (309 mph)

Range: 1,448 km (900 miles)

Service Ceiling: 9,753 m (32,000 feet)

Armament: four 20-mm wing-mounted cannons; 3,600-kg (8,000-lb) of bombs on external hardpoints; or torpedoes and rocket pods.

Below, the AD-2 (A-1B) version from VA-65 Squadron taking off from flight deck of USS Valley Forge (CV-45) for a strike on targets in Korea. It remained in service with the US Navy for two decades, during which it proved to be one of the most versatile attack aircraft.

The prototype XBT2D-1 in 1945, parked on airbase tarmac.

Below, the A-1H (AD-6) version fully loaded with ordnance on all 15 external points in 1964.

An A-1H Skyraider assigned to VA-145 on the USS Intrepid (CV-11) has extended  its speed break to slow down the aircraft before touching down on flight deck.