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AC-130A 'Azrael' Spectre Gunship - USAF
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Standard/Custom model:
Length 14" Wingspan 19"
Photography by Action Asia Photo |
During the 1950s the C-130 Hercules was adapted for a variety of missions including weather mapping, reconnaissance, mid-air recovery of space capsules, search & rescue, ambulance service, drone launching and mid-air refueling of helicopters. The AC-130A Spectre is a C-130 that was converted to a side-firing gunship - primarily for night attacks against ground targets. These heavily armed aircraft incorporate side-firing weapons integrated with sophisticated sensor, navigation and fire control systems to provide surgical firepower or area saturation during extended loiter periods, at night and in adverse weather. The sensor suite consists of a television sensor, infrared sensor and radar which allow the gunship to visually or electronically identify friendly ground forces and targets any place, any time. The AC-130 gunship's primary missions are close air support, air interdiction and force protection. The AC-130 gunship has a combat history dating to Vietnam. In that conflict gunships destroyed more than 10,000 trucks and were credited with many life-saving close air support missions. During Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada, 1983) AC-130s suppressed enemy air defense systems and attacked ground forces enabling the successful assault of the Point Salines Airfield by air dropped and air landed friendly forces. AC-130s also had a primary role during Operation Just Cause (Panama, 1989) when they destroyed Panamanian Defense Force Headquarters and numerous other command and control facilities. During Operation Desert Storm, AC-130s provided close air support and force protection for ground forces. The model represents an AC-130A Spectre gunship assigned to the 919th Special Operations Wing (SOW) which was named "Azrael - Angel of Death". According to the Koran, Azrael was the angel of death who severed the soul from the body. On February 26, 1991, the Allied ground forces were driving the Iraqi army out of Kuwait and the aircraft Azrael (tail # 54-1630) was sent to the Al Jahra highway between Kuwait City and Basrah to intercept the convoys of tanks, trucks, buses and cars that were fleeing the battle. Facing heavy anti-aircraft artillery and SAM missile batteries, the crew attacked the enemy relentlessly. The crew's heroic efforts left much of the enemy's equipment destroyed and contributed to the cease-fire declared on February 28th, 1991. Azrael was retired to a museum in October 1995. The AC-130A was succeeded by the AC-130H and, later, the AC-130U. Specs: AC-130A
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