Big guns!!

[catz]

How is this for guns, some on the plane also.741

[K00lKatT]

nose art from RVN, 121AHC, on a UH1H Huey...

742

[K00lKatT]

what patrolled the perimeter at An Khe to keep undesireables out...quad .50 on deuce and a half

754

[Marley]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1WO4MdVahg

[K00lKatT]

My favorite fixed wing aircraft, the AC-130...this one is in U config..more popularly known as "Spooky"...the newer config is know as "Spectre", this is one if not the oldest plane in US arsenal still in use today..these configs came about from the Douglas AC-47 aka "Puff" or "Spooky"
756

[Farmer1]

I'm going to own one of these as a rc plane one day

1295

Boeing B-17 History The Boeing B-17 is by far the most famous bomber of World War II. In 1934 the Boeing Aircraft Company of Seattle Washington began construction of a four engine heavy bomber. Known as the Model -299, first flight was achieved on July 28th 1935. As a result, the U.S. Government placed an order for production of 13 of these aircraft and began to take delivery of the 13 production aircraft between January 11th and August 4th 1937.

The B-17, dubbed the "Flying Fortress" as a result of her amount of defensive firepower, underwent a number of improvements over its ten-year production run. B-17 Models ranged from the YB-17 to the B-17G model. Throughout the war the B-17 was refined and improved as the combat experience showed the Boeing designers where improvements could be made. The Final B-17 production model, the B-17G was produced in the largest quantities (8,680) than any other previous model and is considered the definitive "Flying Fortress". With its 13 .50-caliber machine guns, Chin, top, ball and tail turrets; waist and cheek guns the B-17 was indeed an airplane that earned the respect of its combatants. In addition, the flight crews loved the B-17 for her ability to take and withstand heavy combat damage and return safely home.

During WWII, the B-17 saw service in every theater of operation, but was operated primarily by the 8th Air force in Europe and participated in countless missions from bases in England. A typical B-17 Mission often lasted for more than eight hours and struck targets deep within enemy territory. During the war, B-17's dropped 640,036 tons of bombs on European targets in daylight raids. This compares to the 452,508 tons dropped by the B-24 and 464,544 tons dropped by all other U.S. aircraft. The B-17 also downed 23 enemy aircraft per 1,000 raids as compared with 11 by B-24's and 11 by fighters and three by all U.S. medium and light bombers.

There were a total of 12,732 B-17's that were produced between 1935 and May 1945. Of these 4,735 were lost in combat. Following WWII, the B-17 saw service in three more wars. B-17's were used in Korea, Israel used them in the war of 1948 and they were even used during Vietnam.

Today, fewer than 100 B-17 airframes exist and fewer still are in airworthy condition. At one time, more than 1000 B-17's could be assembled for mass combat missions, now fewer than 15 of Boeing's famous bombers can still take to the sky.

[catz]

1296 Real deal, local air show.

1297

[12icer]

My Uncle died after being shot down in a B17 in Belgium. Broke his legs badly, a Germ rifle butted him. Frenchman saw it got his papers, and wrote Granddad he told Dad, and the rest of the boys about it They took some revenge for it they all got Bronze or Silver Stars, One unk was a Motorcycle courier, and got stalled by a MG nest having a Platoon pinned down, rode the cycle up and wiped out the nest and delivered his messages. Too bad all of these vets are just about gone, and our current generation is learning to accept and embrace what they fought to stop.

[crazed 9.6]

Great story 12icer, excluding the fact that Uncle passed thou :(
thnx for sharing with us :)

K00lKatT had been in Vietnam back in the late 60s
The website below was his company

http://129th.net/

You can find on-line with a search, some of the missions these guys went on.
I have recently read some and they are quite the stories if any wanna search them out :)

[debug337]

Very cool ! My father flew the UH1 Huey but the B model , 66-67 Junction City / Cedar falls , Hobo woods .