Packing a Serious Wallop
Fairchild-Hiller converted another 26 C-119G airlifters into AC-119K Stingers. These gunships were heavily utilized as truck hunters and as such flew long interdiction missions over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Two side-firing M61 Vulcan 6 barrel 20-millimeter cannons were added to the four side-firing 7.62 millimeter six-barrel GAU-1/A miniguns mounted in the AC-119G. The AC-119K also added a pair of General Electric J85 turbojet engines mounted in underwing pods, which helped improve the somewhat sluggish loaded performance of the Shadow.
More Sophisticated in Every Way
In addition to heavier firepower and additional available engine power, the Stinger was equipped with more sophisticated electronics to support its added weaponry. The AN/APN-147 Doppler navigation radar, AN/AAD-4 Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), AN/APQ-133 side-looking beacon tracking radar and AN/APQ-136 search radar were all added to the AC-119K. These sensors required modified housings which added external identification cues.
The Shadows Came to Stay
The 71st Special Operations Squadron (SOS) of the 14th Special Operations Wing (SOW), based at Nha Trang Air Base, began operating AC-119G Shadows in November of 1968. The personnel were from the Air Force Reserve (AFRES) 71st Troop Carrier Squadron, 434th Troop Carrier Wing and based in the States at Bakalar Air Force Base near Columbus in Indiana. When the 71st SOS rotated back to the continental United States (CONUS) in 1969, the gunships were taken over by the newly formed 17th SOS.
Stingers in Action
The AC-119K Stingers were operated by the 18th SOS. Between the AC-119G, the AC-119K, and its other aircraft the 14th SOW operated eight different aircraft from ten different bases in South Vietnam for a portion of 1968 and 1969. After a distinguished combat tour the 14th SOW was inactivated in 1971. A few AC-119Gs and AC-119Ks were operated by the 56th SOW from Thailand through 1972, but except for a few examples operated by the South Vietnamese Air Force the Shadow and Stinger were phased out of service by the end of 1973. During the Vietnam War, only five AC-119 gunships (both models) were lost to all causes.
Today’s Gunships Are Chips Off the Old Block
The Lockheed AC-130 Spectre was utilized and developed more or less continually since its inception during the 1960s. It became clear that the C-130 provided the best airframe to be used as the basis for continued development the side-firing gunship. Still in service today as the AC-130U Spooky, AC-130J Ghostrider, and AC-130W Stinger II (Dragon Spear), the original Spooky, Stinger, and Shadow live on in these heavily armed and highly capable 4 turbine-powered gunships.
I was stationed at March AFB in AFRES back is the mid 60’s Flying C-124’s There was a squadron of AFRES C-119’s stationed there, but the aircraft were recalled into active duty. No mention of these in your article, maybe they were not converted to gunships…
The 434th Troop Carrier Wing provided the C-119’s to be configured as gunships in St Augustine, Fla.
I was active duty and part of the cadre of RegAF personnel to fill out the ranks of the Reserves to complete the aircrew needs. I was with the 71st when we initially deployed to Nha Trang, VN.
My Dad was a command pilot on C-119’s out of Clinton County AFB in Ohio. Even though it was under powered, he loved that bird.
Great read. My father was a load master in the 434th. The unit was moved to Columbus Ohio when they were recalled to active duty