Quote:
Originally Posted by Skippy
In the late 50's and early 60's fighter aircraft designers became convinced that guns on planes were obsolete. Experience in Vietnam showed this not to be the case. I think further experience will show a need for a continued role for manned aircraft going forward, just not all aircraft and maybe not in roles we predict now.
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Yeah. And even though the AF generals wanted the A-10 'Bolt to go to the Boneyard, it's been deployed in Iraq War v.3 to fight ISIS/ISIL. It followed a path similar to the A-1 Skyraider...... from Korea to Vietnam.
And the F-4 in Gulf1 was nicknamed the Wild Weasel & did recon. work. 25 years before that it was the hottest thing in the Vietnam skies.
When the job calls for a specific weapon, you better have it in your inventory. Just ask the pilots still flying the B-52H.
Back in my days of service, the Navy's RA5C was cutting edge technology. The first military aircraft with fly by wire technology and oodles of other military firsts. A Mach2 missile that set altitude records...above 90,000 feet.
Originally designed as a nuclear bomber, the Vigilante was converted to reconnaissance during Vietnam and her losses were the highest of any aircraft in the VN war. But she was a SOB to fly and land on the deck of a carrier. Our squadron lost 2 in '66 and one in '67.....unrelated to any combat action.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyIOyQniNe0