The Air Force in the Vietnam War - Air Force Association

Principal USAF Aircraft of the Vietnam War
Fighter and Attack Aircraft
A- Skyraider. Propeller-driven Navy
attack bomber, adapted for use by Air
Force. Air Commandos flew the A-1E
“Spad” two-seat version. The singleseat
A-1H “Sandy” flew escort for
rescue operations.
A-7D Corsair II. Began service with
Navy, deployed in Southeast Asia by
the Air Force in the late summer of
1972, and used in the closing months
of the war for tactical bombing and as
an escort on gunship missions.
A- 7 Dragonfly. Armed variant of the
T-37 jet trainer, it was flown by USAF
and the South Vietnamese Air Force. It
was an effective performer, both in the
attack role and as a forward air control
aircraft.
F-4 Phantom. Best fighter of the
Vietnam War and most versatile. Used
for air superiority, dropping bombs, reconnaissance,
and forward air control.
Originally developed by the Navy, adopted
by the Air Force and deployed to
Southeast Asia in 1965. Early versions
relied on missiles in combat, having
no guns. The F-4E had a 20 mm cannon.
F-4s accounted for 107 of the 137
MiGs shot down by the Air Force.
F- 00 Super Sabre. USAF’s first
supersonic fighter. Used extensively
on missions over North Vietnam in
the early part of the war. F-100F had
two cockpits, was flown by the “Misty”
forward air controllers.
F- 0 Thunderchief. The Lead Sled,
The Thud. Signature airplane of the
Rolling Thunder campaign from 1965
to 1968. Thuds flew 75 percent of the
strikes and took more of the losses
over North Vietnam than any other
type of airplane. F-105Fs flew as Wild
Weasel aircraft, finding and destroying
surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites.
Bombers
B-52D Stratofortress
Photo by Ed Skowron via Warren Thompson
A-1H Skyraider
A-7D Corsair II
F-100 Super Sabre
B- 2 Stratofortress. The Buff. In action
from 1965 on, flying Arc Light missions,
but political constraints kept it
from being used with full effect against
targets in North Vietnam until Operation
Linebacker II in December 1972.
B- 7 Canberra. First American jet
aircraft deployed to Vietnam. Used in
North Vietnam in early part of the war,
later employed for night interdiction in
Laos and in other roles. Variant of a
British design.
Airlifters and Tankers
C-5A Galaxy
C- A Galaxy. Huge, with more capacity
than other airlifters but did not make
its appearance in Vietnam until August
1971 in the later phase of the war.
C-7 Caribou. Light airlifters, taken
over by the Air Force from the Army
in 1966. Worked smaller and more
remote locations.
C- 2 Provider. Previously declared
obsolete and scheduled for retirement.
Supported South Vietnamese ground
forces in early 1960s, later served as
light airlifter for US forces as well. Performed
with distinction at Khe Sanh,
landing with supplies that could not be
airdropped and evacuating casualties.
C- 24 Globemaster. Aging, propellerdriven
aircraft known as “Old Shaky.” It
was the Air Force’s long-range airlifter
until the C-141 was fielded. Clamshell
doors opened in the nose so vehicles
could be driven on and off.
C- 0 Hercules. Four-engine turboprop.
USAF’s main tactical airlifter in
Southeast Asia. Also used as gunship,
airborne command post, and for other
missions. Still in service 40 years later
and going strong.
C- 4 Starlifter. Main strategic airlifter
in the war. First deployed in 1965.
Twice as fast as C-124 and twice the
load capability. Made daily shuttle
B-57 Canberra