The Douglas AC-47 ("Puff, the Magic Dragon") was the first in a series of fixed-wing gunships developed by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. It was designed to provide more firepower than light and medium ground-attack aircraft in certain situations when ground forces called for close air support .

Feb 12, 2021 · Based on the venerable World War II-era C-47 transport, the AC-47, which was dubbed “Puff the Magic Dragon” during its operations in Southeast Asia, survives now, albeit in a significantly upgraded form, only over the jungles of South America, in the hands of the Colombian Air Force.

Oct 3, 2016 · Seventy years after their heyday, World War II cargo planes are patrolling the skies over Colombia’s vast jungles. The AC-47T Fantasma is equipped with infrared sensors to scan the jungles below...

In 2006, Colombia started operating five armed Basler BT-67 (Colombian Air Force designation : AC-47T), known by civilians as avion fantasma (ghost plane), on counter-insurgency operations in conjunction with Sikorsky AH-60 Arpia armed helicopters and Cessna A-37 Dragonflys against local illegally armed groups. The BT-67s are armed with .50 cal ...

Entre las ventajas de los AC-47T están su gran volumen de fuego, su permanencia sobre el blanco, su alcance, que el fuego viene desde arriba, lo que minimiza la efectividad de las trincheras y otro tipo de cobertura, y finalmente la precisión …

Nov 28, 2018 · See photos of World’s only Veteran Aircraft of 3 wars, built 75 years ago, and still in active military service. The AC-47 T Fantasma, using the very same airframe as the iconic Vietnam War Aerial Manhunters based on the C-47, often dubbed “Spooky” or …

Nov 24, 2018 · That legendary aircraft C-47 (aka The Gooney Bird, Skytrain, while RAF, RCAF, and RAAF named her the Dakota) made its maiden flight on December 17th, 1935, now almost 85 years ago.

Even more impressive than the AC-47 itself are those who oper-ated it, this is the case of Airman 1st Class John Levitow. A load-master on the AC-47 called “Spooky 71” flying the night of...

Aerial gunships strike fear into the hearts of even the most battle-hardened soldiers. Combat Aircraft sneaks into the Colombian jungle to meet the AC-47T ‘Fantasmas’ that fight the guerrilla groups and drug cartels.

The AC-119 and the AC-130 succeeded the AC-47 in the gunship role with their greater capacity and better design for gunship use. As it pioneered in cargo and passenger transport, the C-47 also pioneered in development of the gunship, which became so important to special operations.