Two films regarding the AC-130 recently posted to YouTube by Periscope Film.
The first, United States Air Force, Film Report FR 989, 1968, "Gunship II - Development and Initial Development" (Declassified), details the modification and testing of JC-130A (USAF 54-1626) into the AC-130A prototype. It features excellent footage of the modification and equipping of the aircraft. (Perhaps this is commonly known by many others, but I had no idea that the AC-130A initially used a BOMARC-A radar for targeting until I watched this film.*)
YouTube - Periscope Film: "'GUNSHIP II DEVELOPMENT AND INITIAL DEPLOYMENT' USAF AC-130 GUNSHIP PROMO FILM GG10201"
The second film is US Air Force produced film (circa early-1970s) entitled "AC-130 Side Firing Aircraft - Basic Combat Operations," and as the title suggests provides an overview of AC-130 "PAVE Pronto" configuration combat operations, including combat footage, and briefly discusses the then-recently developed AC-130E Spectre ("PAVE Spectre") variant.
YouTube - Periscope Film: "'AC-130 SIDE FIRING AIRCRAFT BASIC COMBAT OPERATIONS' AC-130 GUNSHIP OVERVIEW FILM GG10231"
*The use of the BOMARC radar is briefly discussed (on Page 4) in the US Army War College essay authored by Lt. Col. Jack A. Neuberger (US Army), "The Enhanced Gunship Firing Capability", AD-779 561 (19 October 1973) (which is available at Defense Technical Information Center [DTIC] [
link] and attached below.)
In the search for ways to increase the all-weather capability, a Beacon-Tracking Radar (BTR), which was a modified Bomarc guidance radar was added. The BTR employed a ground beacon to provide a fixed reference point for the gunship regardless of weather. Range and bearing to the target could be passed to the gunship and set into the fire control computer which would determine an off-set aiming point for the pilot. By using this technique, the gunship could remain above the clouds and still direct its fire on the enemy position. This represented a revolutionary breakthrough in all-weather close air support which added an entirely new dimension to USAF fixed wing gunship capability.
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