Vietnam Fixed-wing Air Losses.
-
Here's some stats from 1961-73
USAF
A-1: 201
A-7: 6
A-26: 22
A-37: 22
C-47: 19
AC-119: 5
AC-130: 6
B-52: 31
B-57: 58
C-7: 20
C-47: 21
C-123: 54
C-130: 60
C-141: 2
EB-66: 14
EC-121R: 2
F-4: 445
F-5: 9
F-100: 242
F-102: 14
F-104: 14
F-105: 397
F-111A: 11
HU-16B: 2
KB-50: 1
KC-135A: 3
O-1: 178
O-2: 104
OV-10: 64
QU-22: 9
RF-4C: 83
RF-101C: 38
SR-71A: 2
T-28: 23
U-2: 1
U-3: 1
U-6: 1
U-10: 12 -
F-105 the most.... can tell more abt it?
-
US Navy
A-1: 65
A-3: 20
A-4: 271
A-6: 59
A-7: 99
C-1A: 4
C-2A: 3
C-47: 1
E-1B: 3
E-2: 2
EA-1: 5
EC-121: 1
F-4: 128
F-8: 117
OV-10A: 7
P-2: 4
P-3: 2
RA-5C: 26
RF-8: 31
S-2: 6 -
US Marine Corps
A-4: 81
A-6: 25
C-117: 2
EA-6A: 2
EF-10B: 5
F-4: 98
F-8: 21
KC-135F: 4
O-1: 7
OV-10A: 10
RF-4B: 4
RF-8A: 1
TA-4F: 10
TF-9J: 1 -
Grand Total:
USAF: 2197
US Navy: 854
US Marine Corps: 271 -
This is a really expensive war as far as I can see, a long-drawn war.
There were of course shocking incidents written in the book, let's see........ah, the USS Forrestal fire, a F-4B rocket ignited while still on deck hitting a fully loaded, ordance and fuel, A-4 which promptly set offan almighty chain reaction. By the time the smoke cleared the next day, scene of devastation. 134 people were killed, 21 airplanes destroyed, 34 damaged. Incredibly, the A-4 pilot survived. The ship set sailed home after spending only 4 days in SEA.
There were also a lot of collisions, and there was also 1 involving 2 B-52s, the debris that littered the area must be wow! On the navy side, a lot of tragic accidents involing catapult and arresting gear, the poor pilots who kena these almost always never survive. Most shot down cases involve AAA fire, and there also a significant number of poor souls who flew into ground, strike trees, etc. And thanks to the humid weather and pounding to the air-frame bcos the planes always land hard for fear of AAA, some aircrafts literally wear out, like the spectacular cases of wings seperating in case of T-28 and A-26 while diving (sure die!). There were even more cases of bombs exploding prematurely, rocket debris that got ingested so on.
The F-4 and the F-105D best epitomise the Viet War, these 2 alone account for almost half of USAF losses. The F-105 is a sturdy aircraft which can take multiple, hence was a popular choice in the war, but there was little system redundence, and the pilot almost always have to eject if the vitals get hit. The F-4 was used from FAC to MiGCAP, to straffing and bombing roles. Was the true multi-role aircraft in the war. Hence, so many were downed. An estimated about half of F-105s produced were downed. -
Lets have the Thuds for the next plane of the week! Them Thunderchiefs were awesome weasels.
-
I wonder how many UH1s are lost in total.
I think the F-105 got the "difficult" job... deep interdiction, attacking known, protected targets, long distances away.... not surprised that their losses are heavy. -
I'm surprised they have 2 SR-71s lost.
-
i love the thuds
-
yeah, i wondered what happened..Originally posted by huaichien:I'm surprised they have 2 SR-71s lost. -
UH1 are flown by US Army. Logic split fixed wing air force etc. rotary wing - army.Originally posted by spencer99:I wonder how many UH1s are lost in total.
I think the F-105 got the "difficult" job... deep interdiction, attacking known, protected targets, long distances away.... not surprised that their losses are heavy.
any figures? -
Accidents. 1 lost in 1970, another in 1972. The SR-71s operated from Okinawa, and flew strategic recons missions over N Viet. The 1 in 1972 tried to land in airstrip in bad weather, pilot aborted landing after releasing drag-chute, so the next landing was done on slick ground and without drag chute. Not surprsingly, given the mass of the SR-71, the plane overshot and hit the runway barrier. The plane was then cannibalised for spare parts.Originally posted by SingaporeMacross:yeah, i wondered what happened..
Regarding F-105s, the F-105s manage to shoot down a number of MiGs and were themselves shot down every now and then. Think the F-8s shot down the most MiGs? Followed by F-4s, then F-105s?
The F-105 was designed by Republic to be a front-line deep nuclear strike aircraft, hence its suitability for low-level missions, but survivability was not a priority, hence the high losses. The F-105s were used in Wild Weasel missions, FAC, bombing, straffing and so on.
It was combat debut for a number of aircrafts, notably the F-111 and the F-5. The F-111 was on trial under project Combat Lancer, but fared extremely badly. Engines and avionics were constantly out of order, and the crew and ground crew were not experienced and from what I can see, almost every mission had at least 1 F-111 aborting. The sqn was withdrawn in 1968 and returned only in 1972, where the F-111 only then proved the low-level strike aircraft of the pilots' dream. -
Will try to find. Actually, I think SAR choppers suffered more, esp with the smart N Viet waiting next to the downed crew, until the chopper arrives and pow! In many cases I have seen, there were quite a lot of Americans on the ground every time someone gets shot down.Originally posted by baer:UH1 are flown by US Army. Logic split fixed wing air force etc. rotary wing - army.
any figures? -
Not a single SR-71 Blackbird has ever been shot down. That plane can fly so high and so fast that if there were any SAMs detected, the SOP was to accelerate even faster.
That plane is a legend in itself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR-71 -
(185) The loss of SR-71 (tail #64-17969) took place during a North Vietnamese operation mission flown from Kadena AB, Okinawa. Shortly after air-refueling, aircraft was unable to maintain a high rate of climb, and as it entered turbulence both engines flamed out. Pilot and RSO, ejected safely after aircraft stalled.
lost on 10 may 1970, it was on a photo reconnaisance mission -
Both engines flammed out? Wow!Originally posted by sgFish:(185) The loss of SR-71 (tail #64-17969) took place during a North Vietnamese operation mission flown from Kadena AB, Okinawa. Shortly after air-refueling, aircraft was unable to maintain a high rate of climb, and as it entered turbulence both engines flamed out. Pilot and RSO, ejected safely after aircraft stalled.
lost on 10 may 1970, it was on a photo reconnaisance mission -
64-17969 (SR-71A) Lost on 10 May 1970 during an operational mission from Kadena, Okinawa against North Vietnam. Shortly after air-refueling, the pilot, Major William E. Lawson initiated a normal full power climb.Stretching before him was a solid bank of cloud containing heavy thunderstorm activity which reached above 45,000'. Heavy with fuel, the aircraft was unable to maintain a high rate of climb and as it entered turbulence both engines flamed out. The RPM dropped to a level too low for restarting the engines. Pilot and RSO, Major Gilbert Martinez ejected safely after the aircraft stalled. The plane crashed near Korat RTAFB, Thailand.
same aircraft