When I was stationed at Phu Cat in 69-70, we had two squadrons each of C-7 Caribous and EC-47s, in addition to two squadrons each of F-4Ds, O-2s and a detachment of AC-119s. The C-7s were renowed for their short-field take off capabilities and were used to resupply fire support bases that had runways.
As for C-141s, it’s true they weren’t based in Nam, but they regularly flew out of Phu Cat. In fact, on my first R &R, I caught flight on a C-141 to Taiwan, thanks to a lucky conversation I struck up with the crew in the mess hall. The pilot informed me they had plenty of room and invited me to come along, if I could get leave by take off time. I went sraight to my boss and begged for a week’s leave, which he kindly granted. He signed the leave papers I handed him right there on the spot. When I got back, he even tore up the leave papers so I wouldn’t get charged. Those were the days!
The reference I keep going back to is by Rene Francillon, “Viet Nam, The War in the Air”. The appendix has 3 views or photos of 119 aircraft that operated in Viet Nam on all sides from 12 September 1945 to 30 April, 1975. The criterion for including an aircraft is whether it was used in theater, so the SR-71 is included even though it was not based there, for instance. Len Morgan did some articles for Flying Magazine at the close of the war, it was pretty good, I thought, IIRC it only covered US Aircraft.
F-14s actually were there for the fall of Saigon. They flew off the USS Enterprise providing fighter cover for the evacuation of the last US Personnel. This was among their earliest operational cruises. No shots were fired by them, but they did fly “combat sorties” in theater during the official time period.
The SR-71 flights were actually over Laotian and Cambodian airspace, but they did fly over North Vietnam, China, North Korea and just about anywhere else they wanted to go!
I never knew that as well. But then again I was thinking of something parked in South Vietnam. That’s why I made the A10 comment. Can you imagine out much fine a wing of A10’s would have had on the Ho Chi Mein Trail? Called the 30mm cannon blues!
VF-1 & VF-2 off the Enterprise. As mentioned, they flew top cover during the evacuation of Saigon. Bit of a stretch to call them “combat sorties” since there really wasn’t any credible air-to-air threat.
I was assigned to the 9 SRW / 9 RTS working mission planning from 1964 through 1977, a time period that covered all Blackbird operational missions over South East Asia and Korea. I can assure you that SR-71’s NEVER overflew China during that period. Each individual, operational mission in that theater had to be cleared by the Whitehouse and none of the Presidents were willing to risk the political ramifications of doing so. They did overfly North & South Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand on a frequent and regular basis. They overflew North Korea on a few, very rare occasions with periphereal missions a little more often. They NEVER overflew Russia either. Overflights of both countries were claimed by their governments and reported as such in various media, but they simply did not happen.
The U-2C’s overflew North Viet Nam very early in the scheme of things over there, but were immediately restricted from doing so when the first SA-2 missiles were detected. This was before the U-2R’s went operational, so they incurred the same restriction as soon as they went over there.
Two more aircraft that I don’t think have been listed, but were used extensively is SEA are the HH-43 Pedro helicopter and the RF-4 recce bird. The HH-43 was supposed to be just for local base rescue, but they managed to get into the north a few times and pull out downed aircrew.
The RF-4’s became legendary for their exploits over the north and south after they replaced the RF-101C.
The F-100 was there in all three variants. The C model had very little useage, but the D was the backbone of CAS for a long time. The F model was used extensively as a Misty FAC and Wild Weasel I.
Wow, you guys are amazing. Very very helpful resource you guys are. When you guys pass, all us youngins are going to be lost. Need to try and soak up all I can now.
I agree with bondoman on the fact that trying to model all of these would take just about the rest of my living years, (and some of my dead ones), unless I did them all in 1/72 and built them really fast! Lol. I have a few of them already though and some they don’t make plastic models of, like the C-119.
I think I read that the ausies were flying B-57’s too? Story about an FAC being shot up and an ausie Hustler flying top cover escort for him on the way back.
Thanks for mentioning the Pedro. I intended to but you beat me to it.
As far as I know, the B-47 was never involved.
There was a B-52D that landed at DaNang for emergency repairs but it got out as soon as possible.
The B-52G was involved for a while at U-Tapao but I don’t remember how long.
You can also add the C-47 trash hauler and C-5, Variations on the C-123 to include the lightship, gunship, and Ranch Hand, C-9 Nightingale. Then there was the Seasprite, the YO3, a little copter called the Raven. The C.O.D. aircraft should have been added as well as the S-2 and it’s variants, and the AP-2.
The C-46s, U-10s and other aircraft operated by Air America and the civilian contractor flights that flew cargo and worked as Freedom Birds.
If I repeated a few, sorry.
As a side note, in the early 1980s JASDF intercepted a IL-28 from North Vietnam and turned it back.
Oh, no in fact Italeri just reissued the very creditable C-119 in both '50s USAF and the very excellent French scheme, overpainted, from Dien Bien Phu. Here’s a good bit of history:
Don’t forget the KC-135 and the KA-3 Whale. The 1967 or 68 Mackay Trophy was won by a KC-135 crew off the coast of Sout Vietnam that performed the first tri-level refueling by refueling a thirsty KA-3 which refueled a very thirsty Navy F-8 potected by 2 F-104’s which had taken on partial loads to give the F-8’s the gas they needed. All totaled, there were the 2 F-104’s, 2 KA-3’s, 2 F-8’s, and 2 AF F-4’s reueld by this crew. The KC spent so much time in the air that it had to land in South Vietnam for fuel protected by the F-104’s. Read it the latest issue of Aviation History magazine. It would make a great and huge 1/72 diorama.
The VNAF, (South Vietnamese Air Force), flew T-28’s, F8F Bearcats and A-1 Skyraiders, but I don’t think they ever flew the Mustang. The first time I went to Tan Son Nhut Air Base in 1965, there was an F8F as gate guard, or is that “door guard” on a pad in front of the VNAF Officer’s Club. By the time I went back the second time in 1967, it was gone.
didn’t they also fly the long winged B57’s out of Cam Rhon Bay at onetime? Things that happened down south were much different than up north. Virtually all out airstrikes were from DaNang and maybe somewhere down by Qhin Nhon (sp), but we did get one on occassion out of Dong Ha (Marines I think). Most all planes leaving out of Chu Lai we headed due north with a bomb load heavy enough to make you wonder if they’d ever get off the ground. What F111’s did over there I don’t know as we never saw one with a load out. But did take care of the wreckage of a couple of them. Don’t think we got a dozen strikes out of Chu Lai in my fifteen months of sun bathing.
In the North we relied on “Arc Light Missions” almost on a daily basis. And naval gun fire near the coast line as much as anything. As for the C119, I think Heller makes one that has French markings in 1/72 scale. Someday I’d like to build a long winged B57 recon plane.
