YANKEE AIR PIRATE - AAR
Yankee Air Pirate included the option to take part in Operation Pierce Arrow with the strike package, in a Spad! Yep, I could not resist trying out their new Skyraider (they modified the flight model and re-skinned it), we pick up the action towards the end of the strike….
640805 Pierce Arrow (VA-145)
Weather: - Broken Clouds 6000 VIS 30Nm
TOT: - 0700
Aircraft: - (4) A-1H Skyraiders
Flight Time: - 40 Minutes.
Lion 14 is the last flight over the target zone, loaded with Mk82s and looking for trouble! We are fragged to hit targets around the Vinh Bridge. The roar of the Wright radial fills my ears.
This is why the Vietnam War is so fascinating. In the age of modern jet combat and missiles, we are heading for a target in aircraft that would not have looked out of place over Normandy 20 years previously.
Flying in combat formation we go ‘feet dry’ 15 minutes later. I peer over the nose for a look at the bridge and surrounding traffic (look at the trees too).
There go the strikes, I am next up, setting up the Mk82s and approaching level at 2000’ for a quick dive on to the target.
There goes the flak, tracer, air bursts, shrapnel, all at once. The noise is incredible and smoke from the strikes obscures the ground.
I pickled those 82s right over a bunch of trucks and stuff at the north end of the bridge.
The buggers have me zeroed! But the Skyraider responds well, leaping to altitude.
She keeps pulling a fast and powerful climb, it is necessary not to snatch at the controls, but to gently feed input, keeping it smooth. The Spad roars to 5’000’ as we cross the coast, with the flak still thundering all around.
I have no idea whether I hit anything or not, I am not going back there to take a look! I will leave that assessment to the fool in the Camera-Bird who is back there right now!
18 minutes later, on finals to the USS Constellation the Spad looks wonderfully spiky with everything deployed. She’s a real sweetheart to land too.
Promoted to Lt. (JG) and still alive!
We shall leave the boats now, to examine the counter-insurgency war down south and also join the Thuds based in Thailand for their strategic raids over the Worlds most highly defended airspace….
Next up: 650219 First Blood Bien Gia