A gunship is a military aircraft armed with heavy aircraft guns , primarily intended for attacking ground targets either as airstrike or as close air support .
86-410: In modern usage the term "gunship" refers to fixed-wing aircraft having laterally -mounted heavy armaments (i.e. firing to the side) to attack ground or sea targets. These gunships are configured to circle the target instead of performing strafing runs. Such aircraft have their armament on one side harmonized to fire at the apex of an imaginary cone formed by the aircraft and the ground when performing
172-586: A World War II ground-attack aircraft fielded by the German Luftwaffe . The aircraft saw combat in Tunisia and on the Eastern Front . A key requirement of the original specification was that the aircraft be powered by engines that were not in demand for other designs. Prototypes with low-power German Argus As 410 engines of 465 PS (459 hp; 342 kW) failed acceptance test,
258-513: A parachute drop zone . The gliders were treated as disposable, constructed from inexpensive materials such as wood, though a few were re-used. By the time of the Korean War , transport aircraft had become larger and more efficient so that even light tanks could be dropped by parachute, obsoleting gliders. Even after the development of powered aircraft, gliders continued to be used for aviation research . The NASA Paresev Rogallo flexible wing
344-460: A pilot , but some are unmanned and controlled either remotely or autonomously. Kites were used approximately 2,800 years ago in China, where kite building materials were available. Leaf kites may have been flown earlier in what is now Sulawesi , based on their interpretation of cave paintings on nearby Muna Island . By at least 549 AD paper kites were flying, as recorded that year, a paper kite
430-552: A pylon turn ( banking turn ). The term "gunship" originated in the mid-19th century as a synonym for gunboat and also referred to the heavily armed ironclad steamships used during the American Civil War . The term helicopter gunship is commonly used to describe armed helicopters . During 1942 and 1943, the lack of a usable escort fighter for the United States Army Air Forces in
516-679: A Vickers Vimy in 1919 , followed months later by the U.S. Navy's NC-4 transatlantic flight ; culminating in May 1927 with Charles Lindbergh 's solo trans-Atlantic flight in the Spirit of St. Louis spurring ever-longer flight attempts. Airplanes had a presence in the major battles of World War II. They were an essential component of military strategies, such as the German Blitzkrieg or the American and Japanese aircraft carrier campaigns of
602-522: A conformally mounted gun pod (B-2/R-2). The Me 410 Hornisse were armed with the same BK 50mm autocannon as the Ju 88P-4, but were only used as bomber destroyers. None of the German twin-engine heavy fighters types were produced or converted in large numbers. In the more modern, post-World War II fixed-wing aircraft category, a gunship is an aircraft having laterally -mounted heavy armaments (i.e. firing to
688-471: A fixed armament of four 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannon and four .303 (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns , together with up to 4,000 pounds of bombs in the bomb bay and on racks housed in streamlined fairings under each wing, or up to eight "60lb" RP-3 rockets . De Havilland also produced seventeen Mosquito FB Mk XVIIIs armed with a 57 mm QF 6-pdr anti-tank gun with autoloader, which were used against German ships and U-boats. The Germans also made
774-461: A glance; the main differences being the removal of the mast for the radio antenna, the addition of a direction-finding radio antenna loop, and shorter exhaust stacks on the engines. In the field, the differences seemed to be more pronounced. The Rüstsatz field refit kits were renumbered and some were dropped, and in general, the Hs 129B-2/R2 planes in service with 4./ Schlachtgeschwader 1 received
860-416: A glider) made out of paper or paperboard. Model glider aircraft are models of aircraft using lightweight materials such as polystyrene and balsa wood . Designs range from simple glider aircraft to accurate scale models , some of which can be very large. Glide bombs are bombs with aerodynamic surfaces to allow a gliding flight path rather than a ballistic one. This enables stand-off aircraft to attack
946-400: A glider. Gliders and sailplanes that are used for the sport of gliding have high aerodynamic efficiency. The highest lift-to-drag ratio is 70:1, though 50:1 is common. After take-off, further altitude can be gained through the skillful exploitation of rising air. Flights of thousands of kilometers at average speeds over 200 km/h have been achieved. One small-scale example of a glider
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#17327826816901032-615: A larger bomb load and the B1/R5 reconnaissance version had a camera. Deliveries of the new Hs 129 B-2 model began in May 1942, side by side with the B-1 (of which just 50 planes had been delivered at that point). The only difference between the two were changes to the fuel system – a host of other minor changes could be found almost at random on either model. These changes accumulated in the B-2 production line until they could eventually be told apart at
1118-526: A limited propulsion system for takeoff, or to extend flight duration. As is the case with planes, gliders come in diverse forms with varied wings, aerodynamic efficiency, pilot location, and controls. Large gliders are most commonly born aloft by a tow-plane or by a winch . Military gliders have been used in combat to deliver troops and equipment, while specialized gliders have been used in atmospheric and aerodynamic research. Rocket-powered aircraft and spaceplanes have made unpowered landings similar to
1204-550: A more powerful replacement was found with the French Gnome-Rhône 14M engine of 700 PS (690 hp; 515 kW). The design was relatively effective when it was first introduced, and saw service on the Eastern Front in a variety of front-line roles. As the war continued and anti-tank support became the main goal, the aircraft was continually up-gunned, eventually mounting a 75 mm anti-tank gun. Only
1290-559: A single larger windscreen and a new canopy with much better vision were added, resulting in the production model Hs 129 B-1 . B-1 production began in December 1941 but deliveries were slow. In preparation for the new plane, I./ SchlG 1 had been formed in January with Bf 109 E/Bs (fighter-bomber version of Bf 109 E) and Hs 123s and they delivered B-0s and every B-1 that was completed. It was not until April that 12 B-1s were delivered and
1376-486: A sizable number of heavy fighter types ( Zerstörer —"destroyer") armed with heavy guns ( Bordkanone ). Dedicated "tankbuster" aircraft such as the Ju 87Gs ( Kanonenvogel ) were armed with two BK 37mm autocannon in underwing gun pods. The Ju 88P gunships were armed with 37mm, 50mm and 75mm guns, and were used as tankbusters and as bomber destroyers. The Hs 129 could carry a 30 mm (1.181 in) MK 101 cannon or MK 103 cannon in
1462-517: A small number of these B-3 models were produced, late in the war. Production ceased in September 1944. By the mid-1930s, the German military, as well as its counterparts in other countries, had come to see the main role of ground-attack aircraft as the interdiction of logistics and materiel , a task in which targets were often poorly protected and less likely to have strong, well-coordinated defences. For high-value, well-protected tactical targets,
1548-635: A streamlined fuselage and long narrow wings incorporating a high aspect ratio . Single-seat and two-seat gliders are available. Initially, training was done by short "hops" in primary gliders , which have no cockpit and minimal instruments. Since shortly after World War II, training is done in two-seat dual control gliders, but high-performance two-seaters can make long flights. Originally skids were used for landing, later replaced by wheels, often retractable. Gliders known as motor gliders are designed for unpowered flight, but can deploy piston , rotary , jet or electric engines . Gliders are classified by
1634-465: A successful passenger-carrying glider in 1853. In 1856, Frenchman Jean-Marie Le Bris made the first powered flight, had his glider L'Albatros artificiel towed by a horse along a beach. In 1884, American John J. Montgomery made controlled flights in a glider as a part of a series of gliders he built between 1883 and 1886. Other aviators who made similar flights at that time were Otto Lilienthal , Percy Pilcher , and protégés of Octave Chanute . In
1720-452: A target from a distance. A kite is a tethered aircraft held aloft by wind that blows over its wing(s). High pressure below the wing deflects the airflow downwards. This deflection generates horizontal drag in the direction of the wind. The resultant force vector from the lift and drag force components is opposed by the tension of the tether . Kites are mostly flown for recreational purposes, but have many other uses. Early pioneers such as
1806-509: A variety of combat maneuvers to approach a target. In their case, the term gunship is synonymous with heavily armed helicopter . Specifically, dedicated attack helicopters such as the Bell AH-1 Cobra also fit this meaning. In any case, the gunship armaments include machine guns, rockets, and missiles . The Soviet Mil Mi-24 (NATO code name: Hind) is a large, heavily armed and armored helicopter gunship and troop transport . It
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#17327826816901892-830: Is a heavier-than-air aircraft , such as an airplane , which is capable of flight using aerodynamic lift . Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft (in which a rotor mounted on a spinning shaft generates lift), and ornithopters (in which the wings oscillate to generate lift). The wings of a fixed-wing aircraft are not necessarily rigid; kites, hang gliders , variable-sweep wing aircraft, and airplanes that use wing morphing are all classified as fixed wing. Gliding fixed-wing aircraft, including free-flying gliders and tethered kites , can use moving air to gain altitude. Powered fixed-wing aircraft (airplanes) that gain forward thrust from an engine include powered paragliders , powered hang gliders and ground effect vehicles . Most fixed-wing aircraft are operated by
1978-404: Is a lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider with no rigid body. The pilot is suspended in a harness below a hollow fabric wing whose shape is formed by its suspension lines. Air entering vents in the front of the wing and the aerodynamic forces of the air flowing over the outside power the craft. Paragliding is most often a recreational activity. A paper plane is a toy aircraft (usually
2064-408: Is capable of taking off and landing (alighting) on water. Seaplanes that can also operate from dry land are a subclass called amphibian aircraft . Seaplanes and amphibians divide into two categories: float planes and flying boats . Many forms of glider may include a small power plant. These include: A ground effect vehicle (GEV) flies close to the terrain, making use of the ground effect –
2150-526: Is sport and recreation. Gliders were developed in the 1920s for recreational purposes. As pilots began to understand how to use rising air, sailplane gliders were developed with a high lift-to-drag ratio . These allowed the craft to glide to the next source of " lift ", increasing their range. This gave rise to the popular sport of gliding . Early gliders were built mainly of wood and metal, later replaced by composite materials incorporating glass, carbon or aramid fibers. To minimize drag , these types have
2236-649: Is the paper airplane. An ordinary sheet of paper can be folded into an aerodynamic shape fairly easily; its low mass relative to its surface area reduces the required lift for flight, allowing it to glide some distance. Gliders and sailplanes share many design elements and aerodynamic principles with powered aircraft. For example, the Horten H.IV was a tailless flying wing glider, and the delta-winged Space Shuttle orbiter glided during its descent phase. Many gliders adopt similar control surfaces and instruments as airplanes. The main application of modern glider aircraft
2322-811: The Argus As 411 engine of similar configuration and lighter (385 kg) weight. The engine installation ran into a number of delays and was still not ready for production when the plant was overrun by the Allies in 1945. Planned version of the Hs 129. Powered by either two 809 kW (1,085 hp; 1,100 PS) Junkers Jumo 211 or two 1,148 kW (1,539 hp; 1,561 PS) BMW 801 to improve its performance. No prototypes were made. Data from Henschel Hs 129...der geflügelte Büchsenöffner General characteristics Performance Armament Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Note: Official RLM designations had
2408-666: The European Theatre of Operations led to experiments in dramatically increasing the armament of a standard Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress , and later a single Consolidated B-24D Liberator , to each have 14 to 16 Browning AN/M2 .50 cal machine guns as the Boeing YB-40 Flying Fortress and Consolidated XB-41 Liberator respectively. These were to accompany regular heavy bomber formations over occupied Europe on strategic bombing raids for long-range escort duties as "flying destroyer gunships". The YB-40
2494-550: The FAI for competitions into glider competition classes mainly on the basis of wingspan and flaps. A class of ultralight sailplanes, including some known as microlift gliders and some known as airchairs, has been defined by the FAI based on weight. They are light enough to be transported easily, and can be flown without licensing in some countries. Ultralight gliders have performance similar to hang gliders , but offer some crash safety as
2580-980: The Fairchild AC-119 , and the AC-130 Spectre/Spooky, were vulnerable, and meant to operate only after achieving air superiority . Smaller gunship designs such as the Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker and the Helio AU-24 Stallion were also designed by the United States during the Vietnam War. These aircraft were meant to be cheap and easy to fly and maintain, and were to be given to friendly governments in Southeast Asia to assist with counter-insurgency operations, eventually seeing service with
2666-553: The Fw 189 , the other was Henschel's. It was designated the P 46, but was later given the official designation of Hs 129 from the RLM in April 1938. The Hs 129 was designed by Henschel's chief designer, Dipl.-Ing. Friedrich Nicolaus, around a single large "bathtub" of steel sheeting that made up the entire nose area of the plane, completely enclosing the pilot up to head level. Even the canopy
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2752-619: The Henschel Flugzeug-Werke AG. Gotha did not respond and the Hamburger Flugzeugbau offered their P-40 project. This was a development of their two seat Ha 141 , but the ground attack version was considered too unconventional and was eliminated. This aircraft would later be known as the BV 141 .Two submissions were considered worthy of consideration: one derived from an existing Focke-Wulf reconnaissance type,
2838-719: The Khmer National Air Force , Royal Thai Air Force , and Republic of Vietnam Air Force as well as limited use by the United States Air Force. Renewed interest in the concept of gunships has resulted in the development of a gunship variant of the Alenia C-27J Spartan . Although the United States Air Force decided not to procure the AC-27J, other nations including Italy have chosen the aircraft for introduction. Additionally, in 2013
2924-572: The Luftwaffe for the creation of an aircraft dedicated to this role, and the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM; " Reich Aviation Ministry") through its Technisches Amt (Technical office) issued its specifications for a Schlachtflugzeug (ground-attack aircraft, specifically intended for the direct support of ground forces. It was anticipated that the main source of damage to such an aircraft would be small arms fire from
3010-671: The United States during the Vietnam War. Armed with four 7.62 mm GAU-2/A Miniguns (and two 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan six-barrel rotary cannons in the AC-119K version), they replaced the Douglas AC-47 Spooky and operated alongside the early versions of the AC-130 Spectre gunship. It was the later and larger Lockheed AC-130 Gunship II that became the modern, post–World War II origin of
3096-734: The Vietnam War , the popular Douglas C-47 Skytrain transport was successfully modified into a gunship by the United States Air Force with three side-firing Miniguns for circling attacks. At the time the aircraft was known as a "Dragonship", "Puff, the Magic Dragon" or "Spooky" (officially designated FC-47, later corrected to AC-47). Its three 7.62 mm miniguns could selectively fire either 50 or 100 rounds per second. Cruising in an overhead left-hand orbit at 120 knots air speed at an altitude of 3,000 feet (910 m),
3182-465: The Wright Brothers and J.W. Dunne sometimes flew an aircraft as a kite in order to confirm its flight characteristics, before adding an engine and flight controls. Kites have been used for signaling, for delivery of munitions , and for observation , by lifting an observer above the field of battle, and by using kite aerial photography . Henschel Hs 129 The Henschel Hs 129 was
3268-534: The Wright Flyer III was capable of fully controllable, stable flight for substantial periods. In 1906, Brazilian inventor Alberto Santos Dumont designed, built and piloted an aircraft that set the first world record recognized by the Aéro-Club de France by flying the 14 bis 220 metres (720 ft) in less than 22 seconds. The flight was certified by the FAI. The Bleriot VIII design of 1908
3354-740: The dive bomber was becoming the conventional solution. The experience of the German Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) refuted this idea. Even though it was equipped with types unsuited to the role, such as the Henschel Hs 123 and cannon -armed versions of the Heinkel He 112 , the Kondor Legion proved that ground-attack aircraft were a very effective weapon. This led to support within
3440-484: The .50 caliber machine guns were replaced by a MG 151 20mm cannon in a single mounting. These helicopters were known in Portuguese service as " helicanhões " (heli-cannons) and were used in the escort of unarmed transport helicopters in air assault operations and in the fire support to the troops in the ground. The South African and Rhodesian air forces later used armed Alouette III in similar configurations as
3526-493: The 1,420 examples of the North American B-25G and B-25H Mitchell , which mounted either a 75 mm (2.95 in) M4 cannon , or lightweight T13E1 or M5 versions of the same gun, both of which required a crew member to manually reload after each shot. The Japanese Mitsubishi Ki-109 Army Heavy Fighter Interceptor also carried a 75mm gun, but only 24 were produced. In May 1944, a Hs 129B-2, Werknummer 141258,
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3612-455: The 1890s, Lawrence Hargrave conducted research on wing structures and developed a box kite that lifted the weight of a man. His designs were widely adopted. He also developed a type of rotary aircraft engine, but did not create a powered fixed-wing aircraft. Sir Hiram Maxim built a craft that weighed 3.5 tons, with a 110-foot (34-meter) wingspan powered by two 360-horsepower (270-kW) steam engines driving two propellers. In 1894, his machine
3698-466: The 18th and 19th centuries kites were used for scientific research. Around 400 BC in Greece , Archytas was reputed to have designed and built the first self-propelled flying device, shaped like a bird and propelled by a jet of what was probably steam, said to have flown some 200 m (660 ft). This machine may have been suspended during its flight. One of the earliest attempts with gliders
3784-626: The 4th Staffel (squadron) became ready for action. They moved to the Eastern Front (to Crimea ) in the middle of May 1942 and in June they received a new weapon, the 30 mm (1.2 in) MK 101 cannon with armor-piercing ammunition in a centerline pod . This would be the B1/R2 Rüstsätze kit, the B1/R3 had the MK 101 replaced with a ventral tray of four 7.92mm MG 17 machine guns. The B1/R4 had
3870-892: The AC-27J Stinger II and the MC-27J produced by Alenia Aeronautica in Italy. Early helicopter gunships also operated in the side-firing configuration, with an early example being the Aérospatiale Alouette III . During the Overseas wars in Africa in the 1960s, the Portuguese Air Force experimented with the installation of M2 Browning .50 caliber machine guns in a side-firing twin-mounting configuration in some of its Alouette III helicopters. Later,
3956-544: The B-3 proved effective, but its small numbers had little effect on the war effort. To address the poor performance of the aircraft, plans had been under way for some time to fit the plane with newer versions of the Italian Isotta-Fraschini Delta air-cooled inverted V12 inline engine that delivered 850 hp (625 kW) and weighed some 510 kg (1,120 lb) apiece, providing more power than
4042-645: The BK 3.7 cm (1.46 in) automatic cannon, but relatively few aircraft were converted in favour of the B-2/R4 and B-3, mounting the BK 7.5. It was decided that the 7.5 cm (2.95 in) semi-automatic Rheinmetall PaK 40 anti-tank gun, which had already been adapted for use in the Junkers Ju 88 P-1, would be further modified for use in the Hs 129. This resulted in the BK 7,5 ( Bordkanone 7,5), which, even though it weighed 1,200 kg (2,600 lb),
4128-577: The Henschel was smaller and cheaper. The Focke-Wulf was put on low priority as a backup and testing continued with the Hs 129 A-0. Improvements resulted in the Hs 129 A-1 series, armed with two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons and two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns , along with the ability to carry four 50 kg (110 lb) bombs along the fuselage centreline. Even before the A-1s were delivered,
4214-406: The Hs 129 with the port engine rotating clockwise and the starboard rotating counterclockwise, as seen from nose-on, thus eliminating engine torque problems. The A-1 planes were converted into Hs 129 B-0 s for testing (although it has been claimed that some As were sold to Romania ) and the pilots were reportedly much happier with the results. Their main complaint was the view from the canopy, so
4300-494: The Pacific 405 B-25Gs were armed with a 75 mm (2.95 in) M4 cannon and a thousand B-25Hs followed. The H models, delivered from August 1943, moved the dorsal turret forward to just behind the cockpit and were armed with the lighter 75mm T13E1 cannon. The B-25J variant removed the 75mm gun but carried a total of eighteen 0.50 cal (12.7 mm) AN/ M2 Browning machine guns , more than any other contemporary American aircraft: eight in
4386-485: The Pacific. Military gliders were developed and used in several campaigns, but were limited by the high casualty rate encountered. The Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 Bachstelze (Wagtail) rotor kite of 1942 was notable for its use by German U-boats . Before and during the war, British and German designers worked on jet engines . The first jet aircraft to fly, in 1939, was the German Heinkel He 178 . In 1943,
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#17327826816904472-750: The Portuguese, respectively in the South African Border and Rhodesian Bush wars. During the Algerian War , the French operated Sikorsky H-34 "Pirate" armed with a German 20mm MG151 cannon and two .50 machine guns. During the early days of the Vietnam War, USMC H-34s were among the first helicopter gunships in theater, fitted with the Temporary Kit-1 (TK-1) , comprising two M60C machine guns and two 19-shot 2.75 inch rocket pods . The operations were met with mixed enthusiasm, and
4558-831: The US Air Force Special Operations Command reportedly tested a gunship version of the C-145A Skytruck armed with a GAU-18 twin-mount .50-calibre machine gun system. Later Air Forces in the middle east have begun to experiment with smaller gunships than the AC-130 with the Jordan Air Force converting 2 AC-235 and a single AC-295 into Gunships. These are armed with ATK’s side-mounted M230 30mm chain guns and various munitions (2.75-inch rockets, hellfire missiles and bombs) mounted on to wing pylons. Other smaller modern gunships include
4644-506: The United States and Canada in 1919. The so-called Golden Age of Aviation occurred between the two World Wars, during which updated interpretations of earlier breakthroughs. Innovations include Hugo Junkers ' all-metal air frames in 1915 leading to multi-engine aircraft of up to 60+ meter wingspan sizes by the early 1930s, adoption of the mostly air-cooled radial engine as a practical aircraft power plant alongside V-12 liquid-cooled aviation engines, and longer and longer flights – as with
4730-664: The armed H-34s, known as "Stingers", were quickly phased out. The TK-1 kit would form the basis of the TK-2 kit used later on the UH-1E helicopters of the USMC. The U.S. Army also experimented with H-34 gunships armed with M2 .50 caliber machine-guns and 2.75-inch rockets. In September 1971, a CH-34 was armed with two M2 .50 caliber machine guns, four M1919 .30 caliber machine guns, forty 2.75-inch rockets, two 5-inch high velocity aerial rockets (HVAR), plus two additional .30 caliber machine guns in
4816-437: The designs: the RLM insisted that the new design be powered by engines that were not being used in existing aircraft, so that the type would not interfere with the production of established types deemed essential to the war effort. The specification was issued to four companies in the Spring of 1937. These were Hamburger Flugzeugbau GmbH (later renamed Blohm und Voss), Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau GmbH, Gothaer Waggonfabrik AG and
4902-409: The first operational jet fighter, the Messerschmitt Me 262 , went into service with the German Luftwaffe . Later in the war the British Gloster Meteor entered service, but never saw action – top air speeds for that era went as high as 1,130 km/h (700 mph), with the early July 1944 unofficial record flight of the German Me 163B V18 rocket fighter prototype. In October 1947, the Bell X-1
4988-407: The ground from a short dive on 5 January 1940 because the stick forces were too high for the pilot to pull out. The Focke-Wulf design proved to be no better. Both planes were underpowered with their air-cooled, inverted-V12 Argus As 410 engines and very difficult to fly. The RLM nevertheless felt they should continue with the concept. The only real deciding factor between the two designs was that
5074-465: The ground, meaning that the plane had to be well- armored around its cockpit and engines. Similar protection was also needed in the canopy , in the form of 75 mm (2.95 in) thick armored glass . The aircraft was expected to be attacking in low-level, head-on strafing runs, so the cockpit had to be located as close as possible to the nose, in order to maximize the visibility of its targets. Another, non-operational, requirement severely hampered
5160-417: The ground-based 3.7 cm Flak 18 . These guns had already been converted into underwing pod-mounted weapons for the Junkers Ju 87G and found to be an effective weapon, despite the fact that only 12 shells per pod could be accommodated. When mounted on the Hs 129, the empty area behind the cockpit could be used for ammunition storage, greatly increasing the supply compared to the Ju. The B-2/R3 package introduced
5246-444: The gunship could put a bullet or glowing red tracer (every fifth round) into every square yard of a football field–sized target in potentially less than 10 seconds. And, as long as its 45-flare and 24,000-round basic load of ammunition held out, it could do this intermittently while loitering over the target for hours. The lesser known Fairchild AC-119G Shadow and AC-119K Stingers were twin-engine piston-powered gunships developed by
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#17327826816905332-559: The interaction between the wings and the surface. Some GEVs are able to fly higher out of ground effect (OGE) when required – these are classed as powered fixed-wing aircraft. A glider is a heavier-than-air craft whose free flight does not require an engine. A sailplane is a fixed-wing glider designed for soaring – gaining height using updrafts of air and to fly for long periods. Gliders are mainly used for recreation but have found use for purposes such as aerodynamics research, warfare and spacecraft recovery. Motor gliders are equipped with
5418-484: The left side aft windows and one .50 caliber machine gun in the right side cargo door. The result was the world's most heavily armed helicopter at the time. Also, during the Vietnam War, the ubiquitous Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopters were modified into gunships by mounting the U.S. Helicopter Armament Subsystems—these were forward-firing weapons, such as machine guns , rockets , and autocannons , that began to appear in 1962–1963. Rotary-wing aircraft (helicopters) can use
5504-438: The nose, four in under-cockpit conformal flank-mount gun pod packages, two in the dorsal turret, one each in the pair of waist positions, and a pair in the tail, giving a maximum of fourteen guns firing forward in strafing runs. Later the B-25J was armed with eight 5 in. (130 mm) high velocity aircraft rockets (HVARs). The British also made large numbers of twin-engined fighter bombers. The de Havilland Mosquito FB.VI had
5590-693: The pilot can strap into an upright seat within a deform-able structure. Landing is usually on one or two wheels which distinguishes these craft from hang gliders. Most are built by individual designers and hobbyists. Military gliders were used during World War II for carrying troops ( glider infantry ) and heavy equipment to combat zones. The gliders were towed into the air and most of the way to their target by transport planes, e.g. C-47 Dakota , or by one-time bombers that had been relegated to secondary activities, e.g. Short Stirling . The advantage over paratroopers were that heavy equipment could be landed and that troops were quickly assembled rather than dispersed over
5676-414: The pilot is suspended in a harness suspended from the air frame , and exercises control by shifting body weight in opposition to a control frame. Hang gliders are typically made of an aluminum alloy or composite -framed fabric wing. Pilots can soar for hours, gain thousands of meters of altitude in thermal updrafts, perform aerobatics, and glide cross-country for hundreds of kilometers. A paraglider
5762-430: The plane was redesigned with Gnome-Rhône 14M radial engines , which were captured in some number when France fell and continued to be produced under German occupation. This engine supplied 700 PS (690 hp; 515 kW) for takeoff, compared with the Argus at 465 PS (459 hp; 342 kW). The Gnome-Rhone radials were also made in versions with opposite rotation for the propeller , and were installed on
5848-537: The rear of the pod allowed rearwards ejection of spent cartridges immediately after firing. While this new variant, the Hs 129 B-3 , was theoretically capable of destroying any tank in the world, the added weight worsened the aircraft's general performance and it was inferior to previous variants. The Bordkanone 7,5 was the heaviest and most powerful forward-firing weapon fitted to a production military aircraft during World War II. The only other ground-attack aircraft to be factory-equipped with similar-calibre guns were
5934-401: The side) to attack ground or sea targets. These gunships were configured to circle the target instead of performing strafing runs. Such aircraft have their armament on one side harmonized to fire at the apex of an imaginary cone formed by the aircraft and the ground when performing a pylon turn ( banking turn ). The Douglas AC-47 Spooky was the first notable modern gunship. In 1964, during
6020-465: The term gunship in military aviation. These heavily armed aircraft used a variety of weapon systems, including 7.62 mm GAU-2/A Miniguns, 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan six-barrel rotary cannons , 25 mm (0.984 in) GAU-12/U Equalizer five-barreled rotary cannons, 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster II chain guns , 40 mm (1.58 in) L/60 Bofors autocannons , and 105 mm (4.13 in) M102 howitzers . The Douglas AC-47 Spooky ,
6106-438: The upgraded cannon pack using a 30 mm MK 103 cannon instead of the earlier MK 101. These guns both fired the same ammunition, but the 103 did so at almost twice the rate. By late 1942 reports were coming in about the ineffectiveness of the MK 101 against newer versions of the Soviet T-34 tanks . One obvious solution would be to use the larger 3.7 cm (1.46 in) BK 3,7 ( Bordkanone 3,7), recently adapted from
6192-510: The use of aircraft as weapons and observation platforms. The earliest known aerial victory with a synchronized machine gun -armed fighter aircraft occurred in 1915, flown by German Luftstreitkräfte Lieutenant Kurt Wintgens . Fighter aces appeared; the greatest (by number of air victories) was Manfred von Richthofen . Alcock and Brown crossed the Atlantic non-stop for the first time in 1919. The first commercial flights traveled between
6278-581: The world. Some of the hundreds of versions found other purposes, like the AC-47 , a Vietnam War era gunship, which is still used in the Colombian Air Force . An airplane (aeroplane or plane) is a powered fixed-wing aircraft propelled by thrust from a jet engine or propeller . Planes come in many sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. Uses include recreation, transportation of goods and people, military, and research. A seaplane (hydroplane)
6364-449: Was almost invisible; some of the engine instruments were moved outside onto the engine nacelles' inboard-facing surfaces and the gunsight was mounted outside on the nose. Henschel's plane came in 12 percent overweight with the engines 8 percent underpowered; understandably, it flew poorly. The controls proved to be almost inoperable as speed increased and in testing, the V2 prototype flew into
6450-421: Was an early aircraft design that had the modern monoplane tractor configuration . It had movable tail surfaces controlling both yaw and pitch, a form of roll control supplied either by wing warping or by ailerons and controlled by its pilot with a joystick and rudder bar. It was an important predecessor of his later Bleriot XI Channel -crossing aircraft of the summer of 1909. World War I served initiated
6536-441: Was by 11th-century monk Eilmer of Malmesbury , which failed. A 17th-century account states that 9th-century poet Abbas Ibn Firnas made a similar attempt, though no earlier sources record this event. In 1799, Sir George Cayley laid out the concept of the modern airplane as a fixed-wing machine with systems for lift, propulsion, and control. Cayley was building and flying models of fixed-wing aircraft as early as 1803, and built
6622-400: Was developed to investigate alternative methods of recovering spacecraft. Although this application was abandoned, publicity inspired hobbyists to adapt the flexible-wing airfoil for hang gliders. Initial research into many types of fixed-wing craft, including flying wings and lifting bodies was also carried out using unpowered prototypes. A hang glider is a glider aircraft in which
6708-408: Was fitted with a mock-up of the BK 7.5 and underwent aerodynamic testing at Travemünde . The gun fired a 12 kg shell and in an emergency the entire installation could be jettisoned. From June 1944, only 25 examples of the Hs 129 B-3 arrived at frontline units before the production line was shut down in September (a small number were reportedly also created by converting B-2 aircraft). In the field
6794-574: Was in commercial service for more than 50 years, from 1958 to 2010. The Boeing 747 was the world's largest passenger aircraft from 1970 until it was surpassed by the Airbus A380 in 2005. The most successful aircraft is the Douglas DC-3 and its military version, the C-47 , a medium sized twin engine passenger or transport aircraft that has been in service since 1936 and is still used throughout
6880-402: Was introduced in the 1970s and operated by the pre-1991 Soviet Air Force and its successors post-1991, and more than 30 other nations. It was heavily armed with a reinforced fuselage, designed to withstand .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine gun fire. Its armored cockpits and titanium rotor head are able to withstand 20 mm cannon hits. Fixed-wing aircraft A fixed-wing aircraft
6966-457: Was lighter than the PaK 40. Fully automatic, it featured a new, hydraulic recoil -dampening system and a new, more aerodynamic muzzle brake . An autoloader system, with 12 rounds in a rotary magazine, was fitted in the empty space behind the cockpit, within the rear half of the wing root area. The gun and its recoil mechanism occupied a substantial gun pod under the fuselage, and a circular port at
7052-609: Was sometimes described as a gunship, and a small 25-aircraft batch of the B-17-derived gunships were built, with a dozen of these deployed to Europe; the XB-41 had problems with stability and did not progress. During World War II , the urgent need for hard-hitting attack aircraft led to the development of the heavily armed gunship versions of the North American B-25 Mitchell . For use against shipping in
7138-402: Was steel, with only tiny windows on the side to see out of and two angled blocks of glass for the windscreen. To improve the armor's ability to deflect bullets, the fuselage sides were angled in, forming a triangular shape, resulting in almost no room to move at shoulder level. There was so little room in the cockpit that the instrument panel ended up under the nose below the windscreen, where it
7224-550: Was tested with overhead rails to prevent it from rising. The test showed that it had enough lift to take off. The craft was uncontrollable, and Maxim abandoned work on it. The Wright brothers ' flights in 1903 with their Flyer I are recognized by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the standard setting and record-keeping body for aeronautics , as "the first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight". By 1905,
7310-660: Was the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound, flown by Chuck Yeager . In 1948–49, aircraft transported supplies during the Berlin Blockade . New aircraft types, such as the B-52 , were produced during the Cold War . The first jet airliner , the de Havilland Comet , was introduced in 1952, followed by the Soviet Tupolev Tu-104 in 1956. The Boeing 707 , the first widely successful commercial jet,
7396-446: Was used as a message for a rescue mission. Ancient and medieval Chinese sources report kites used for measuring distances, testing the wind, lifting men, signaling, and communication for military operations. Kite stories were brought to Europe by Marco Polo towards the end of the 13th century, and kites were brought back by sailors from Japan and Malaysia in the 16th and 17th centuries. Although initially regarded as curiosities, by
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