The Douglas AC-47 was the first in a series of fixed-wing gunships developed by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. It was designed to provide more firepower than light and medium ground-attack aircraft in certain situations when ground forces called for close air support.
Douglas AC-47 Spooky
AC-47
AC-47 at Nha Trang Air Base in South Vietnam
Timelapse photo showing tracer rounds visible at night while converging on the target of an AC-47D performing a pylon turn in Saigon in 1968
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.
An AC-130H gunship from the 16th Special Operations Squadron
The B-25 bomber was heavily armed with 75mm and .50 caliber machine guns.
The AC-47 provided CAS with three port side mounted 7.62 mm miniguns.
The Mil Mi-24 was one of the first dedicated gunship helicopters.