- Title: SOUTH VIETNAM: MINIGUNS FOR SKYRAIDERS -- WORKHORSES OF THE VIETNAM WAR
- Date: 30th May 1966
- Summary: 1. MCU SKYRAIDER TAXING IN 0.09 2. MLS (PAN) PARKED SKYRAIDERS 0.22 3. MLS TECHNICIANS AROUND SKYRAIDER 0.25 4. MCU CRATES CONTAINING MINI-GUNS 0.28 5. CU UNPACKING MINI-GUNS (TWO SHOTS) 0.33 6. MS PUSHING MINI-GUN TOWARD SKYRAIDER 0.40 7. MCU FIXING GUN TO WINGS (THREE SHOTS) 0.49 8. CU CAPTAIN DICK ROEHM TOWARD PLAN
- Embargoed: 14th June 1966 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PLEIKU, CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, SOUTH VIETNAM
- Country: Vietnam
- Reuters ID: LVAEWI3YCA3PNLMQ82XYNIRIEAE9
- Story Text: FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE VIETNAM CONFLICT, THE PROPELLOR-DRIVEN SKYRAIDER FIGHTER BOMBERS BASED AT PLEIKU, IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, ARE BEING FITTED WITH MINI-GUNS. THEY WILL BE USED AGAINST THE COMMUNIST-BACKED VIETCONG.
THE MINI-GUN, A FEARSOME WEAPON WITH DEADLY ACCURACY, WILL AUGMENT THE 4X20 MM CANNON THE SKYRAIDER ALREADY CARRIERS. THE NEW WEAPON WHICH HAS DEVASTATING EFFECT, IS CAPABLE OF FIRING 7.62 MM SHELLS AT THE RATE OF 6,000 PER MINUTE. ITS NORMAL THREE-SECOND BURST WILL FIRE 300 ROUNDS.
EACH SKYRAIDER WILL BE FITTED WITH TWO MINI-GUNS ON EACH WING.
THE SKYRAIDERS, WORKHORSES OF THE VIETNAM WAR, ARE CONSIDERED IDEALLY SUITED TO CONDITIONS IN VIETNAM. THEY CAN CARRY A GREAT VARIETY OF WEAPONS: CANNONS, ROCKETS, BOMBS, MACHINE GUNS, IT CAN FLY AT SLOW SPEEDS ALLOWING FOR GREAT ACCURACY WHEN BOMBING OR STRAFFING.
RECENTLY, A SKYRAIDER WAS FITTED WITH THE NEW WEAPON. PILOT FOR THE TEST FLIGHT WAS CAPTAIN DICK ROEHM OF EVERETT, WASHINGTON, U.S.A. HE IS ALSO THE ARMAMENTS OFFICER AT PLEIKU. HE HAS FLOWN NEARLY 250 MISSIONS IN VIETNAM.
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