Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker
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AU-23 Peacemaker | |
---|---|
Fairchild AU-23A Peacemaker in flight | |
Role | Armed gunship, counter-insurgency, utility transport |
Manufacturer | Fairchild Aircraft |
First flight | 1971 |
Primary users | United States Air Force Royal Thai Air Force |
Developed from | Pilatus PC-6 Porter |
The Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker is an American armed
Design and development
In May 1971 the
Operational history
The combat evaluation, PAVE COIN, was done in June and July 1971. The AU-23A was tested for eight possible missions: armed escort of helicopters, close air support, hamlet defense, STOL airlift and resupply, armed reconnaissance, border surveillance, forward air control, and counter infiltration. USAF crews flew 73 missions (94 sorties) and RVNAF crews flew 68 missions (85 sorties). Several types of weapons were test dropped/fired including 2.75-inch (70 mm) rockets (explosive and smoke), CBU-14
The 4400th Special Operations Squadron (Provisional) was created to complete the operational test and evaluation of the Credible Chase aircraft. The first AU-23A (72-1306) was delivered to the 4400th SOS on Jan. 2, 1972, followed by two more aircraft (72-1304 & 72-1305) at the end of the month. Testing continued until February 4, when the three aircraft were grounded because of cracks in the rudder assemblies. The first three aircraft were returned to Fairchild for repair and delivery of new aircraft resumed in late April 1972. On May 10, 1972, an AU-23A (S/N 72-1309) crashed after an in-flight engine failure. The pilot was not hurt, but all AU-23As were grounded until May 22, during the accident investigation. The last AU-23A was delivered on June 7 and testing was completed on June 28.
The 4400th recommended the aircraft not be used in combat without a major upgrade program. Specific problems identified included a slow combat speed (135 knots (250 km/h)), a low working altitude, no capability for "zoom" escapes after delivering ordnance and a complete lack of armor protection for the crew and vital aircraft systems. On June 30, 1972, the 4400th SOS ferried the AU-23As to
All AU-23A were supplied to
Royal Thai Air Force 531 Sqn AU-23A JTh2-20/19 coded 42079 (former FY 74-2079) crash-landed in Khlong Hoi Khong district around noon on 5 March 2019.[2]
Operators
- Royal Thai Air Force : 34 AU-23A:[3] 13 delivered in 1972, one in 1977 and 20 others in 1976.
- United States Air Force : 15 AU-23A, 4400th Special Operations Squadron (Provisional) - former operator.
Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: 3 (pilot, co-pilot, gunner)
- Capacity: 5 troops or 6 passengers or 1 litter patient, 3 ambulatory patients with 1 medical attendant
- Length: 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m)
- Wingspan: 49 ft 8 in (15.14 m)
- Height: 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m)
- Gross weight: 6,100 lb (2,767 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Garrett TPE-331-1-101Fturboprop engine, 650 hp (480 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 148 kn (170 mph, 274 km/h) at take-off power, 5,000 ft (1,524 m) altitude, 6,000 lb (2,722 kg) gross weight
- Cruise speed: 77 kn (88 mph, 142 km/h) at maximum continuous power, 129 kn (239 km/h) combat cruise
- Range: 360 nmi (420 mi, 680 km)
- Combat range: 175 nmi (201 mi, 323 km)
- Endurance: 4.84
Armament
- Up to 1,925 pounds (873 kg) of external stores on five pylons
- XM19720mm cannon, door-mounted
- minigun
- XM59 .50-cal. (12.7 mm) machine gun and XMU-470 20mm fixed side-firing gun pods.
- SUU11 gun pods
- 2.75-inch (70 mm) rocket pods
- BDU33 with 25 lb (11 kg) bomblets
- Mark 81250 lb (110 kg) bombs
- Mark 82500 lb (230 kg) bombs
- BLU118 500 lb (230 kg) napalm canisters
- cluster bombunits
- MK24 flares
- ADU272 canisters
- smoke grenades
- propaganda leaflet dispensers.
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Notes
- ^ Wassana Nanuam (24 Nov 2022). "Air force still flying world's only Peacemaker fleet". Bangkok Post.
- ^ Wassana Nanuam (5 Mar 2019). "Old air force plane crashes". Bangkok Post.
- ^ Fairchild AU-23A Peacemaker Archived 18 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine, wings-aviation.ch
References
- Larry Davis and Don Greer, Gunships, A Pictorial History of Spooky – Specials series (6032), Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1982. ISBN 0-89747-123-7
External links
- Fairchild AU-23A – National Museum of the USAF
- Photos
- Video