View source for Douglas AC-47 Spooky

{{Short description|1964 gunship aircraft by Douglas}}
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name= AC-47  
 |image=File:An AC-47 from Topeka, Kansas, conducts a gunship legacy flight during AirVenture Oshkosh 2021(cropped).jpg
 |caption=A restored AC-47 in flight
 |type= [[Ground-attack aircraft]] and [[close air support]] [[gunship]]
 |manufacturer=[[Douglas Aircraft Company]]
 |designer=
 |first_flight=1964
 |introduction=1965
 |status=In limited service
 |primary_user=[[United States Air Force]] (former)
 |more_users={{ubl|[[Philippine Air Force]] (historical )|[[Royal Lao Air Force]] (historical )|[[Khmer Air Force]] (historical )|[[Colombian Air Force]]}}
 |produced={{ubl|1963–1965 (US military conversions) |1987 and 1993 (Colombian conversions)}}
 |number_built=53
 |unit cost=
 |developed_from = [[C-47 Skytrain]]
 |variants=
}}

The '''Douglas AC-47''' ([[Puff,_the_Magic_Dragon#Vietnam War gunship|"Puff, the Magic Dragon"]]) was the first in a series of fixed-wing [[gunship]]s 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]].

==Design and development==
The AC-47 was a [[United States Air Force]] (USAF) [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain|C-47]] (the military version of the [[Douglas DC-3|DC-3]]) that had been modified by mounting three 7.62&nbsp;mm General Electric [[minigun]]s to fire through two rear window openings and the side cargo door, all on the left (pilot's) side of the aircraft, to provide close air support for ground troops. Other armament configurations could also be found on similar [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain|C-47]]-based aircraft around the world. The guns were actuated by a control on the pilot's yoke.  The guns to be active for firing would be selected by an aerial gunner on a control panel on the right side of the cargo bay. Normally, two aerial gunners would be part of a normal crew.  They would load the guns, clear malfunctions, and do inflight repair as well as select which gun(s) were online for the pilot to fire. It could orbit the target for hours, providing [[suppressing fire]] over an elliptical area about 52&nbsp;yd (47.5&nbsp;m) in diameter, placing a round every 2.4&nbsp;yd (2.2&nbsp;m) during a three-second burst. The aircraft also carried MK-24 Mod 3 parachute flares it could drop to illuminate the battleground.

[[File:AC-47.jpg|thumb|right|AC-47]]

The AC-47 had no previous design to gauge how successful it would be, because it was the first of its kind. The USAF found itself in a precarious situation when requests for additional gunships began to come in because it simply lacked miniguns to fit additional aircraft after the first two conversions. The next four aircraft were equipped with ten .30 caliber [[M1919 Browning machine gun#.30 AN/M2|AN/M2]] [[machine gun]]s. These weapons, using [[World War II]] and [[Korean War]] ammunition stocks, were quickly discovered to jam easily, produce large amounts of gases from firing, and, even in ten-gun groups, provide the density of fire of only a single minigun. All four of these aircraft were retrofitted to the standard armament configuration when additional miniguns arrived.

The AC-47 initially used [[U.S. aircraft gun pods#M18_and_SUU-11/A_Series|SUU-11/A]] [[gun pod]]s that were installed on locally fabricated mounts for the gunship application. [[General Electric]] eventually developed the [[Minigun#Gun pods and mounts|MXU-470/A]] to replace the gun pods, which were also used on later gunships.

==Operational history==

===United States Air Force===
[[File:AC-47 gunship - one Gatling gun points out the cargo door, and one each points out of the two windows forward of the door.jpg|right|thumb|AC-47 at [[Nha Trang Air Base]] in South Vietnam]]

In August 1964, years of fixed-wing gunship experimentation reached a new peak with ''Project Tailchaser'' under the direction of [[Captain (United States O-3)|Captain]] John C. Simons. This test involved the conversion of a single [[Convair C-131 Samaritan|Convair C-131B]] to be capable of firing a single [[Minigun|GAU-2/A Minigun]] at a downward angle out of the left side of the aircraft.  Even crude [[grease pencil]] [[crosshairs]] were quickly discovered to enable a pilot flying in a [[pylon turn]] to hit a stationary area target with relative accuracy and ease.  The Armament Development and Test Center tested the craft at [[Eglin Air Force Base]], [[Florida]], but lack of funding soon suspended the tests. In 1964, Captain Ron W. Terry returned from temporary duty in [[South Vietnam]] as part of an [[Air Force Systems Command]] team reviewing all aspects of air operations in counter-insurgency warfare, where he had noted the usefulness of C-47s and [[Fairchild C-123 Provider|C-123s]] orbiting as flare ships during night attacks on fortified hamlets. He received permission to conduct a live-fire test using the C-131 and revived the side-firing gunship program.

By October, Terry's team under ''Project Gunship'' provided a C-47D, which was converted to a similar standard as the ''Project Tailchaser'' aircraft and armed with three miniguns, which were initially mounted on locally fabricated mounts—essentially strapped gun pods intended for fixed-wing aircraft (SUU-11/A) onto a mount allowing them to be fired remotely out the port side. Terry and a testing team arrived at [[Bien Hoa Air Base]], South Vietnam, on 2 December 1964, with equipment needed to modify two C-47s. The first test aircraft (43-48579, a C-47B-5-DK mail courier converted to C-47D standard by removal of its [[supercharger]]s) was ready by 11 December, the second by 15 December, and both were allocated to the [[1st Special Operations Squadron|1st Air Commando Squadron]] for combat testing. The newly dubbed "FC-47" often operated under the radio call sign "Puff". Its primary mission involved protecting villages, hamlets, and personnel from mass attacks by [[Vietcong]] (VC) guerrilla units.

Puff's first significant success occurred on the night of 23–24 December 1964. An FC-47 arrived over the [[United States Army Special Forces|Special Forces]] outpost at Tranh Yend in the [[Mekong Delta]] just 37 minutes after an air support request, fired 4,500 rounds of ammunition, and broke the VC attack. The FC-47 was then called to support a second outpost at Trung Hung, about {{convert|20|mi}} away. The aircraft again blunted the VC attack and forced a retreat. Between 15 and 26 December, all the FC-47's 16 combat sorties were successful. On 8 February 1965, an FC-47 flying over the [[Bồng Sơn]] area demonstrated its capabilities in the process of blunting a VC offensive. For over four hours, it fired 20,500 rounds into a VC hilltop position, killing an estimated 300 VC troops.

[[File:AC-47_tracers_over_Saigon_1968_(colour).JPG|thumb|left|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]]

The early gunship trials were so successful, the second aircraft was returned to the United States early in 1965 to provide crew training. In July 1965, Headquarters USAF ordered TAC to establish an AC-47 squadron. By November 1965, a total of five aircraft were operating with the [[4th Special Operations Squadron|4th Air Commando Squadron]], activated in August as the first operational unit, and by the end of 1965, a total of 26 had been converted. Training Detachment 8, 1st Air Commando Wing, was subsequently established at [[Forbes AFB]], [[Kansas]]. In ''Operation Big Shoot'', the 4th ACS in Vietnam grew to 20 AC-47s (16 aircraft plus four reserves for attrition).

The 4th ACS deployed to [[Tan Son Nhut Air Base]], Vietnam, on 14 November 1965. Now using the call sign ''Spooky'', each of its three 7.62&nbsp;mm miniguns could selectively fire either 50 or 100 rounds per second.<ref>It can be seen in action [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKOrpyO0z48 here].</ref> Cruising in an overhead left-hand orbit at 120 knots air speed at an altitude of {{convert|3,000|ft}}, the gunship could put a bullet or glowing red tracer bullet (every fifth round) into every square yard of a football field-sized target in potentially less than 10 seconds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3211 |title=AC-47 Factsheet |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011174350/https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3211 |archive-date=2014-10-11 }}</ref> 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.

In May 1966, the squadron moved north to [[Nha Trang Air Base]] to join the newly activated [[14th Air Commando Wing]]. The [[3rd Air Commando Squadron]] was activated at Nha Trang on 5 April 1968 as a second AC-47 squadron, with both squadrons redesignated as Special Operations Squadrons on 1 August 1968. Flights of both squadrons were stationed at bases throughout South Vietnam, and one flight of the 4th SOS served at [[Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base]] with the [[432d Air Expeditionary Wing|432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing]]. The work of the two AC-47 squadrons, each with 16 AC-47s flown by aircrews younger than the aircraft they flew, was undoubtedly a key contributor to the award of the [[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Presidential Unit Citation]] to the 14th Air Commando Wing in June 1968.

[[File:MXU-470.jpg|thumb|right|[[MXU-470/A]] minigun modules in an AC-47]]
One of the most publicized battles of the Vietnam War was the [[Battle of Khe Sanh]] in early 1968. More than 24,000 tactical and 2,700 [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress|B-52]] strikes dropped 110,000 tons of ordnance in attacks that averaged over 300 sorties per day. During the two and a half months of combat, fighters were in the air day and night. At night, AC-47 gunships kept up constant fire against enemy troops and provided illumination for the base.<ref>Ultimate Warfare: Locked and Reloaded, episode "Khe Sanh: Marines Under Siege. First aired March 7, 2014.</ref>

The AC-47D gunship should not be confused with a small number of C-47s that were fitted with electronic equipment in the 1950s. Prior to 1962, these aircraft were designated AC-47D. When a [[1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system|new designation system]] was adopted in 1962, these became [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain|EC-47Ds]]. The original gunships had been designated '''F'''C-47D by the USAF, but with protests from fighter pilots, this designation was changed to '''A'''C-47D during 1965. Of the 53 aircraft converted to AC-47 configuration, 41 served in Vietnam and 19 were lost to all causes, 12 in combat.<ref name="Hobson">Hobson, Chris. ''Vietnam Air Losses, USAF/USN/USMC, Fixed-Wing Aircraft Losses in Southeast Asia 1961–1973.'' North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2001. {{ISBN|1-85780-115-6}}.</ref> Combat reports indicate that no village or hamlet under ''Spooky'' protection was ever lost, and a plethora of reports from civilians and military personnel were made about AC-47s coming to the rescue and saving their lives.

As the United States began [[Lockheed AC-130|''Project Gunship II'']] and [[Fairchild AC-119|''Project Gunship III'']], many of the remaining AC-47Ds were transferred to the [[Republic of Vietnam Air Force]], the [[Royal Lao Air Force]], and [[Cambodia]]'s [[Khmer Air Force]], after [[Prince Norodom Sihanouk]] was deposed in a coup by General [[Lon Nol]].

[[Airman First Class]] [[John Levitow|John L. Levitow]], an AC-47 loadmaster with the 3rd SOS, received the [[Medal of Honor]] for saving his aircraft, ''Spooky 71'', from destruction on 24 February 1969 during a fire-support mission at [[Long Binh Post|Long Binh]].  The aircraft was struck by an 82-mm mortar round that inflicted 3,500 shrapnel holes, wounding Levitow 40 times, but he used his body to jettison an armed [[magnesium]] flare, which ignited shortly after Levitow ejected it from the aircraft, allowing the AC-47 to return to base.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/john-l-levitow | title=John Lee Levitow &#124; Vietnam War &#124; U.S. Air Force &#124; Medal of Honor Recipient }}</ref>

===Other air forces===
By the end of 1969 most AC-47Ds were transferred to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force. The RVNAF kept using them until 1975 when most of them were destroyed or captured by North Vietnam at the end of the war.

In 1969, Laos received its first AC-47 armed with SUU-11/A minigun pods. These pods ended up being unsatisfactory so later RLAF AC-47s were equipped with .50 cal machine guns or the MXU-470/A minigun modules.

The Khmer Air Force received some AC-47Ds from the USAF between 1973 and 1974 and also converted some with .50 cal machine guns. Several of them were given to Thailand after the end of the [[Cambodian Civil War]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Douglas C-47 Dakota|url=http://www.wings-aviation.ch/74-Khmer/2-Aircraft/Douglas-C-47/Transport.htm|access-date=2021-10-08|website=www.wings-aviation.ch}}</ref>

In December 1984 and January 1985, the United States supplied two AC-47D gunships to the [[Salvadoran Air Force]] (FAS) and trained aircrews to operate the system.<ref>А. Кувшинников. "Драконы" расправляют крылья // "Известия", № 12 (21089) от 12 января 1985. стр.4</ref> The AC-47 gunship carried three .50 cal machine guns and could loiter and provide heavy firepower for army operations. As the FAS had long operated C-47s, training pilots and crew to operate the aircraft as a weapons platform was easy for the United States. By all accounts, the AC-47 soon became probably the most effective weapon in the FAS arsenal.<ref>Corum, James S. and Johnson, Wray R. "Airpower in Small Wars: Fighting Insurgents and Terrorists" Kansas University Press: 2003. {{ISBN|0-7006-1239-4}}. p.337.</ref>

In 2006, [[Colombia]] started operating five armed [[Basler BT-67]] (Colombian Air Force designation : AC-47T), known by civilians as ''avion fantasma'' (ghost plane), on [[counter-insurgency]] operations in conjunction with [[Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk|Sikorsky AH-60 Arpia]] armed helicopters and [[Cessna A-37 Dragonfly]]s against local illegally armed groups. The BT-67s are armed with .50&nbsp;cal (12.7&nbsp;mm) [[GAU-19/A machine gun]]s slaved to a [[forward looking infrared]]  system. They also have the ability to carry bombs.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160308095407/http://fuerzasmilitares.net/ "Colombia: Seguridad & Defensa."]}} ''fuerzasmilitares.net.'' Retrieved: 12 December 2011.</ref><ref>[http://strategypage.com/htmw/htairmo/articles/20121214.aspx "The Only World War II Aircraft Still In Service."] ''Strategypage.com.'' Retrieved: 14 December 2012.</ref> At least one has been seen fitted with one GAU-19/A and a 20&nbsp;mm cannon, most likely a French-made [[M621 cannon|M621]]. The BT-67s are C-47/DC-3s modified by the Basler Corporation of [[Oshkosh, Wisconsin]], and are not variants of the Douglas AC-47.

In 1970, the [[Indonesian Air Force]] converted a former civilian DC-3. The converted aircraft was armed with three .50 cal machine guns. During 1975, the Indonesian Air Force used its "AC-47" in the [[Indonesia invasion of East Timor|Indonesian invasion of East Timor]] to attack the city of [[Dili]]. Later, the aircraft was used in Indonesian military close air support missions in [[East Timor]]. Its retirement date is unknown.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-12-12|title=AC-47 Gunship TNI AU: Pesawat Angkut Berkemampuan Serbu|url=https://www.indomiliter.com/ac-47-gunship-tni-au-pesawat-angkut-berkemampuan-serbu/|access-date=2021-10-08|website=Indomiliter.com|language=en-US}}</ref>

South Africa converted some C-47s to gunships by installing gun mounts on a rotating platform on the rear of the aircraft and used them similarly to a helicopter gunner. South African "Dragon Daks" were known to fit 20&nbsp;mm cannons<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-05-16|title=Aircraft Nut: AC-47 Dakota Gunship: Spooky and Puff The Magic Dragon SAAF and USA|url=http://aircraftnut.blogspot.com/2014/05/ac-47-dakota-gunship-spooky-and-puff.html|access-date=2021-10-08|website=Aircraft Nut}}</ref>

Between 1980 and 1981 Uruguay converted C-47 T-508 into a gunship for COIN missions by installing three .50 cal machine guns to the last two rear windows.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Douglas C-47 artillados de Uruguay|url=https://www.zona-militar.com/foros/threads/douglas-c-47-artillados-de-uruguay.50285/|access-date=2021-10-08|website=Zona Militar|date=10 October 2019 |language=es-ES}}</ref>

The Philippines also converted some C-47s by mounting .50 cal machine guns and used them against Muslim guerrillas in the [[Battle_of_Jolo_(1974)|Battle of Jolo]] in 1974<ref>{{Cite web|title=AC-47 gunships over Jolo|url=http://defenseph.net/drp/index.php?topic=2870.0|access-date=2021-10-08|website=defenseph.net|archive-date=2021-10-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007173331/http://defenseph.net/drp/index.php?topic=2870.0|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1967, Thailand converted its first AC-47D installing it the SUU-11/A minigun pods. It kept converting a few more airframes and also received some former Khmer Air Force AC-47Ds from Cambodia in late 1975. Thai AC-47s also were equipped with a combination of two .50 cal machine guns and an [[M197 electric cannon|M197 20mm Electric cannon]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=RTAF Dakota|url=http://www.wings-aviation.ch/11-RTAF/2-Aircraft/Douglas-C-47/Dakota.htm|access-date=2021-10-08|website=www.wings-aviation.ch}}</ref>

==Variants==

;FC-47
:Early version with 10 .30 cal machine guns (later replaced by minigun modules){{Cn|date=March 2025}}
;AC-47D
:US conversion of C-47 with M134 7.62-mm minigun{{Cn|date=March 2025}}
;[[Basler BT-67#Gunship version|AC-47T]]
:Colombian military conversion of civilian [[Basler BT-67|DC-3]] by [[Basler BT-67|Basler Turbo]] with infrared sensor pod with upgrade PT-6A engines and [[GAU-19]] .50 caliber triple Gatling guns (replacing .50 cal machine guns){{Cn|date=March 2025}}
;AC-47
:With 3 [[M2 Browning|AN-M2]] .50 cal machine guns (used by most operators){{Cn|date=March 2025}}
;B.JL.2
:({{langx|th|บ.จล.๒}})<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thai Military Aircraft Designations |url=https://designation-systems.net/non-us/thailand.html |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=designation-systems.net}}</ref> Thai variant with 2 .50 cal machine guns and an [[M197 electric cannon|M197 20mm Electric cannon]].{{Cn|date=March 2025}}
;AC-47TP
:Salvadorian [[Basler BT-67|BT-67]] conversion with 3 .50 cal machine guns{{Cn|date=March 2025}}

==Operators==

===Current===

;{{COL}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://warisboring.com/colombias-ac-47t-fantasmas-are-still-going-strong/|title = Colombia's AC-47T Fantasmas Are Still Going Strong| date=3 October 2016 }}</ref>
*[[Colombian Air Force]]
**214th Tactical Air Support Squadron

===Former===

;{{flag|Khmer Republic|name=Cambodia}}
:[[Khmer Air Force]]
;{{flagicon|Laos|1952}} [[Kingdom of Laos]]
:[[Royal Lao Air Force]]
;{{flag|South Vietnam}}
:[[Republic of Vietnam Air Force]]
;{{ELS}}
:[[Salvadoran Air Force]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://warisboring.com/colombias-ac-47t-fantasmas-are-still-going-strong/|title = Colombia's AC-47T Fantasmas Are Still Going Strong| date=3 October 2016 }}</ref>
;{{Flag|Thailand}}
: [[Royal Thai Air Force]]
;{{Flag|Philippines|1936}}
: [[Philippine Air Force]]
;{{Flag|Indonesia}}
: [[Indonesian Air Force]]
;{{Flagdeco|South Africa|1928|size=23px}} [[South Africa]]
: [[South African Air Force]]
;{{Flag|Uruguay}}
: [[Uruguayan Air Force]]
;{{USA}}
:;[[United States Air Force]] – [[Tactical Air Command]]
::;[[14th Special Operations Wing]] – Nha Trang Air Base, Vietnam (detachments at [[Danang Air Base|Danang]], [[Pleiku Air Base|Pleiku]], Bien Hoa and [[Binh Thuy Air Base|Binh Thuy]])
:::3rd Air Commando Squadron  1968–69
:::4th Air Commando Squadron  1964–69

==Aircraft on display==
Aircraft painted to represent AC-47s are on static display at the Air Commando Park at [[Hurlburt Field]] and the [[Air Force Armament Museum]] at [[Eglin Air Force Base]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Hurlburt Field Memorial Airpark Guide|url=http://www.hurlburt.af.mil/Portals/84/documents/Hurlburt%20Field%20Air%20Park/Airpark_Guide_2015.pdf|website=Hurlburt Field|access-date=19 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161227074833/http://www.hurlburt.af.mil/Portals/84/documents/Hurlburt%20Field%20Air%20Park/Airpark_Guide_2015.pdf|archive-date=27 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><!--dead link<ref>{{cite web|title=C-47K Skytrain|url=http://www.afarmamentmuseum.com/c-47.html|website=Air Force Armament Museum|access-date=19 October 2016}}</ref>--> These airframes never were AC-47s and were actually regular unarmed C-47s.<ref>{{cite news|title=Old friends reunite at Hurlburt|url=https://www.hurlburt.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/205632/old-friends-reunite-at-hurlburt/|access-date=19 October 2016|work=Hurlburt Field|date=28 November 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Campbell|first1=Douglas E.|title=BuNos! Disposition of World War II USN, USMC and USCG Aircraft Listed by Bureau Number|date=1 February 2012|publisher=Lulu.com|isbn=9781105420719|page=300|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u5uXAwAAQBAJ|access-date=19 October 2016}}{{self-published source|date=February 2020}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=February 2020}}

==Specifications (AC-47D)==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref={{citation needed|date=May 2019}}
|prime units?=imp
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|crew=7: [[aviator|pilot]], copilot, navigator, flight engineer, loadmaster and 2 gunners
|length ft=64
|length in=5
|length note=
|span ft=95
|span in=0
|span note=
|height ft=16
|height in=11
|height note=
|wing area sqft=987
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|airfoil=<!--'''root:''' [[NACA airfoil|NACA ]]; '''tip:''' [[NACA airfoil|NACA ]]<ref name="Selig">{{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref>-->
|empty weight lb=18080
|empty weight note=
|gross weight lb=33000
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=[[Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp]]
|eng1 type=14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines
|eng1 hp=1200

|prop blade number=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop name=
|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia note=
<!--
        Performance
-->
|max speed mph=230
|max speed note=
|cruise speed mph=175
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed note=
|range miles=2175
|range note=
|combat range miles=
|combat range note=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling ft=24450
|ceiling note=
|g limits=<!-- aerobatic -->
|roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|wing loading lb/sqft=33.4
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass={{cvt|0.15|hp/lb|kW/kg}}

|more performance=
<!--
        Armament
-->
|guns=<br/>
** 3 × 7.62 mm General Electric [[Minigun|GAU-2/M134 minigun]]s, 2,000 rpm ''or''
** 10 × .30 in Browning [[M1919 Browning machine gun#.30 AN/M2|AN/M2]] machine guns
** 32 × Mk 24 flares
|bombs= 
|rockets= 
|missiles= 
|hardpoints=
|hardpoint capacity=
|hardpoint rockets=
|hardpoint missiles=
|hardpoint bombs=
|hardpoint other=

|avionics=
}}

==See also==
{{aircontent
|related=
*[[Douglas C-47 Skytrain]]
*[[Douglas DC-3]]
|similar aircraft=
*[[Fairchild AC-119]]
*[[Lockheed AC-130]]
|lists=
*[[List of attack aircraft]]
*[[List of military aircraft of the United States]]
*[[List of United States attack aircraft]]
|see also=
*[[Pylon turn]]
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}13. On their 1989 album ''[[Agent Orange (album)|Agent Orange]]'', thrash metal band Sodom made a song about the AC-47 called "Magic Dragon." The album's cover art shows the inside of an AC-47, and the inner sleeve shows AC-47s circling a Viet Cong camp.

==Further reading==
* Corum, James S. and Johnson, Wray R. "Airpower in Small Wars: Fighting Insurgents and Terrorists" University Press of Kansas: 2003. {{ISBN|0-7006-1239-4}}.
* Donald, David. ''The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft''. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1997. {{ISBN|0-7607-0592-5}}.
* Flintham, Victor. ''Air Wars and Aircraft: A Detailed Record of Air Combat, 1945 to the Present''. New York: Facts on File, 1990. {{ISBN|0-8160-2356-5}}.
* Francillon, René J. ''McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920''. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1979. {{ISBN|0-370-00050-1}}.
* Gradidge, Jennifer M. ''The Douglas DC-1, DC-2, DC-3 – The First Seventy Years'' (two volumes). Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2006. {{ISBN|0-85130-332-3}}.
* Project CHECO. [https://www.scribd.com/doc/114185246/Fixed-Wing-Gunships-in-Southeast-Asia Contemporary Historical Evaluation of Combat Operations: Fixed Wing Gunships in Southeast Asia], Retrieved: 22 November 2012.
* Thigpen, Jerry L. [https://www.scribd.com/doc/47110404/Praetorian-STARShip-The-Untold-Story-of-the-Combat-Talon#scribd The Praetorian STARShip: The untold story of the Combat Talon]

==External links==
{{Commons category|Douglas AC-47 Spooky}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071103192316/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3210 USAF museum Douglas AC-47D "Spooky"]
*[http://www.theaviationzone.com/factsheets/ac47.asp AC-47 at Theaviationzone.com]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081120220419/http://www.dc3history.org/ac47_puff.htm AC-47 at dc3history.org]
*[http://www.petester.com/html/AC003.html AC-47 at petester.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929022743/http://www.petester.com/html/AC003.html |date=2011-09-29 }}

{{Douglas aircraft}}
{{Douglas DC-3 family}}
{{USAF attack aircraft}}
{{USAF transports}}
{{Thai transport aircraft designations}}
{{Thai attack aircraft designations}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Douglas aircraft|C-047 Spooky]]
[[Category:1960s United States attack aircraft]]
[[Category:Low-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Douglas DC-3]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1964]]
[[Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Gunships]]

[[de:Douglas DC-3#Douglas AC-47 Spooky]]