Jump to content

AC-130 colour schemes?


Recommended Posts

Ive been wondering what colour schemes all of the AC-130's have worn over the years, I keep finding new ones.

Can anybody confirm that the AMT AC-130H painting instructions are correct, they direct you to use Light Compass Grey and Dak Compass Grey, the a/c is over all light grey with the area of the fusalage around the guns starting just above the gun cut outs going down wrapping around the bottom to the other side of the fusalage to the opposite side.

Was this a valid AC-130H scheme?

Link to post
Share on other sites

The current colors for all of AFSOC's airplanes is 36118 upper surfaces and 36293 lower. The gunship gray would fade out almost to a chalk white and you wouldn't even notice it till the maintenance folks would spot paint a section or an airplane would come back with a new paint job!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry, no help on the colors, but some info on the tail codes. The WP tail coded AC-130E was assigned to the 16th SOS, 8th TFW at Ubon RTAFB. The 16th SOS, with AC-130Es, switched from the FT to WP tail code (Wolf Pack) along with the other 8th TFW aircraft in 1974. This incarnation of the WP tail code was very short lived. The 8th TFW designator was later moved to Korea and replaced the 3rd TFW, which itself moved to Clark AB to replace the 405th TFW. Later in 1974, the 16th SOS was reassigned to the 388th TFW at Korat RTAFB and the tail codes were painted out. Depending on when your WP photo was taken, the AC-130E might have been flying out of either Ubon or Korat, but would have been under the 16th SOS. The AC-130Es with the painted out tail codes would have been out of Korat.

I guess in 1974, most of the special C-130s in Thailand were consolidated at Korat. You would have had the 56th ARRS with HC-130Ps, the 7ACCS, with C-130E-IIs (ABCCC) and Trump flight C-130Es, (with a double row of HF antennas on the belly) and the 16th SOS with AC-130A/Es and perhaps Hs. The 7ACCS moved to Clark AB in 74.

Best wishes,

Grant

Link to post
Share on other sites

According to my copy of T.O. 1-1-4, the tail codes were 36" and the last three of the A/C number were 15" with a space between the AF and first two numbers.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I can't speak for the current time frame, but in the late 80's and early 90's the ones based out at Hurlburt Field in Fort Walton Beach Florida were painted primer grey. My dad was assigned to 1st SOW and a good friend of mine painted the spectres on the side of the birds during that time frame. He told me they actually used primer cans from Wal Mart to touch up areas from time to time.

Hope this helps

Ric

(edited for spelling)

Edited by richter111
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 15 years later...

Just got off the phone with someone from the 4th SOS paint shop, the colors on the new AC-130J's are FS 36118 Gunship Gray for the top and, FS 36293 for the bottom. Hope this helps.

Steve

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...