#o-2 skymaster

[usafphantom2]

Latest painting completed tonight.

Cessna O-2 Skymaster, Vietnam 1969.

Oil on canvas 50 x 40cm

@petehill854 via X

[casposters]

(via Artwork of the Vietnam War – CherriesWriter – Vietnam War website)

[casbooks]

Title: Naked in Da Nang

Authors: Mike Jackson & Tara Dixon Engel & Frank Borman

ISBN: 9781616737467

Tags: Aviation, FAC, From LAPL, O-2 Skymaster, USAF, Vietnam

Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Aviation

FACs (forward air controllers) in Vietnam flew low and slow, searching for signs of an elusive enemy. Often they trolled themselves as bait for the NVA troops to try to shoot down. When a friendly unit made contact, having a FAC overhead made their day, because the FACs controlled the bomb-, rocket-, and napalm-laden fast movers, fighter jets, and attack aircraft whose ordnance often made the difference between life and death. They were regarded by many of their air force and naval aviator brethren as insane, suicidal, or both. In addition to the perils of enemy fire which ranged from lucky AK-47 shots to .51 caliber machine guns and SA-7 shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, they had to watch out to keep from being blown up in a B-52 Arc-Light strike or knocked down by friendly artillery.

[usafphantom2]

FAC escort looking for trouble.

@MAC_VSOG via X

[usafphantom2]

Forward Air Control by Linh Yoshimura Via Flickr: 1968. A US ARMY CESSNA O-2 SKYMASTER FORWARD AIR CONTROL AIRCRAFT (SERIAL 21310) FITTED WITH 7 ROUND ROCKET PODS AND ZAPPED WITH AN AUSTRALIAN KANGAROO MARKING. NOTE THE AUSTRALIAN LAND ROVERS IN THE BACKGROUND.