ITA1468 - Italeri 1/72 AC-119K STINGER

ITA1468 - Italeri 1/72 AC-119K STINGER

The heavy transport-plane Fairchild C-119 served the US-Air Force as a basis for a conversion to a «flying gunship»,. This special construction was especially used in Vietnam for night missions against Vietcong supply lines and troop concentrations. The version AC-119 K was especially effective against truck due to its two 20mm guns and four 7,62mm mini-guns. A further version, the AC-119 G, had lighter armament. Two additional jet engines were mounted to enable the plane to take off from short runways fully loaded with ammunition. With the entry into service of the more powerful AC-130H these aircraft were progressively handed over to the South Vietnamese air force which used them until the fall of the Saigon government.