For those interested in becoming an Air Force pilot and maybe even flying the AC-130 yourself, one of the best routes you can take is to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy. It's a 4-year tuition-free university that graduates the most amount of pilots every year. I'm so excited to announce the release of my online course called The Air Force Academy Blueprint! I cover everything you need to do to prepare, apply, and survive the Air Force Academy. You'll have access to over 60+ video lessons, downloadable resources and checklists, access to a private community of other applicants, and so much more. Sign up here: www.academyblueprint.com/
Как понял такое оружие нужно только для борьбы со слаборазвитым и слабо оснащённым противником. А так нормальное ПВО на раз два эту бочку ещё на подлёте снесёт./
It was great flying with you Sam! I was the gunner on the 105mm. We really enjoyed having you ride along with us. Too bad you got to miss out on all of the fun pilot pro after we dropped you off.
Mr. Jt Wiard. What did Sam had to do to have a ride on the AC-130? How much paperwork he has to do? What did the Department of Defense need to do to allow someone to have a ride on a military aircraft, do we have to pay some amount of money???
The clarity of those images from the aircraft’s onboard camera system on that AC-130 is just unbelievable! Seriously high tech and utterly amazing! Respect to the all the crew that operate and maintain those gunships.
Not to mention the software that has to calculate where the gun actually needs to be aimed, as the high speed of the aircraft as well as elevation and drop, while factoring in distance is a lot for just placing a marker on a target and pulling the trigger.
I got to fly in a C130A model 2 7.65 mini guns 2 20 mm guns and a pair of 40mm Bofors guns that was in 1974 Hurlburt Field I was in civil air patrol and they let a couple cadets go on a mission and we where told at time we the first cadets and first time they had ever allow civilians on mission even a practice one but back to the Camera wow how much they have improved for the low light TV set up and early type FLIR
If you haven't noticed, i think we don't look through the actual optics here. At one point the projectile comes in from the left side. So it's probably a drone that's capturing the images. I guess you can't show actual optics from an operating weapon system 😅
My unit was supported by an AC-130 back in 2011 in Kunar Province. It was a pretty intense experience, I was an Army Artillery Officer so seeing a 105mm Howitzer fire over my head was nuts.
I watched an interview with a gunship crewman and he said it was absolutely awful and that pretty much everyone he flew with came down with severe respiratory diseases from all of the toxic chemicals floating around inside the plane. Like living in an enclosed shooting range with minimal ventilation.
All jobs come with a measure of risk. I'm assuming that people joining the armed forces are aware of the fact that "this job" might come with more hazards than your typical office job.
Loved it! I had the privilege of having an AC-130 do a close support mission for me one time. Short story was that there was a concrete tower in a village harboring a sizable enemy force. We were in the attack right at dusk and I reported to our company commander that I had taken a sniper round from the tower. What to do? He said don't worry, we have Spooky enroute. Turned out to be an AC130 and after a couple of passes the tower was a pile of concrete rubble on the ground. What a show!
Fun Fact for tech nerds like me. I've had to replace the custom graphics card on a AC130 a little over a decade ago. The displays in the cockpit that the pilots use actually use two graphics cards at 99% and 1%, to drive the displays in the cockpit. Each graphics card can cost between $120,000-$260,000 (this was the cost 10 years ago). The graphics cards that you can buy online for your everyday/gaming PC are built for performance. The graphics cards that go inside airplanes, in terms of PERFORMANCE would be only as fast as a $190 card today. However, graphics cards designed for military airplanes are built for endurance, efficiency and redundancy. Every single component on the card is designed in duplicate for redundancy. So if any part of the card malfunctions, it automatically switches to the backup. And in the worst case that the entire card fails, the plane computer switches to a duplicate backup card. Each card is also coated in a waterproof chemical that makes the entire card and all of its components feel like rubber.
I remember working on the weapons systems of the H and U model of the AC130 gunship when stationed at Hurlburt Field. These aircraft have changed so much from the old days of 20mm, 25mm and 40mm guns
Back in '06, I spent a couple weeks TDY at Hurlburt. Myself and the other two guys from our squadron that were down there with me were sitting at the DFAC one morning when a major wearing a bag walked over to us. Completely random as far as I know. We knew what he drove because of the Spooky patch he was wearing. He chatted us up for a minute, asking where we were from and what we were doing at Hurlburt. Then he told us he had room for one more on his aircraft that night for a mission over the Eglin range, and asked would one of us want to take a ride. All three of us said "hell yes" at once, and he told us "looks like you're going to have to draw straws or something." We did exactly that and I ended up being the lucky one. He took note of my name, told me when and where to show up, and turned around and walked out. That night I went up in an AC-130U and got to do just exactly what Sam did; it's one of the single most fun memories of my time in (and I had a lot of fun during my enlistment). I was a bit surprised they let him film as much as he did. I wanted to snap some pictures back with the sensor controls and was told it was an absolutely solid negative.
Didn't the older models have dual GE gatling cannons as well? Why did they replace those? One would think the rain provided by them would be superior to the firepower of the 30mm.
As a former CSO, much respect to these crews and their coord in real ops! They’re doing so much more than he goes into, and hats off to all of these airmen for the lives they save every day!
This aircraft saved not just me but it also saved my whole Marine infantry squad in Afghanistan. We was just about over run on our FOB. The Taliban mortared all day. We called troops in contact but didn’t get anything as far as air assets for over an hour. We got two F15Es but they dropped two 1000 lb bombs but had to go get gas. Then we got two Apaches but they also had to go for more gas after 20 mins. But when we got the 130 it was killing them left and right. After the battle we went on BDA patrol to see what was what. It was total devastation. The 105 hit a mortar team and cooked off there ammo killing the team. There was dead Taliban all over. We counted 34 dead Taliban.
Thank you for your services towards our country. Sadly some people just don’t see the impact that our soldiers make on an hourly basis. I hope you get the well-earned respect deserved
@@PasonNugget Because it is bullshit. Afghanistan is in the same state as it was before 2001. The information to invade Iraq was also fabricated, and this isn't even a conspiracy anymore. The USA went there, killed half a million civilians and made some extremists more extreme, resulting in ISIS
I know they're all very well trained, but seeing the unit cohesion aboard that plane is really impressive to see. Good job to Sam for filming as well as he did. Honestly it'd hard to grasp all the teamwork and communication going on up there if we didn't literally just see it firsthand.
I love how everyone just admiring the aircraft and telling their stories with it. Truly love seeing brothers share each other stories! Thank you for your services
I was a navigator on the AC-130U and the upgrades in capabilities to the J model defy belief. Always good to see our SOF getting the best possible support necessary to complete the most dangerous missions in our mission set. Anything with the AC-130, history, present, and future, will always hit home with me hard. I can't believe I got to do what I did.
Love the AC-130 gunship. The version we would live fire with was a little different when I was active duty in the 90s. I "think" it had 105mm howitzer, twin 20mm Vulcans, 7.62mm mini gun, and 40mm Bofors gun. It make one hell of a mess and an absolutely beautiful sound when all guns were firing.
@@iseensumshit69420 He/she/it was just criticizing the Military for being warmongers, killing people for no reason, don't need them, and a waste of money.
I love your videos! My father was a C-130 pilot, among other aircraft; C-119, C-123. He flew the C-130 in Vietnam and was awarded the Distinguish Flying Cross for providing support to Khe Sanh during the siege of that outpost in 1968. He would have loved to see your videos! Keep up the good work!
A good friend of mine I used to work with was a machine gunner at Khe Sanh he was there in 68' he said if Nixon hadn't stepped up the bombing in Laos there would have been a lot more dead Marines...he said Khe Sanh was remote and they hit it all the time, small world ....hats off to your dad...
@@LauRoot892 I'm originally from Ft Wayne Indiana but I'm living in Tucson Az right now...with the work I've done I've traveled all over this country extensively...overseas as well just to get a break
@@LauRoot892 I'm on telegram... Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Twitter or anything owned by Google, I'm pretty much banned from those platforms or to put it bluntly anything owned by nazis, communists and fascists ...
@@LauRoot892 TH-cam and Lyrics Translate are also owned by Google,...I used to post English translations of Russian songs on Lyrics Translate and they kicked me off there, blatant violent communists control that platform and depending on the subject TH-cam will shadow ban or outright block comments I post
Damn, Sam! You have no idea just how many of us old duffers would love to have the same experience you just shared! What a tremendous weapons platform! I have a nephew who was an avionics tech on these a while back and he also loved working on them. What do I like about this aircraft? Everything!
I didn't realise the modern variants had a different weapons loadout, I was under the impression that all AC-130's had the classic twin 20mm, 40 and 105
The originals had 7.62 miniguns as well. Kinda sad that the 40's are gone, but it is likely a lot less labor intensive to keep fed and easier supply with A-10 ammo commonality.
@@ChevTecGroup IIRC, they got rid of the 40mm Bofors because they were having a hard time looking for spare parts all over the world and they were reloading shell casings made during the 40s. As sad as it is to see a workhorse like the Bofors finally retire, it’s probably for the best. The 30mm cannon I hear is a good compromise and is really accurate.
@@edm240b9 i know they were reloading cases and such for a while. But it shouldn't be that hard to source components. But yes it will be missed. 30mm avenger would have been a cool upgrade. Or the new 50mm chain gun that the Army is looking at for IFVs
@@ChevTecGroup it was hard because the US was the only country still using the 40mm Bofors and every other country had scrapped them or they weren’t salvageable.
I was an Air Force weapons troop at Cannon AFB who just got out 5 months ago, I JUST missed you! haha! I'm glad you had fun my friend!! My job was loading the aircraft with bombs/munitions, as well as upkeep of the 30mm and 105mm guns!
Recently just went to an Airshow and managed to tour inside and even sit in the pilots seat of a Canadian C-130 Hercules, and that was amazing in itself. However I simply cannot imagine how magnificent it would be to see one of these things in person. Truly amazing to think about.
Enjoyed this very much. A lot of changes since I worked on the AC130 Spectre Gunships we used in Thailand in 1969-1970. Fire power and electronics greatly improved. Ubon, Thailand 1969-1970. USAF
Brava, to you and your filming crew! Another very good video put into the channel. The genuine delight you take in your work is so nice to see. You managed to make a stunning video that is as action packed as it is informative, all with a touch of humor. Mike Rowe make way for the next generation!
My grandpa was stationed at Phù Cát airbase in Vietnam up until 1969, a year before it was overrun by VC. While he was stationed there, he loaded ammunition onto F-100s and AC-130s.
I have the brass from the 105 and a 40mm bofors brass as I was the Army air/ground liaison on the AC 130. This was a day before you heard about Operation Just Cause, by the time you heard about it, the Morgue at Gorgas hospital was already full.
Study as much as you can. Im currently obtaining my PPL and there's a lot of information thrown at you. The Air Force will take care of you but it's always good to go in with Prior knowledge
@@Atony94 Wdm, The USAF is already planing to retire it’s C17’s by 2035! The c130J is already going to be the primary replacement of the C17, also the c17 has already ended production since 2015 so there already going soon!.
Thing is, you need total air superiority with these things. But there is hardly anything better for CAS. The big plane circling makes an excellent target too.
Probably supported by/in cooperarion with the military. Could actually be that they edit and upload the videos, and that Sam is just the ”main character”.
Remember the AC-130 in Viet Nam when at Danang - We had the 119 Stinger A/C - Original A/C 130 had the 105 hanging from the front door I thought - plus it had 8 mini's 4 20's 2 40's and the 105 howitzer. Lots of firepower - The guys from Spectre in Ubon came to NKP one time, crazy group, kept playing the "Ghost riders in the sky" song.
That's pretty awesome. I was stationed at an RAF base, and we would see an AC-130 come in now and then and a few times, you could see obvious bullet holes. Truly epic Aircraft.
in the Navy, on a ship, it was taught to us that when transferring a shell from one person to another, we always cradled the round in our arms. The arms would be bent upward at the elbows with the hands pointed to the ceiling, pivot and pass to the next person who also has their arms bent upward with the hands pointed to the ceiling. In this video, the two men passed the round to each other holding the round in the hands....Hand to hand transfer. I have been out of the military for 30 years this month, has the safety procedure changed since then ?
I just recently started watching some of the videos on your channel, & its very good quality content. The videos are succint but very interesting & never fail to make me smile 😊 so keep it up! Best wishes
I really wish I had any clue about this sort of thing growing up. These videos are far better than any recruitment vids the military puts together. Keep it up for the next gen Sam!
Thank you, really. Was so interesting for people who build scale model kits because the inner space details (panels, screens, boxes, etc ..) and colors.
Sir Sam, I learned a ton from your vlog. Am a military enthusiasts ans and you literally opened my eyes and my mind to to the myriad of info about our military. Thank you, Sir Sam for your excellent articulations,you speak very clearly and your grasp of the details are likewise excellent. Kudos!
What I really like of your production is that makes everything clear and well described. Music tracks are well selected making your uploads very appealing. Thanks for the time you take to prepare everything.
The AC-130U Spooky is still a bit cooler for me. 105mm + 40mm + 25mm rotary is a hell of a combination. I know that the 40mm was a bit old at that point. (pre-WW2 gun)
@@randomgoogleaccount4868 It's an AC-130 Spooky II I don't know exact variant, as a lot of them are just manufacturing batches and avionics updates, that we don't know about form the game. But yes a Spooky.
Have you considered making a video with a PJ unit? It would be cool to see inside some of their capabilities and specifically the aircraft they use and how they work with those aircrews as a team.
Thank you Sam for covering this awesome aircraft. Really nice footage you got there! For next aircraft, could you do an extension of the C-130 variants by covering the Marines KC-130J Harvest Hawk? Would be great if you could. That would more or less complete the C-130’s family of aircraft. Got another request though - attack helicopter, i.e. either Army Apache AH-64E or Marines AH-1Z Viper? I guess it would be tough since these aircraft are 2 seaters and chances are you won’t get to sit in the Co-pilot/Gunner seat, unless Army or Marines made some special exemption for you.
I was a helicopter mechanic with the 20th A.M.U., 1st S.O.W. at Hurlburt Field AFB, Florida (a sister unit to the 16th A.M.U., who were the maintenance unit for the AC-130H's) back in the early to mid 80s. Way back then, there was WAY less room inside the gunships as the armaments were a BIT different. They had the same 105mm Howitzer, but in addition, they had (back to front) a 40mm Bofors (pretty much alongside the 105), twin 20mm rotating cannon, and a HOST of electronic visual equipment, sensors, and lighting. By lighting, I'm referring to the 2 flood lights used EXCLUSIVELY in flight as turning them on, on the ground, would cause catastrophic failures. The first was a 2KW lamp and the second was 40KW, and they could light up an area as if it were broad daylight. The AC's also had low-light TV (LLTV), wide and narrow angle TV, FLIR (Forward Looking [bit of a misnomer as the camera can be rotated in any direction] InfraRed) TV, and "side" looking radar (gave the WSO radar image of ground targets as the acft was orbiting). The avionics in the weapons suite was so advanced then (and we're talking 40+ years ago) that the WSO could put a 105 round IN YOUR LAP, from 10,000 feet, on a starless night, while you were driving at 50 mph trying to escape. When using the twin 20s, the gunship had the same "BRRRRT" sound as the venerable A-10. It could DEVASTATE supply trains, buildings, and aircraft still on the ground. Other, less active, features included the "bathtubs". These were heavy, insulated attachments which were mounted on the wings, overlapping the engine exhasts. They were designed to mix the much colder air at operating altitude with the hot exhaust gases, minimizing the aircraft's thermal signature. Also, the guns were not mounted on gimbles then, so in order to reposition the guns for targeting, the pilot had to reposition the entire aircraft. And finally, there was the "fishbowl", a large acrylic dome, set into the overhead door for the ramp, used by the I.O. (Incoming Officer), to identify inbound threats, such as missiles, rockets, and hostile aircraft. The I.O. would literally lay on his stomach and peer out the dome, monitoring the sky for possible threats (modern sensors have made this position irrelevant). The AC-130H, then, was basically an airborne artillery emplacement, with the power to delete geography. With the weapons and avionics upgrades of the "J" model, it has only gotten more deadly, and NO ONE ELSE has anything like it, IN THE WORLD.
@@W4rM4chine82 Most country's around the world don't have this kind niche planes. this multi million euro plane can easily shoot down from everything and planes from 50 era. He cant escape from nothing to slow. You need a COMPLETE air superiority for multiple hours and complete zero aa ground defense to survive.
Man , along With the A-10 , and (even ) non - nuclear B - 52 (all subsonic) , the Spectre is frightening . I'm just glad they are on our side . They all send a bit of chill up my spine. The crews (inside AND on the ground) train hard & Long . I salute you . And Thank You All . ♥️
It was always a sense of safety when we had the AC-130 on station in Iraq along with any other air assets. It's like cracks of lightning when fired while you're on the ground when it engages a target. The first time our GFC utilized the gunship on station, he didn't know he was supposed to tell the gunship to stop firing. Hit a baddy over 9 times before he asked the RTO if they had killed the target, RTO advised that they would fire until told to stop. The first round killed him, and the other 8 just kept pounding him. War is hell, but good stuff lol
Wow, what an experience! Thank you for creating this. A huge shout out to the United States Airforce Command and crew for making this happen! #goarmy 🤙
I was in the Army in the early 90's as a Tank Turret Mechanic, we did all the electronic and hydraulic repairs on tank turrets for the ITV, FISTV, Bradley, and the M1 Abrams. Part of our job on the M1, was to insect the Main Gun Tube, as it was called back then. If it needed to be replaced, we condemned the tank, meaning that it was out of service, until the gun tube was replaced. Part of this procedure meant that we had to test fire it after replacement. This meant that we had to learn to drive, load, and fire the M1, without a crew. When I asked why, I was told, "Because it's easier, and cheaper, for the Army to replace you, then it is for them to replace an entire tank crew if you eff up the replacement" 😳 Needless to say, I always quadruple checked myself before going to the range, then rechecked again before firing. Let me tell you, firing the M1 was amazing! The power of it and the feeling you get, even just hitting "dummy" targets was exhilarating, but I can't even IMAGINE what it would have been like to fire rounds from the AC-130. You are one lucky civilian!!!!!
I am NOT a fan of the 130, but it definitely is something absolutely perfect for anti-terrorism CAS roles, the same goes for the A10C2s for me. It's definitely not gonna be able to handle flying right into a contested airspace, but it will definitely be a sight to people on the ground.
For those interested in becoming an Air Force pilot and maybe even flying the AC-130 yourself, one of the best routes you can take is to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy. It's a 4-year tuition-free university that graduates the most amount of pilots every year. I'm so excited to announce the release of my online course called The Air Force Academy Blueprint! I cover everything you need to do to prepare, apply, and survive the Air Force Academy. You'll have access to over 60+ video lessons, downloadable resources and checklists, access to a private community of other applicants, and so much more. Sign up here: www.academyblueprint.com/
cant wait to commit war crimes, so hype to join!!!
No thank you.
I would love to be a pilot. Where would I apply for the Airforce academy?
@@johnlewis8934go to your local recruiting office. I promise it’s harder than you think to join the Air Force. A lot of smart studs.
Как понял такое оружие нужно только для борьбы со слаборазвитым и слабо оснащённым противником. А так нормальное ПВО на раз два эту бочку ещё на подлёте снесёт./
It was great flying with you Sam! I was the gunner on the 105mm. We really enjoyed having you ride along with us. Too bad you got to miss out on all of the fun pilot pro after we dropped you off.
Thank you for your service!
So great flying with you guys!
Mr. Jt Wiard.
What did Sam had to do to have a ride on the AC-130? How much paperwork he has to do? What did the Department of Defense need to do to allow someone to have a ride on a military aircraft, do we have to pay some amount of money???
@@ultralaggerREV1 Sam is in the US military so I guess they allow him as it may be marketing for them
@@ultralaggerREV1 public relations stuff, mainly in the form of TH-cam, is Sam’s full time job as an active duty member of the Air Force.
The clarity of those images from the aircraft’s onboard camera system on that AC-130 is just unbelievable! Seriously high tech and utterly amazing! Respect to the all the crew that operate and maintain those gunships.
Not to mention the software that has to calculate where the gun actually needs to be aimed, as the high speed of the aircraft as well as elevation and drop, while factoring in distance is a lot for just placing a marker on a target and pulling the trigger.
I got to fly in a C130A model 2 7.65 mini guns 2 20 mm guns and a pair of 40mm Bofors guns that was in 1974 Hurlburt Field I was in civil air patrol and they let a couple cadets go on a mission and we where told at time we the first cadets and first time they had ever allow civilians on mission even a practice one but back to the Camera wow how much they have improved for the low light TV set up and early type FLIR
If you haven't noticed, i think we don't look through the actual optics here. At one point the projectile comes in from the left side. So it's probably a drone that's capturing the images. I guess you can't show actual optics from an operating weapon system 😅
@@night__walker i think we do, because in certain parts of the video they show the screens, then show censored versions of them when actually firing
@@night__walker if the target is a mile away, plane going 300-350mph, there will be some angle between shot and the screen.
My unit was supported by an AC-130 back in 2011 in Kunar Province. It was a pretty intense experience, I was an Army Artillery Officer so seeing a 105mm Howitzer fire over my head was nuts.
Thank you for youre service❤❤
I watched an interview with a gunship crewman and he said it was absolutely awful and that pretty much everyone he flew with came down with severe respiratory diseases from all of the toxic chemicals floating around inside the plane. Like living in an enclosed shooting range with minimal ventilation.
A lot of lead poisoning and endocrine disruption too.
finally a truthful comment
yup. cancer rates are higher amongst them
All jobs come with a measure of risk. I'm assuming that people joining the armed forces are aware of the fact that "this job" might come with more hazards than your typical office job.
@@rockystefano Thank you for pointing out the obvious.
Loved it! I had the privilege of having an AC-130 do a close support mission for me one time. Short story was that there was a concrete tower in a village harboring a sizable enemy force. We were in the attack right at dusk and I reported to our company commander that I had taken a sniper round from the tower. What to do? He said don't worry, we have Spooky enroute. Turned out to be an AC130 and after a couple of passes the tower was a pile of concrete rubble on the ground. What a show!
USA!!!!!!
Wow. The US should send some to the Ukraine.
@@ftboomer1 that would not be a good idea
@@kulesama3185 understood and fully agree. My point was sarcasm.
@@kulesama3185 if the threat of nuclear war didnt exist then it COULD be a good idea
Fun Fact for tech nerds like me.
I've had to replace the custom graphics card on a AC130 a little over a decade ago. The displays in the cockpit that the pilots use actually use two graphics cards at 99% and 1%, to drive the displays in the cockpit. Each graphics card can cost between $120,000-$260,000 (this was the cost 10 years ago).
The graphics cards that you can buy online for your everyday/gaming PC are built for performance.
The graphics cards that go inside airplanes, in terms of PERFORMANCE would be only as fast as a $190 card today.
However, graphics cards designed for military airplanes are built for endurance, efficiency and redundancy. Every single component on the card is designed in duplicate for redundancy. So if any part of the card malfunctions, it automatically switches to the backup. And in the worst case that the entire card fails, the plane computer switches to a duplicate backup card.
Each card is also coated in a waterproof chemical that makes the entire card and all of its components feel like rubber.
Underrated comment
@@-whatunderrated fantasies
thanks for sharing good to know with all that hi res feed they def need graphics card with good endurance
Awww. I'm sorry you see it that way.
Just go outside man. There's a whole world of..................... "fantasies" out there.@@Artilleriy_Pushkin
Companies steal from the us tax payers a 200$ gasket would get sold to nasa for 15k same w the army
I remember working on the weapons systems of the H and U model of the AC130 gunship when stationed at Hurlburt Field. These aircraft have changed so much from the old days of 20mm, 25mm and 40mm guns
Back in '06, I spent a couple weeks TDY at Hurlburt. Myself and the other two guys from our squadron that were down there with me were sitting at the DFAC one morning when a major wearing a bag walked over to us. Completely random as far as I know. We knew what he drove because of the Spooky patch he was wearing. He chatted us up for a minute, asking where we were from and what we were doing at Hurlburt. Then he told us he had room for one more on his aircraft that night for a mission over the Eglin range, and asked would one of us want to take a ride. All three of us said "hell yes" at once, and he told us "looks like you're going to have to draw straws or something." We did exactly that and I ended up being the lucky one. He took note of my name, told me when and where to show up, and turned around and walked out. That night I went up in an AC-130U and got to do just exactly what Sam did; it's one of the single most fun memories of my time in (and I had a lot of fun during my enlistment). I was a bit surprised they let him film as much as he did. I wanted to snap some pictures back with the sensor controls and was told it was an absolutely solid negative.
Good ol Hurbie baby, hell yeah!
Didn't the older models have dual GE gatling cannons as well? Why did they replace those? One would think the rain provided by them would be superior to the firepower of the 30mm.
As a former CSO, much respect to these crews and their coord in real ops! They’re doing so much more than he goes into, and hats off to all of these airmen for the lives they save every day!
what would you rather have in the sky ( on your team )
A-10 wart wart
or AC-130 spooky?
@@JS-rv3et Considering all blue on blue incidents A-10s have been involved in I would hate to see it in the sky.
@@ieuanhunt552 bro…
They also cheat to do it.
Construction safety officer
This aircraft saved not just me but it also saved my whole Marine infantry squad in Afghanistan. We was just about over run on our FOB. The Taliban mortared all day. We called troops in contact but didn’t get anything as far as air assets for over an hour. We got two F15Es but they dropped two 1000 lb bombs but had to go get gas. Then we got two Apaches but they also had to go for more gas after 20 mins. But when we got the 130 it was killing them left and right. After the battle we went on BDA patrol to see what was what. It was total devastation. The 105 hit a mortar team and cooked off there ammo killing the team. There was dead Taliban all over. We counted 34 dead Taliban.
The embodiment of devastation. No disrespect to the attack helo and jet fighters because I like to think of each of us in the military as a team.
Thank you for your services towards our country. Sadly some people just don’t see the impact that our soldiers make on an hourly basis. I hope you get the well-earned respect deserved
@@PasonNugget Yeah, killing and murdering them ON THEIR LAND. LMAO. But whatever... dumb is what dumb does; it keeps our economy in check.
@@PasonNugget Because it is bullshit. Afghanistan is in the same state as it was before 2001.
The information to invade Iraq was also fabricated, and this isn't even a conspiracy anymore.
The USA went there, killed half a million civilians and made some extremists more extreme, resulting in ISIS
there is a reason talib commanders feared this bird. Also where in afg was this??
I know they're all very well trained, but seeing the unit cohesion aboard that plane is really impressive to see.
Good job to Sam for filming as well as he did. Honestly it'd hard to grasp all the teamwork and communication going on up there if we didn't literally just see it firsthand.
This is the EXACT definition of team work makes the dream work
Raek pfp
I love how everyone just admiring the aircraft and telling their stories with it. Truly love seeing brothers share each other stories! Thank you for your services
Ah yes, casual invasion of iraq for no reason and war crimes
@@Catoonz this is about the A-C130 doing its job, not an armed conflict between two nations
@@Catoonz ah yes I love when murder is re-marketed for recruiting kids to do their future invasions/ murder 👏
@@mr.universe8739 job is bully poor people/forces
@@hotdog9262 enemies in territorial disputes, sorry we advance,😐
Thank you Sam I now see just what my son has done for 16 years, great job! Proud momma of Master Sgt. Hatch
He’s the man!
We love MSgt Hatch!
@@CannonAirForceBase27SOW Cannon Air Force Base ?
I’m a crew chief for those bad boys at cannon glad to see you enjoy it. They’re a massive pain to work on but totally worth it for the mission.
Used to live there. Worst base of all time LOL.
How does the plane react to 50lb slugs leaving the airframe at high velocity?
@@robspecht9550 if you listen hard enough it grunts “Get Some!” after each recoil action! 😂
Used to work on the H’s and W’s in beautiful Cannon AFB. Miss the mission and people.
@@robspecht9550 in the video the pilot mentions the plane moves 6 feet to the side
11:23 The unit cohesion is so good I listened to this part like 10 times! 😆👍🏻
12:35😂😂😂😂
I was a navigator on the AC-130U and the upgrades in capabilities to the J model defy belief. Always good to see our SOF getting the best possible support necessary to complete the most dangerous missions in our mission set. Anything with the AC-130, history, present, and future, will always hit home with me hard. I can't believe I got to do what I did.
Good cheating weapon, huh? And Taliban still beat you. Don't get triggered, Bro. It is what it is.
Full name for the c130u AC-130U Spooky.
Love the AC-130 gunship. The version we would live fire with was a little different when I was active duty in the 90s. I "think" it had 105mm howitzer, twin 20mm Vulcans, 7.62mm mini gun, and 40mm Bofors gun. It make one hell of a mess and an absolutely beautiful sound when all guns were firing.
glorifying war is crazy. u should join the invasion of ukraine then.
@@noob.168 It is because of people like me that served and that makes it possible for you to stay at home and criticize. Your welcome.
@@mrgold3591 What did the noob guy say?
@@iseensumshit69420 He/she/it was just criticizing the Military for being warmongers, killing people for no reason, don't need them, and a waste of money.
@@mrgold3591 "it" 😂
Wow! This was a fun one to film. Let me know what your favorite part of the AC-130 is and which aircraft I should cover next! 👇🏼
Just commented my suggestion in the regular thread
A10 warthog
Or know as the angel of death
My opinion to which aircraft to cover i think the AH 64 Apache helicopter and the next video you should do the C17 Globemaster III.
Check out the KC-135
3:05 the moment you realise you might not be straight after all.
I love your videos! My father was a C-130 pilot, among other aircraft; C-119, C-123. He flew the C-130 in Vietnam and was awarded the Distinguish Flying Cross for providing support to Khe Sanh during the siege of that outpost in 1968. He would have loved to see your videos! Keep up the good work!
A good friend of mine I used to work with was a machine gunner at Khe Sanh he was there in 68' he said if Nixon hadn't stepped up the bombing in Laos there would have been a lot more dead Marines...he said Khe Sanh was remote and they hit it all the time, small world ....hats off to your dad...
@@LauRoot892 I'm originally from Ft Wayne Indiana but I'm living in Tucson Az right now...with the work I've done I've traveled all over this country extensively...overseas as well just to get a break
@@LauRoot892 how about you
@@LauRoot892 I'm on telegram... Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Twitter or anything owned by Google, I'm pretty much banned from those platforms or to put it bluntly anything owned by nazis, communists and fascists ...
@@LauRoot892 TH-cam and Lyrics Translate are also owned by Google,...I used to post English translations of Russian songs on Lyrics Translate and they kicked me off there, blatant violent communists control that platform and depending on the subject TH-cam will shadow ban or outright block comments I post
Damn, Sam! You have no idea just how many of us old duffers would love to have the same experience you just shared! What a tremendous weapons platform! I have a nephew who was an avionics tech on these a while back and he also loved working on them. What do I like about this aircraft? Everything!
the quality of this video was so good, you deserve more recognition sam!
My dad was a ground based 105 mm operator in Vietnam, as well as the quad 50 Cal operator, a grenadier, and a tank driver 🤘😁
What a great demonstration of the teamwork it takes. This is what our military is all about.
ii wwaannaa ggeettt llaaiidd by that girl🤤😍
Yes, US teamwork worked exceptionnally well in Afghanistan, what a great military success.
the teamwork it takes to kill humans in an insanely brutal way
I didn't realise the modern variants had a different weapons loadout, I was under the impression that all AC-130's had the classic twin 20mm, 40 and 105
The new j models do not the have gone to the more adaptable set up with the pilons for missiles
The originals had 7.62 miniguns as well. Kinda sad that the 40's are gone, but it is likely a lot less labor intensive to keep fed and easier supply with A-10 ammo commonality.
@@ChevTecGroup IIRC, they got rid of the 40mm Bofors because they were having a hard time looking for spare parts all over the world and they were reloading shell casings made during the 40s.
As sad as it is to see a workhorse like the Bofors finally retire, it’s probably for the best. The 30mm cannon I hear is a good compromise and is really accurate.
@@edm240b9 i know they were reloading cases and such for a while. But it shouldn't be that hard to source components. But yes it will be missed. 30mm avenger would have been a cool upgrade. Or the new 50mm chain gun that the Army is looking at for IFVs
@@ChevTecGroup it was hard because the US was the only country still using the 40mm Bofors and every other country had scrapped them or they weren’t salvageable.
No wonder why my 105mm in CoD takes a lot of time to reload..
now we know why :D
Now we know why :)
Now we know why ツ
Now we know why :]
shows explain how realistic that game was
Great channel, great video, all around awesome stuff. I deeply appreciate our military members. Thanks fellas, you guys are incredible.
They’re murderers
I was an Air Force weapons troop at Cannon AFB who just got out 5 months ago, I JUST missed you! haha! I'm glad you had fun my friend!! My job was loading the aircraft with bombs/munitions, as well as upkeep of the 30mm and 105mm guns!
Recently just went to an Airshow and managed to tour inside and even sit in the pilots seat of a Canadian C-130 Hercules, and that was amazing in itself. However I simply cannot imagine how magnificent it would be to see one of these things in person. Truly amazing to think about.
Enjoyed this very much. A lot of changes since I worked on the AC130 Spectre Gunships we used in Thailand in 1969-1970. Fire power and electronics greatly improved.
Ubon, Thailand 1969-1970. USAF
Thank you for your service, sir!
This is so badass. I have to show my son. getting to fly or even gun one of these has to be the best job ever.
To kill what? Civilians? Please realize the american army are the worst bad guys in the hisotry of humanity.
Hands down. This is human craftmanship. Master class.
Brava, to you and your filming crew! Another very good video put into the channel. The genuine delight you take in your work is so nice to see. You managed to make a stunning video that is as action packed as it is informative, all with a touch of humor. Mike Rowe make way for the next generation!
Thank you ☺️
The quality of your production is elite. How do you not have millions of subscribers??? Great work Sam, loved it.
Working on it!
thats one of the most badass gunship . i am the biggest fan of this animal gunship from Iran!
This must be one of the most fun aircrafts to be a pilot on you literally have a whole gun show going off right behind you 🤯😎
My grandpa was stationed at Phù Cát airbase in Vietnam up until 1969, a year before it was overrun by VC. While he was stationed there, he loaded ammunition onto F-100s and AC-130s.
Amazing opportunity - props to you and the film crew - very well put together. Thanks for representing.
Hey 👋
I have the brass from the 105 and a 40mm bofors brass as I was the Army air/ground liaison on the AC 130. This was a day before you heard about Operation Just Cause, by the time you heard about it, the Morgue at Gorgas hospital was already full.
This video looks Amazing can’t wait till I get old enough to join the Air Force hopefully flying the C-17
Study as much as you can. Im currently obtaining my PPL and there's a lot of information thrown at you. The Air Force will take care of you but it's always good to go in with Prior knowledge
Unfortunately, even if you join the air forces, the c17 will start to retire one by one.
@@Adriansdr07 still got another 15 years plus of service life maybe longer 👍
@@Adriansdr07 The C130 has been used since Vietnam and the c17 is the current primary workhorse. They're not going anywhere for a long time.
@@Atony94 Wdm, The USAF is already planing to retire it’s C17’s by 2035! The c130J is already going to be the primary replacement of the C17, also the c17 has already ended production since 2015 so there already going soon!.
Thing is, you need total air superiority with these things. But there is hardly anything better for CAS. The big plane circling makes an excellent target too.
Loved this segment. Really impressive aircraft. Just a great, ready for tv video! Well done, Sam!
I can’t believe the plane doesn’t just shake apart when that howitzer goes off, amazing
I miss flying with the 16SOS. Great people and awesome mission.
I flew many ac130 before. Nothing like the rush of one of those bad boys! The enemy team was always so angry after the MW2 matches because of it too!
Sam is truly inspirational and the content he makes is amazing. Appreciate the time and effort he puts in these videos. Cant wait for the next one
look at the fake positivity from a person that hates themself
Probably supported by/in cooperarion with the military. Could actually be that they edit and upload the videos, and that Sam is just the ”main character”.
It's a propaganda piece to get more people to enlist. It is cool nevertheless.
yeah this dude is definitely PA lmao the question is how did he get such a cush job
bahahaha
Remember the AC-130 in Viet Nam when at Danang - We had the 119 Stinger A/C - Original A/C 130 had the 105 hanging from the front door I thought - plus it had 8 mini's 4 20's 2 40's and the 105 howitzer. Lots of firepower - The guys from Spectre in Ubon came to NKP one time, crazy group, kept playing the "Ghost riders in the sky" song.
That's pretty awesome. I was stationed at an RAF base, and we would see an AC-130 come in now and then and a few times, you could see obvious bullet holes. Truly epic Aircraft.
9:00 Seeing this truly makes me respect the effort put into mw2 when you are in the ac-130 it literally looks just like that 😂
I've seen the AC130 a lot in video games but never know what it's actually like irl, the real deal is way more badass than video games
so much freedom on one plane
Yes sir, this is a state-of-the-art freedom projectile delivery mechanism.
RAAAAHHHHHHHHHH🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅
What an awesome experience, thanks so much for going through ALL hoops to bring this to us !
Sam, your editing has improved a lot!!!I’m glad to say I am one of the originals to the channel, wayyy before most of your videos
Great production and editing. Props to all the crew of our best infantry protectors.
I work on the MK 46 30MM chain gun in the Navy. I was a little surprised to see the similarities from our variant to the Gau-23 variant on the AC-130.
9:37 "PILOTS LAUGHT AT SAM" 😂😂😂
in the Navy, on a ship, it was taught to us that when transferring a shell from one person to another, we always cradled the round in our arms. The arms would be bent upward at the elbows with the hands pointed to the ceiling, pivot and pass to the next person who also has their arms bent upward with the hands pointed to the ceiling. In this video, the two men passed the round to each other holding the round in the hands....Hand to hand transfer.
I have been out of the military for 30 years this month, has the safety procedure changed since then ?
its most likely because being in the air vs the sea is different.
I just recently started watching some of the videos on your channel, & its very good quality content. The videos are succint but very interesting & never fail to make me smile 😊 so keep it up! Best wishes
Thanks!!
I really wish I had any clue about this sort of thing growing up. These videos are far better than any recruitment vids the military puts together. Keep it up for the next gen Sam!
Incredibly well done, Sam! I laughed real good at the COD references 😂😂
Thank you, really. Was so interesting for people who build scale model kits because the inner space details (panels, screens, boxes, etc ..) and colors.
Sir Sam, I learned a ton from your vlog. Am a military enthusiasts ans and you literally opened my eyes and my mind to to the myriad of info about our military. Thank you, Sir Sam for your excellent articulations,you speak very clearly and your grasp of the details are likewise excellent. Kudos!
"Hello guys! Today i am gonna be exploring a desert filled with tanks", "why are so many planes flying over"
Credit where it’s due! Fair play this is awesome, your very lucky to have this experience
I've heard some nightmare stories about the fumes in combat but looked pretty cool
I keep seeing this posted around, I I think the only source for it is one guy claiming to be an AC-130U gunner in VR chat.
The AFSOC guys hair are almost as good as SEALs. WOW!
Birds of a feather have good hair together!
3:12 I just found it funny but admirable how ready he was to take the round back haha Super careful, super professional and accommodating
What I really like of your production is that makes everything clear and well described. Music tracks are well selected making your uploads very appealing. Thanks for the time you take to prepare everything.
Much appreciated!
This is seriously quality videos you make! Keep up the good work Sam
Thank you Sam for another informative and entertaining video. Stay safe. Thank all of you for your service.
TOO COOL!!! What an amazing experience!
By far one of my favorite big gun airplanes! The howitzer is sick!
Yeah typical muricans and gun ( weapon) worshipping.. what a shame
The AC-130U Spooky is still a bit cooler for me. 105mm + 40mm + 25mm rotary is a hell of a combination. I know that the 40mm was a bit old at that point. (pre-WW2 gun)
So the mw2 ac130 is a Spooky
@@randomgoogleaccount4868 It's an AC-130 Spooky II I don't know exact variant, as a lot of them are just manufacturing batches and avionics updates, that we don't know about form the game. But yes a Spooky.
These videos are soooo sick Sam! Keep up the awesome work!
The production quality is amazing. Great video.
That looked like an absolutely incredible experience! New sub here, can’t wait to watch more of your content. Much love from Texas!
Have you considered making a video with a PJ unit? It would be cool to see inside some of their capabilities and specifically the aircraft they use and how they work with those aircrews as a team.
This belongs on the Discovery Channel!! Amazing production
I LOVE how modern the aircraft is. So sleek and badass - I closely knew the British C130's before they retired - what a wonderful aircraft!
Thank you Sam for covering this awesome aircraft. Really nice footage you got there!
For next aircraft, could you do an extension of the C-130 variants by covering the Marines KC-130J Harvest Hawk? Would be great if you could. That would more or less complete the C-130’s family of aircraft.
Got another request though - attack helicopter, i.e. either Army Apache AH-64E or Marines AH-1Z Viper? I guess it would be tough since these aircraft are 2 seaters and chances are you won’t get to sit in the Co-pilot/Gunner seat, unless Army or Marines made some special exemption for you.
This team has an amazing job. Thank you all for your service. Great video!!🇺🇲🇺🇲
“Wow, blowing up Afghan children is just like my Xbox!!!”
@@glugtrop2010 I sure found the target audience of this bullshit military propaganda that this channel was sponsored to push.
Dawg💀💀
I was a helicopter mechanic with the 20th A.M.U., 1st S.O.W. at Hurlburt Field AFB, Florida (a sister unit to the 16th A.M.U., who were the maintenance unit for the AC-130H's) back in the early to mid 80s.
Way back then, there was WAY less room inside the gunships as the armaments were a BIT different. They had the same 105mm Howitzer, but in addition, they had (back to front) a 40mm Bofors (pretty much alongside the 105), twin 20mm rotating cannon, and a HOST of electronic visual equipment, sensors, and lighting.
By lighting, I'm referring to the 2 flood lights used EXCLUSIVELY in flight as turning them on, on the ground, would cause catastrophic failures. The first was a 2KW lamp and the second was 40KW, and they could light up an area as if it were broad daylight.
The AC's also had low-light TV (LLTV), wide and narrow angle TV, FLIR (Forward Looking [bit of a misnomer as the camera can be rotated in any direction] InfraRed) TV, and "side" looking radar (gave the WSO radar image of ground targets as the acft was orbiting).
The avionics in the weapons suite was so advanced then (and we're talking 40+ years ago) that the WSO could put a 105 round IN YOUR LAP, from 10,000 feet, on a starless night, while you were driving at 50 mph trying to escape.
When using the twin 20s, the gunship had the same "BRRRRT" sound as the venerable A-10. It could DEVASTATE supply trains, buildings, and aircraft still on the ground.
Other, less active, features included the "bathtubs". These were heavy, insulated attachments which were mounted on the wings, overlapping the engine exhasts. They were designed to mix the much colder air at operating altitude with the hot exhaust gases, minimizing the aircraft's thermal signature.
Also, the guns were not mounted on gimbles then, so in order to reposition the guns for targeting, the pilot had to reposition the entire aircraft. And finally, there was the "fishbowl", a large acrylic dome, set into the overhead door for the ramp, used by the I.O. (Incoming Officer), to identify inbound threats, such as missiles, rockets, and hostile aircraft. The I.O. would literally lay on his stomach and peer out the dome, monitoring the sky for possible threats (modern sensors have made this position irrelevant).
The AC-130H, then, was basically an airborne artillery emplacement, with the power to delete geography. With the weapons and avionics upgrades of the "J" model, it has only gotten more deadly, and NO ONE ELSE has anything like it, IN THE WORLD.
Even though I live outside the US; your content makes me want to aspire to join the air force one day
Move to America and enlist!
Doesn't your country have one?
@@farzana6676 not that easy fam
@@W4rM4chine82 Most country's around the world don't have this kind niche planes. this multi million euro plane can easily shoot down from everything and planes from 50 era. He cant escape from nothing to slow. You need a COMPLETE air superiority for multiple hours and complete zero aa ground defense to survive.
I think it's crazy how there are TH-cam channels that show us what it's like to shoot an AC 130. You inspire me to keep improving my videos man 😀
My man literally called in a killstreak
Man , along With the A-10 , and (even ) non - nuclear B - 52 (all subsonic) , the Spectre is frightening . I'm just glad they are on our side . They all send a bit of chill up my spine. The crews (inside AND on the ground) train hard & Long . I salute you . And Thank You All . ♥️
Bro compared firing a killing machine to playing a video game...😭💀
“Sir, requesting to destroy enemies in the at area”
“Roger, permission to destroy enemies In that area”
“Sir, I have successfully removed that area”
I cant wait, this guy does videos right
That was fun! Another dream fulfilled; thanks , Sam and crew>
It was always a sense of safety when we had the AC-130 on station in Iraq along with any other air assets. It's like cracks of lightning when fired while you're on the ground when it engages a target. The first time our GFC utilized the gunship on station, he didn't know he was supposed to tell the gunship to stop firing. Hit a baddy over 9 times before he asked the RTO if they had killed the target, RTO advised that they would fire until told to stop. The first round killed him, and the other 8 just kept pounding him. War is hell, but good stuff lol
Jason 😑
ENEMY AC-130 ABOVE!!!
Wow, what an experience! Thank you for creating this. A huge shout out to the United States Airforce Command and crew for making this happen!
#goarmy 🤙
Was able to experience seeing this thing fire the 105mm in country. Makes you VERY happy knowing it's on our side.
So well made, incredible video Sam!
I was in the Army in the early 90's as a Tank Turret Mechanic, we did all the electronic and hydraulic repairs on tank turrets for the ITV, FISTV, Bradley, and the M1 Abrams. Part of our job on the M1, was to insect the Main Gun Tube, as it was called back then. If it needed to be replaced, we condemned the tank, meaning that it was out of service, until the gun tube was replaced. Part of this procedure meant that we had to test fire it after replacement. This meant that we had to learn to drive, load, and fire the M1, without a crew. When I asked why, I was told, "Because it's easier, and cheaper, for the Army to replace you, then it is for them to replace an entire tank crew if you eff up the replacement" 😳 Needless to say, I always quadruple checked myself before going to the range, then rechecked again before firing. Let me tell you, firing the M1 was amazing! The power of it and the feeling you get, even just hitting "dummy" targets was exhilarating, but I can't even IMAGINE what it would have been like to fire rounds from the AC-130. You are one lucky civilian!!!!!
I am NOT a fan of the 130, but it definitely is something absolutely perfect for anti-terrorism CAS roles, the same goes for the A10C2s for me.
It's definitely not gonna be able to handle flying right into a contested airspace, but it will definitely be a sight to people on the ground.
Embraer Super Tucano is something perfect for anti-terrorism war,for a low costs
I always wanted be a weapon operator in the AC-130. Particularly the 40mm bofors.