Hanoi: Air
War takes toll of U.S. Aircraft
The Air War over North
Vietnam involved the heaviest anti-aircraft fire in the history of warfare.
Anti-Aircraft-Artillery (AAA) employed by the North against U.S. aircraft
included 23mm, twin 37mm (180 rounds per minute), 57mm, 85mm, and 100mm
guns. Many batteries were radar controlled.
A virtual ring of AAA
Batteries guarded the boundaries of Hanoi, Sam missile sites, and other
major military targets. I hope my custom animated GIFs of Anti-Aircraft-Artillery
Batteries firing in mass at U.S. aircraft gives you an appreciation
for what our pilots faced in Northern air war combat--it did for me.
Big files for big guns!
Cutting their sizes simply was an injustice to the awesome visual fire-power, and brutal Battery Firing (150K: Turn up the Volume!) cannonades of an NVA Anti-Aircraft-Battery
in action. Look close at the photos for the artillery men firing and
standing around (Which Battery is Jane
Fonda's?)
