Published May 18, 2015
The limited ability of the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog to carry weapons convinced the Air Force to seek a replacement FAC aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo)
O-2A in flight near Pleiku in 1968. Faster than the O-1 Bird Dog, the O-2A could respond to calls for air support more quickly and could stay over the target longer. (U.S. Air Force photo)
The Cessna O-2A Super Skymaster was used as an interim FAC aircraft and for psychological warfare missions. Here, an O-2A FAC fires a smoke rocket (indicated by the arrow) to mark an enemy stronghold for strike aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo)
After identifying a target, the FAC called for attack aircraft and marked the target. Here, an O-2 FAC fires a white phosphorus rocket (just to the right of the gunsight’s crosshairs) near Phan Rang in 1969. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Smoke from a white phosphorus rocket marking the target. The FAC used this smoke to guide the strike aircraft and direct the attack. When certain that the fighter pilot was attacking the correct target, using the right weapons, and not threatening friendly troops or civilians, the FAC gave permission to attack. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Strike aircraft could only attack after being “cleared hot” by the FAC. This F-100 from the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, with the call sign Yellow Jacket 11 has been cleared hot to attack an enemy target in September 1969. (U.S. Air Force photo)
The impact of a 500 lb. bomb dropped by Yellow Jacket 11. Battle damage assessment (BDA) afterward indicated that the air strike killed 12 enemy soldiers, destroyed 44 bunkers and uncovered 3 tons of rice and 5 bunkers. (U.S. Air Force photo)
The OV-10 Bronco making its maiden flight in Southeast Asia in August 1968 during its 90-day period of combat evaluation with the 19th TASS. (U.S. Air Force photo)
An OV-10A firing a smoke rocket in the area north of Saigon in February 1969 to show where the F-100 should drop its bombs. (U.S. Air Force photo)
DAYTON, Ohio - FACs flying night missions often used Starlight scopes to find the enemy hiding under the cover of darkness, but the USAF continued looking for better night vision systems. In 1971, the USAF equipped the OV-10 Broncos flown by the 23rd TASS with the AN/AVQ-13 PAVE NAIL, a stabilized periscopic night sight and laser designator. Not surprisingly, the 23rd TASS took the call sign of Nail. This patch shows an OV-10 over a red nail, and the black patch indicates the darkness of night. (U.S. Air Force photo)