Night Hunters: The AC-130s and Their Role in US Airpower

Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series

By: William Pace Head

Narrated by: Douglas R. Pratt

Length: 17 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

In Night Hunters, air power historian William P. Head provides the first detailed study of the development and deployment of the AC-130 gunship. While other airframes and other types of close air support (CAS) and interdiction weapon systems preceded or flew with the AC-130s, this four-engine cargo airframe proved to be not only the longest serving fixed-wing gunship but also the most effective by far.

During the Vietnam War, the US military developed new tactics and weapons systems to counter a diversity of enemy tactics and geographic features, the difficult climate, and the shifting diplomatic context. One of the most important was the development of the AC-130. Its ability to transport heavier payloads at higher altitudes across longer distances made it the logical choice to be the final Vietnam-era fixed-wing gunship and the only one that continues to fly missions in the 21st century. In addition, it employed many of the most advanced weapons, sensors, targeting devices, and fire control systems of the 1970s or of any era.

By recounting both the technical development and the combat operations of the plane, and by looking at the proposed alternatives for its use in the War on Terror, Night Hunters offers a clear view of the role of gunships and of close air support in US wars. In today’s never-ending brushfire wars, the AC-130s continue to uphold their reputation for excellence.

The book is published by Texas A&M University Press.

©2014 William P. Head (P)2019 Redwood Audiobooks

Not what I expected

I bought this thinking it would be a description of unique battles where “Spooky” turned the tide. Interesting tho tiresome regarding the details.

Unless you like minutiae, this is quite boring

Unless you like knowing the number of every plane, the name of everyone involved in each and very step of design, development, of who flies each plane, the acronyms of every agency involved in every step of manufacture, every area of responsibility (who pays for this part of maintenance, or that part of it, etc, etc, etc), and all the other small data written into every sentence, you may want to skip this book. The amount of time committed discussing them in actual combat, their effectiveness & other aspects pertaining to combat, was so minimal that I stopped listening half way through the book.

Normally I love just about anything to do with the military, especially the Air Force (I grew up under a father who was an officer and pilot in the US Air Force), but I could not take the narrators voice and the tremendous amount of the minutiae contained in this book. If I were a researcher writing a technical report, or a student writing an essay for an advanced class, this book would be just the ticket. Since I am neither of those, this book as a waste of money.

Apologies to those who love it. I just could not finish it.