Gunships "On 15 December 1964 an entirely new weapons system was introduced into combat in Vietnam. The first AC-47 gunship took to the air from Biên Hòa AB carrying an armament of three 7.62mm General Electric SUU-11A miniguns, each capable of firing 6,000 rounds per minute. The 'Spooky' was an instant success in breaking up enemy attacks on hamlets and other defensive positions, and within a year substantial numbers of rehabilitated 'Gooney Birds' were in action throughout the combat area."
