But there’s a reason most of these aircraft ceased production decades ago.
Here s What You Need to Remember: Close air support and interdiction, especially at low altitude, are exceedingly dangerous missions. Attack aircraft too often operate along the seams of interservice divisions, sometimes falling victim to conflicts between armies and air forces.
Is the dedicated attack aircraft a dying breed? Few air forces are developing new attack aircraft, preferring to rely on fighter-bombers carrying precision-guided munitions to do the dirty work of close air support and battlefield interdiction. But then it has always been such; tactical attack has long been shunted to the side by air forces more interested in fast fighters and majestic bombers. Many of the attack aircraft used in World War II began design life as fighters, only becoming attack planes when they “failed.” And yet these attack aircraft have, over the years, ably performed one of the most critical airpower mission
These planes were made to take out enemy soldiers and armor.
Key point: These airplanes fullfilled a specialized role. Here is how they struck fear into many hearts (and were beloved by friendly forces).
Is the dedicated attack aircraft a dying breed? Few air forces are developing new attack aircraft, preferring to rely on fighter-bombers carrying precision-guided munitions to do the dirty work of close air support and battlefield interdiction. But then it has always been such; tactical attack has long been shunted to the side by air forces more interested in fast fighters and majestic bombers. Many of the attack aircraft used in World War II began design life as fighters, only becoming attack planes when they “failed.” And yet these attack aircraft have, over the years, ably performed one of the most critical airpower missions the destruction of the fielded forces of the enemy, and the support of friendly ground troops.
deborah feyerick takes you inside one of the biggest manhunts in fbi history. the church bells of saint monica, near the harbor in south boston, have sounded for generations of irish immigrants. it s a tight-knit community that has always protected its own. a place james whitey bulger, one of boston s most notorious gangsters, called home. bulger learned to fight and survive on the mean streets of south boston, known as southie to locals like john shay who decades later would work for bulger. the guy was legendary. he made tough guys shake. he made them shake. reporter: bulger s life of crime started early. arrested in his teens, he was robbing banks by age 20. his shock of blond hair earning him the name whitey, a name he is staid to disguise. with his rugged good looks and reckless flamboyance, bulger imagined himself boston s version of hollywood s gangster, jimmy cagney. but instead of red carpets, he was headed to alcatraz. a string of bank robberies earning
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inside one of the biggest manhunts in fbi history. [ bagpipes ] reporter: the church bells of saint monica near the harbor in south boston have sounded for generations of irish immigrants. [ bell ringing ] reporter: it is a tight-knit community that s always protected its own, a place james whitey bulger, one of boston s most notorious gangsters, called home. bulger learned to fight and survive on the mean streets of south boston, known as southy to locals like john shay who would decades layer later, work for bulger. the guy was legendary. he made tough guys shake. he made them shake. reporter: bulger s life of crime started early. arrested in his teens he was robbing banks by age 20. his shock of blond hair earning him the name whitey a name he s said to despise. with his rugged good looks and reckless flamboyance, bulge jer imagined himself boston s version of hollywood gangster jimmy cagney. instead of red carpets, he was headed to alcatraz. a string of bank r