Lockheed EC-121D Super Constellation #2
by Arthur Eggers
Title
Lockheed EC-121D Super Constellation #2
Artist
Arthur Eggers
Medium
Digital Art - Color Print
Description
A U.S. Air Force Lockheed EC-121D Warning Star (S/N 53-555) of the 552nd Airborne Early Warning & Control Wing at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. The crew of this aircraft made the first radar-guided intercept on 24 Oct 1967, when it was operating over the Gulf of Tonkin and directed two USAF McDonnell F-4C Phantom II fighters to destroy a North Vietnamese Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
EC-121s were used extensively in Southeast Asia between 16 April 1965, and 1 June 1974, particularly in support of Operation Rolling Thunder and Operation Linebacker I/Linebacker II to provide radar early warning and limited airborne control of USAF fighter forces engaging MiG interceptors flying orbits over the Gulf of Tonkin and later over Laos. From April 1965 to early 1966 and beginning again in late 1967, the EC-121Ds also controlled a flight of MiGCAP fighters for unarmed support aircraft operating over the Gulf. The EC-121Ds also served as an airborne communications relay center for strike aircraft to transmit mission results and position reports to the control center at Da Nang; directed operations of fighter escorts, MiGCAPs; provided radar and navigational assistance for Combat Search and Rescue missions; and assisted fighters in finding tankers for emergency refueling.
Uploaded
October 4th, 2014
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