The Vietnam War was a long and costly conflict fought in North and South Vietnam, intensified by the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. It’s estimated that about 2,000,000 civilians and over 1,300,000 fighters were killed or went missing in action. Opposition to the war bitterly divided nations. In this article, we will go through the best fighter and interceptor jets used during the Vietnam War and remember the pilots that gave their lives for their country.
The Most Iconic Aircraft of the Vietnam War
Below you will find the complete list of aircraft flown during the Vietnam War, including American aircraft (such as the Doublas A-4 Skyhawk and the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II) and Soviet aircraft (like the renowned MiG-15, MiG-19, and MiG-21).
Vietnam War: American Aircraft
During the Vietnam War, the United States used a variety of aircraft. The first ones sent to the conflict were C-47 Skytrains, which were used in a variety of missions, such as dropping Vietnamese paratroopers, resupplying the U.S. Army Special Forces, and conducting night flareship operations. Eventually, the C-47s were replaced by larger C-123 Providers, which had actually been scheduled for retirement. These aircraft were used from 1962 to 1970.
Tactical airlift missions in Vietnam were challenging due to the mountainous or jungle terrain, bad weather, and enemy action. These were the preferred aircraft used by the American forces during the Vietnam War:
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat, subsonic attack aircraft that was developed for the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the 1950s. It was designed to be a lightweight, low-cost aircraft that could operate from aircraft carriers and perform a variety of missions, including ground attack, close air support, and air defense suppression.
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk participated in the first strikes of the Vietnam War, particularly in 1964, when American destroyers were attacked in the Tonkin Gulf. When Everett Alvarez had to eject from his A-4 Skyhawk aircraft, he was the first naval aviator to be taken prisoner.
These aircraft logged more combat missions during the Vietnam war than any other, and participated in notable strikes such as those against power plants and bridges in North Vietnam. They also engaged in close air support of troops in ground combat. About 195 carrier-based A-4 Skyhawks fell to enemy fire during the Vietnam war.
The A-4 Skyhawk was powered by a single Pratt & Whitney J52-P-6A turbojet engine, which provided a maximum speed of 610 mph (980 km/h) and a range of up to 1,160 miles (1,865 km). It was armed with two 20mm cannons and could carry up to 5,000 pounds (2,270 kg) of bombs, missiles, and other weapons on five external hardpoints.
LTV A-7 Corsair II
The LTV A-7 Corsair II is a single-seat, subsonic attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and Air Force in the 1960s. It was designed to replace the older A-4 Skyhawk and to serve as a multi-role aircraft capable of performing ground attacks, close air support, and air defense suppression missions.
The LTV A-7 Corsair II flew its first combat missions over Vietnam in May 1970. The A-7E was part of the Navy’s offensive during aerial mining of North Vietnamese ports and Operation Linebacker strikes.
The A-7 Corsair II was powered by a single Allison TF41-A-1 turbofan engine, which provided a maximum speed of 690 mph (1,110 km/h) and a range of up to 1,300 miles (2,090 km). It was armed with a single 20mm cannon and could carry up to 15,000 pounds (6,800 kg) of bombs, missiles, and other weapons on eight external hardpoints.
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a famous American supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft. It was initially designed in the late 1950s by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation for the United States Navy. Still, it was later adopted by the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps. The F-4 Phantom II is a twin-engine, two-seat aircraft used extensively in many military conflicts, including the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the Iraq War.
Republic F-105 Thunderchief
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief is a supersonic fighter bomber that was used by the United States Air Force (USAF) during the Cold War and the Vietnam War. It was designed to serve as a single-seat, all-weather strike aircraft that could deliver nuclear weapons, as well as conventional bombs and missiles. The F-105 Thunderchief was developed by Republic Aviation in the late 1950s as a successor to the F-84F Thunderstreak. It first flew in 1955 and entered service with the USAF in 1958. The aircraft was designed to fly at high speeds and low altitudes, with a maximum speed of Mach 2.1 and a range of over 2,200 miles. It was armed with a 20mm Vulcan cannon and could carry a variety of bombs, rockets, and missiles.
Vought F-8 Crusader
The Vought F-8 Crusader is a supersonic carrier-based fighter aircraft that was used by the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps from the late 1950s through the 1970s. It was designed as a single-seat, all-weather aircraft that could operate from aircraft carriers and perform a variety of missions, including air superiority, ground attack, and reconnaissance. The F-8 Crusader was developed by Vought Aircraft Industries in the late 1950s to replace the F-7 Cutlass. It featured a distinctive variable-incidence wing that could be adjusted in flight to provide increased lift and reduced drag. The aircraft was powered by a single Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojet engine, which gave it a top speed of Mach 1.8 and a range of over 1,000 miles.
Northrop F-5 Tiger II
The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic fighter aircraft that was designed and built by Northrop Corporation in the United States. The F-5 was developed in the late 1950s as a lightweight, low-cost fighter that could be used for a variety of missions, including air superiority, ground attack, and reconnaissance. The F-5 was originally developed as a privately-funded project by Northrop in the late 1950s. The first F-5 prototype flew in July 1959, and the aircraft entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1962. The F-5 was also sold to a number of countries around the world, and it saw extensive service in a variety of conflicts, including the Vietnam War, the Iran-Iraq War, and the Gulf War.
Vietnam War: Soviet Aircraft
These were the preferred aircraft used by the Soviet during the Vietnam War:
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 is a jet fighter aircraft that was designed and built by the Soviet Union in the early 1950s. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful jet fighters to be produced by the Soviet Union, and it played a significant role in several conflicts around the world, including the Korean War. The MiG-15 was designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, which was headed by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The aircraft first flew in December 1947 and entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1949. The MiG-15 was powered by a single Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet engine, which gave it a top speed of over Mach 0.9 and a range of over 1,100 miles.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 is a supersonic fighter aircraft that was developed by the Soviet Union in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was an improved version of the earlier MiG-15 and was designed to be faster, more manoeuvrable, and more capable in combat. The MiG-17 was designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, which was headed by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The aircraft first flew in January 1950 and entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1952. The MiG-17 was powered by a single VK-1 turbojet engine, which gave it a top speed of over Mach 0.9 and a range of over 1,000 miles.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 is a supersonic fighter aircraft that was developed by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s. It was designed as an improved version of the earlier MiG-17 and was intended to be faster, more agile, and more capable in combat. The MiG-19 was designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, which was headed by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The aircraft first flew in 1953 and entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1955. The MiG-19 was powered by two afterburning turbojet engines, which gave it a top speed of over Mach 1.5 and a range of over 800 miles.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic fighter aircraft that was developed by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was one of the most widely used fighter jets of the Cold War era and saw service with many countries around the world. The MiG-21 was designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, which was headed by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The aircraft first flew in 1956 and entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1959. The MiG-21 was powered by a single Tumansky R-25 turbojet engine, which gave it a top speed of over Mach 2 and a range of over 1,000 miles.
