Author Topic: The Strange U.S. Navy Hovercraft That Fought in Vietnam  (Read 464 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

rangerrebew

  • Guest
The Strange U.S. Navy Hovercraft That Fought in Vietnam
« on: March 02, 2021, 01:33:22 pm »

The Strange U.S. Navy Hovercraft That Fought in Vietnam

The big, awkward-looking, air-cushion vehicles surprised by the Vietcong (and the U.S. Navy) by riding over any terrain at 70 mph, knocking over trees and capsizing enemy sampans.
By Wallace Cloud   
Feb 25, 2021
 

In the November 1967 issue, Popular Mechanics took a ride on the Navy's strangest vehicle the Patrol Air-Cushion Vehicle (PACV). Based on the Bell Aerosystems SK-5 hovercraft, the PACV served in Vietnam from 1966 to 1970. The idea was these vehicles could ply Vietnam's rivers, bursting through fallen trees, and attacking enemy boats (armed with twin .50-cal machine guns no less). Ultimately, the PACV proved too costly and too unreliable and were soon relegated to Coast Guard service.

"On the way to the Plain of Reeds,” Mike Vincent said, "the last ACV in the column radioed they thought they had hit a land mine. We didn't stop we were moving through VC territory.

“Later, we took a look. All we found were some holes in the craft's skin, aft. Nobody was hurt, and there was no structural damage.

"We're not sure it was a land mine, but it takes more than that to stop a skimmer at 60 knots.”

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a35036997/pacv-hovercraft-vietnam/