AC-130 Spooky SpectreLockheed AC 130 gunship airplane model. The AC 130 gunship has a combat history dating to the Vietnam War, where it replaced the AC 47 and the AC 119. According to legend, the side firing gunship idea came from old mail airplanes which flew in a circle to deliver a package accurately, in any case, whereas forward firing gunships can only fire during the short time of the firing pass, the side firing gunship circling around the target can shoot non