Comments by "WALTERBROADDUS" (@WALTERBROADDUS) on "PHANTOM MENACE: Should The F104 Starfighter Have Been The USAF's Air Superiority Fighter In Vietnam?" video.

I definitely would prefer a Crusader over a F-104.
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Actually the numbers not high at all. They actually made very few gun kills with or without pods. The whole gun thing is a bit overrated.
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@richardmartin8998 on the other hand, being as its main Armament was the Sparrow, that would be a major problem too. It had a high failure rate.
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@ndx6779 I think the better View is make comparisons to other modern conflicts. Such as the experience of the Israelis in their various conflicts and later. The gun has become a less relevant weapon. Tactics and strategy have evolved as weapon technology has matured. I don't think you'll find a greater percentage of gun kills in the Iran Iraq War or Falklands War either?
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@ndx6779 it's an additional tool in the toolbox. But, with Rules of Engagement and the reluctance of North Vietnamese planes to give battle. The chances of using it are not many. Therefore sending the f-104 would not have changed the equation much.
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Reality is, when you look at the statistics it really didn't make that much of a difference. I believe the f-105 actually has more gun kills than the F4. internal gun or not. And Navy and Marine Corps Pilots never had an internal gun.
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