Beechcraft RU-8D "T Bone "

This type aircraft flew electronic intelligence (ELINT) gathering missions in the skyies over South Vietnam & Laos with the US Army 138th Avation Company/224th Aviation Battalion from the summer of 1966 thru 1972. This plane represents one of eight RU-8D's flown by the 138th out of Da Nang, South Vietnam. The missions of the 138th was to provide support to the US Marine Corps in the form of the ELINT gathering, intercepting enemy radio transmissions to locate their troop concentrations and movements, locating enemy transmitters. That is why the aircraft is covered with antennas. The planes & pilots were called "spooks" Vietnam slang for intelligence types. The callsign "Lonely Ringer" was assigned to the 224th Aviation Battallion (RR) which included the 1st RR, the 138th, 144th, 146th, & 156th Avn. Companies (RR). The RU-8D's had no armament & no armor protection.