For a similiar variant, see C-47 Skytrain The AC-47 Spooky (also nicknamed as Puff the Magic Dragon after a 1963 song of the same name) is a modified C-47 Skytrain built by Douglas Aircraft Company who later became McDonnell Douglas. Introduced in January 1965, it was the first of the series of gunships in the Vietnam War. The AC-47 is equipped with three M134 Miniguns mounted in three spots along the left side of the plane providing close air support and suppressing fire.