Did someone say A-5 Vigilante

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Did someone say A-5 Vigilante

Posted: 9/16/2009 9:17:34 PM EDT

Former NATC A-5A 146697

Mothballed RA-5C 146698 on static display

RA-5C 146698 in better times with RVAH-3

RVAH-5 RA-5C 147850

Posted: 9/16/2009 9:21:17 PM EDT

[#1]

That thing was a sexy, sexy plane.

Kind of got caught at a bad time in history though, right as we switched back from a nuclear-centric focus to conventional warfare. I'm still amazed they managed to keep it on as a recon bird, given the mission switch...

Posted: 9/16/2009 9:21:30 PM EDT

[#2]

A beautiful bird!!!! My Dad worked on Viggies when he was with RVAH-12.

Posted: 9/16/2009 9:25:50 PM EDT

[#3]

Good looking plane. I used to drive by one every day at NAS Fallon when i used to go out there.

Posted: 9/16/2009 9:27:37 PM EDT

[#4]

Beautiful in-flight photo of early A-5As from RVAH-3

RVAH-7 RA-5C 149301

USS Kitty Hawk A-5 149304

RVAH-9 RA-5C 149311

Posted: 9/16/2009 9:33:42 PM EDT

[#5]

Former RVAH-13 RA-5C 149311 at MASDC

NATC JRA-5C 150824

Former RVAH-12 RA-5C 150832 at MASDC

RA-5C 150834 wears a rare camo scheme for a USN aircraft

Posted: 9/16/2009 9:38:40 PM EDT

[#6]

RVAH-3 RA-5C 150836

RVAH-7 RA-5C 151629

RVAH-14 RA-5C 151726 at MASDC

RVAH-11 RA-5C 156609

Posted: 9/16/2009 9:44:59 PM EDT

[#7]

RVAH-12 RA-5C 156612

RVAH-6 RA-5C 156613

RVAH-7 RA-5C 156625

A-5A 146694, the third Viggie off the production line

Posted: 9/16/2009 9:45:48 PM EDT

[#8]

I've always loved the A-5's. I think they had beautiful lines. Too bad they missed their calling

Posted: 9/16/2009 9:46:40 PM EDT

[#9]

Love that plane. We had the R-5 on the USS Independence. Best thing about them, they had a single stage afterburner, it was on or not. The bridge OOD's used to scare the hell out of the new ensigns on the bridge. When that plane was line up on #1catapult, the JBD was up, the pilot hit the afterburner, the whole bridge would hear and feel a big BOOM!!!! The whole bridge would shake. The new ensigns would jump, scream, shit themselves, etc...

Posted: 9/16/2009 9:47:21 PM EDT

[#10]

Gotta love a plane that shits nuclear bombs

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:01:29 PM EDT

[#11]

RVAH-7 RA-5C 146702 on display at the 1976 NAS Miramar Open House

VAH-7 RA-5C 147854

RVAH-13 RA-5C 147857 in 1973

RVAH-3 RA-5C 156625 in 1978

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:08:35 PM EDT

[#12]

RVAH-13 RA-5C 156627 in 1973

Beautiful shot of RVAH-3 RA-5C 156631 in the landing configuration

RVAH-5 RA-5C 156631 in 1977

RVAH-1 RA-5C 156638 at NAS Miramar in 1978

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:14:19 PM EDT

[#13]

RVAH-3 RA-5C 156638 landing in 1979
The Viggies used the J79 engines, which meant they were as smoky as the Phantoms

RVAH-1 RA-5C 156640 in 1977

Former RVAH-12 RA-5C 156640 at China Lake in 1980

RVAH-3 RA-5C 156641 at McGuire AFB in 1977

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:34:29 PM EDT

[#14]

Cool looking plane.

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:41:42 PM EDT

[#15]

Did the USAF have a variation or was the A-5 navy only?
TIA

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:53:24 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Did the USAF have a variation or was the A-5 navy only?
TIA

Navy only.

I've been looking for any word of USMC operation of RA-5's, but can't find anything. I saw my first Vigilante summer of 1976 in Virginia Beach, it was taking off and had the burner going... pretty darn cool!

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:24:06 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Did the USAF have a variation or was the A-5 navy only?
TIA

Are you thinking of the A-3/RB-66?

Posted: 9/17/2009 7:28:06 AM EDT

[#18]

Great post!

Always liked the looks of that one.

Posted: 9/17/2009 7:37:35 AM EDT

[#19]

Absolutely gorgeous machines... Thanks for the pics.

Posted: 9/17/2009 7:38:40 AM EDT

[#20]

That plane looks fast as hell just sitting on the ramp.

Posted: 9/17/2009 7:41:35 AM EDT

[#21]

The Training Wing Commodore in the mid 1980s was a Vietnam era A-5 guy...he had great stories.

The A-5 was practically uninterceptable.

Posted: 9/17/2009 7:48:03 AM EDT

[#22]

Forgot about those. I built a model of one when I was a kid, even had the rearward ejecting bomb. Still a sexy lookin' airplane. Thanks for the pics.

Posted: 9/17/2009 7:51:09 AM EDT

[#23]

Kick. Ass. Thread.

(aka, tag for home when I can add these pics to my collection)

Posted: 9/17/2009 7:54:23 AM EDT

[#24]

I must admit I don't recall ever seeing this before. Am I correct in assuming from the comments that this was a carrier-based nuclear bomber?

A fine looking aircraft.

Posted: 9/17/2009 7:55:06 AM EDT

[#25]

You can see a fair amount of the lineage of the F-15, F-111 and even the F-14 in that plane.

Posted: 9/17/2009 8:01:20 AM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
I must admit I don't recall ever seeing this before. Am I correct in assuming from the comments that this was a carrier-based nuclear bomber?

A fine looking aircraft.

Yep, the mission went away as the Navy's Nuclear Delivery switch to SSBNs, and the A-5 transitioned to a recon platform.

Posted: 9/17/2009 8:14:16 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
I must admit I don't recall ever seeing this before. Am I correct in assuming from the comments that this was a carrier-based nuclear bomber?

A fine looking aircraft.

It was, if you call pointing the nose up and ejecting bombs out the ass a "bomber".

It was a cool ass airplane though, and my uncle had good things to say about them. He worked both F-4s and RA-5s during Vietnam.

Posted: 9/17/2009 8:16:51 AM EDT

[#28]

weren't these like the largest carrier based plane (so far) ?

Posted: 9/17/2009 8:17:10 AM EDT

[#29]

The lovely RA-5 is Officially a BACP - Big Ass Carrier Plane.

Back in the mid 60's I also built the model with the rear-ejecting bomb.

I think it was the Monogram brand.

The Ol' Crew Chief

Posted: 9/17/2009 8:18:55 AM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
weren't these like the largest carrier based plane (so far) ?

Pretty sure that honor goes to the A-3 and it's variants.

Posted: 9/17/2009 8:22:06 AM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
weren't these like the largest carrier based plane (so far) ?

A-3 Skywarrior was bigger.

ETA: Beat by Chairborne

Posted: 9/17/2009 8:22:59 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:

Quoted:

weren't these like the largest carrier based plane (so far) ?

Pretty sure that honor goes to the A-3 and it's variants.

took a look at the A3 and I do believe you're correct.. that's what I was thinking of, don't know how I got the two mixed up

Posted: 9/17/2009 8:24:56 AM EDT

[#33]

Is it true the Soviets used a lot of data and design features from the A-5 for the Mig-25?

I had heard that some time or another, but did not know if it was based in fact. I think the original design of the A-5 had a twin tail set up and you could really see a similarity to the Mig that followed.

Posted: 9/17/2009 8:34:56 AM EDT

[#34]

They need to restore one to flying status for the airshow circuit.

Posted: 9/17/2009 8:43:31 AM EDT

[#35]

tag

Posted: 9/17/2009 8:56:51 AM EDT

[#36]

This planbe shit nukes.

This is Chuck Norris' personal aircraft.

Posted: 9/17/2009 9:03:32 AM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:

Quoted:
weren't these like the largest carrier based plane (so far) ?

Pretty sure that honor goes to the A-3 and it's variants.

took a look at the A3 and I do believe you're correct.. that's what I was thinking of, don't know how I got the two mixed up

I think, at the time, It was the biggest Jet the that could be thrown off the deck without a headwind? I remember reading something about that many, many years ago, as one of the design requirements, or just something it was able to do, just because of its awesomeness, er, large wing area and high lift magical thingys, heheh.

Posted: 9/17/2009 9:05:54 AM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
Is it true the Soviets used a lot of data and design features from the A-5 for the Mig-25?

I had heard that some time or another, but did not know if it was based in fact. I think the original design of the A-5 had a twin tail set up and you could really see a similarity to the Mig that followed.

One theory I've heard is that the 25 came about partly due to espionage in the Avro Arrow program.

Posted: 9/17/2009 9:11:15 AM EDT

[#39]

You really can't appreciate it's size until you see a pic of it on a carrier deck with all the other aircraft of the day.

Posted: 9/17/2009 9:24:20 AM EDT

[#40]

That is one sexy bird. Thanks for posting the pics.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Did someone say A-5 Vigilante

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