We're supposed to be happy? I didn't get the memo.This forum turns more and more into APC by the day lol except we kinda just all know eachother a little better
One big happy dysfunctional family
No no no, not you…you fly cargo…back to unhappy/no 117 land for you. Dont let me catch you out of it againWe're supposed to be happy? I didn't get the memo.
I get sad just entering the terminal these days.No no no, not you…you fly cargo…back to unhappy/no 117 land for you. Dont let me catch you out of it again
Would the Whale presence specific to the Essex have been just to maintain a sole role Nuclear strike capability? I don’t know what the timeline was from A6 introduction in the Fleet to full assumption of the capability as the Nuclear option. I know the A7 was nuclear capable, but same thing not sure when exactly from its inception it assumed that capability.
I remember them talking about how Tomcats didn’t operate from the Midway for the same weight and size issue, which given the fact their wasn’t a gap in capes between going from 4/7 to the Hornet I don’t see that being an issue. And the A7s were definitely Nuke capable by the that time.
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By the late 1960s most of the Whales were either tankers, or combo ECM/tankers in the VAH squadrons, from what I’ve been told.
In 1967, VAW-13 became VAQ-130 and traded their EA-1F’s for EKA-3B’s and KA-3B’s. Until EKA-3B airframes were available, VAQ-130 sent dets to Yankee Station carriers (and Da Nang) as they had previously with Spads. New VAQ squadrons were established as airframes were received.
No VAH units deployed with EKA-3B’s. VAH-123 became the RAG for EKA-3B crews but didn’t have any EKA-3B’s. Crews trained in straight Whales and modified C-1’s for ECM training.
Some things you simply cannot understand until it happens to you. And that's "ok" - life is supposed to be like that I suppose. One of the things we all have to learn is that we cannot understand and know how everything feels. As time goes on I see this more and more everywhere - with people scowling at each other for various perceived faults, when really, we should walk a mile in the other person's shoes.Same. I was always "of course racism and any kind of discrimination is wrong" from 0-age 23. At age 23 I was stricken with physical maladies out of the blue that completely re-worked the course of my life - against my wishes. One of the things I was able to be introduced to is WHY discrimination is so bad (and potentially soul killing). 0-23 was rote, age 23 on was a deeply personal knowledge. I would never appropriate MLK Jr day or tell anyone I understood what integrating Little Rock Central or sitting at a lunch counter while rednecks beat you was - but I have tasted discrimination and it is personal.
I guess very early in the war, until maybe about 1966ish, VAH squadrons were actually doing bombing missions over North Vietnam?
Yes, but I think they were done by 1967. I recently bought Rick Morgan’s A-3 Units of the Vietnam War. I need to do a little reading. My Whale knowledge pretty much follows my dad’s VAW/VAQ trajectory.
We need more A5 Vigilante talk here if we’re talking 1960’s Navy planes, esp the prettiest of them all.
We need more A5 Vigilante talk here if we’re talking 1960’s Navy planes, esp the prettiest of them all.
EKA-3 tanker refueling KA-6D tanker refueling F-4J Phantom. View attachment 76082
We had one at SFB, and it’s just such a gorgeous plane…looked like it could be an 80’s design. It and the F8 are two of my top Navy designed planes…just stunning pieces of work.Oh man… he’s long gone but there was an old Vietnam era vet in Airwarriors.com that talked about being LSO quail’s for the Vigi… magnificent story teller.
Edit: found the old thread… Tell us a Story A4's
Every time I went to Key West I saw that thing sitting on its perch…. Looked like it was screaming to be going Mach 2 and being held in place like somebody paused time.
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As a kid, my favorite plane was the Vigilante.
And what happened to VAH squadrons? They were redesignated as VAQ squadrons, RVAH squadrons, or disestablished.
As a kid, my favorite plane was the Vigilante.
Oh man… he’s long gone but there was an old Vietnam era vet in Airwarriors.com that talked about being LSO quail’s for the Vigi… magnificent story teller.
Edit: found the old thread… Tell us a Story A4's
Every time I went to Key West I saw that thing sitting on its perch…. Looked like it was screaming to be going Mach 2 and being held in place like somebody paused time.
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