Ah, the good old days!!!!!

[John HOLBROOK]

We tanked them going in and we tanked them coming off their targets.

The Scooter pilots loved we A3 guys!!!!

Note the ordnace hanging on the A4s. They are on their way in!!!

[Oyaji]

John,

Those A4F's look like birds from the squadron I was in.....VA-55 embarked in USS Hancock (CVA-19).

[John HOLBROOK]

Yep, those Skyhawks are from VA-55.........

[John HOLBROOK]

I have the disposal records for all the A3s. Note that BuNo 142652 still exists. She is in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB . Look at two of her sisters below marked with the red astricks....

[Oyaji]

John,

If I recall correctly the "whales" we had on the Hancock were initially from Heavy Ten (VAH-10) and later on, one of the VAQ squadrons. This was back around 1968-71. Think they were all out of NAS Whidbey. Also remember many of the A-3's being re-worked at the depot in NAS Alameda back in the "good old days."

Do you have any more detail regarding the loss of BuNo 142655 on Oct 21, 1967?

The A-3 Skywarrior certanly has a long and distinguished service record but, now I'm preaching to the choir, right?

Best,
Mack aka Oyaji

P.S. You still "doing the Puyallup?"

[John Sukey]

One thing about the A4, you didn't have to worry about bouncing around in the cockpit! As one pilot remarked "I don't get in , I put it on!

[John HOLBROOK]

Here is the sad fate of most of the remaining A3s, except for 6 that Rayethon is operating out of Van Nuys, CA... We are getting one for display at NAS Whidbey Island and they are trying to get one for NAS Sanford, FL. Most of these are TA-3Bs, trainers or RA-3Bs. I checked my log books, and I have flown in all 12 TA-3Bs!!!!!

When I was down at Raytheon, I spoke to the Flight Operations Manager about maintainng the A3s, and he told me he has a hanger full of spares. However he said they have no main gear tires. They are a unique size and when they need new ones, they have to have them made by Pirelli at $200,000.00 per tire!!!!! That's right, almost a half a million bucks for a set of tires!!!

And yes, I still do the Puyallup!!!!

[Roadkingtrax]

How much gas did you hold? I bet you guys did more take-offs and landings then any other type of aircraft.

[John HOLBROOK]

This is one of my favorite A3 photos!!!!!!!

[John HOLBROOK]

How much gas did you hold? I bet you guys did more take-offs and landings then any other type of aircraft.

We carried over 30,000#s of JP5 in two internal self sealing fuel tanks plus we had "wet wings".... The wings inside of the wing fold were sealed and used for fuel...

[Shooter5]

Sir: who ran the rear gun? Was that auto synced to a radar? Interesting history posted.
What platform has replaced its duties?
Thanks for standing watch during the Cold War. BTW, have you received your Cold War certificate?

[John HOLBROOK]

Sir: who ran the rear gun? Was that auto synced to a radar? Interesting history posted.
What platform has replaced its duties?
Thanks for standing watch during the Cold War. BTW, have you received your Cold War certificate?

The rear turret was controlled by the Third Crewman who sat behind the pilot facing aft. They were aimed by a MK 21 Fire Control Radar system... They were removed early in service as they were not effective and replaced with ECM gear...

The A3 was so versitile that it went through several versions. From Nuclear Weapons Bomber, to recon, photographic misisons, ECM, both active and passive, plus they made a great tanker!!!!!

They are one of the unsung heros of the Cold War...... The last one was taken out of military service in 1991....

So they served from 1955 to 1991, and are still flying. Raytheon operates 6 in Van Nuys, CA!!!!! The first time I flew in one was at the Naval Air Special Weapons Facility at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM BuNo 130357 which was the 9th A3 built. I was the Plane Captain (Crew Chief) of that A/C..

Yes, I do have my Certificate....

[Oyaji]

John,

Those A4F's look like birds from the squadron I was in.....VA-55 embarked in USS Hancock (CVA-19).

Found a couple photos of when I was in VA-55. I'm in the back row standing behind the C.O.

[Weasel]

The big joke now is they are going to use FA-18's for tankers. That's a laugh, no legs trying to refuel another no legs. My old W-30 442 Olds had more range than the FA-18's.

[dryheat]

Maybe some of those A-4 pilots trained at the base I was stationed at; NAS Kingsville, TX. I was an Aviation Hydraulics Mate in VT-23 back in the early 70's. I went up in our planes a couple of times and it was quite the thrill. Of coourse these were two seaters and they didn't have the avionics dome.