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The Douglas A-4 "Skyhawk" was nicknamed "Bantam Bomber."
Although small in size, it proved to be a tough, versatile, and deadly
component in the Vietnam war. It was so small, it wasn't built with folding
wings, normally a carrier mainstay. |
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Three A-4 "Skyhawks" of the Blue Angels in tight formation
above Ocena NAS, Virginia, in 1984. |
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The Navy's next Blue Angel -- and its current one
-- was the McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 "Hornet" multi-role fighter-bomber,
also in their typically tight formation. (Would you want to drive in heavy
traffic with one of these guys?!?!) Based on the loser of the competition
that led to the Air Force's selection of the F-16, the Hornet was slated
to assume the roles of the F-4 and F-14. |
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This version is the TA-4 two-seat trainer. I took
this picture at the Holloman AFB air show in 1972. |
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Last but not least, we have the Marines' A-4 trainer.
What's the difference between this and the Navy's versions? In the USMC's
finest tradition, they bought more fluid leaks than their Navy counterparts.
This was seen on the transient ramp at Holloman AFB in 1971. This part
of the ramp could be seen from my dorm room, which made for some interesting
viewing! |
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Grumman's A-6 "Intruder" occasionally suffered from
a case of mistaken identity: although it could only carry about a quarter
of the bombload of the mighty Boeing B-52, it dropped enough 500-pound
bombs on a single run to be confused with SAC's bomber by the North Vietnamese
and Viet Cong on the receiving end. |
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This view of Vought's F-8 "Crusader" shows the unique
hinged wing. Upon landing, the hinge added several extra degrees angle
of attack, thus buying the pilot a slower approach speed as well as increasing
his visibility during this most critical phase. Armed with four 20mm cannon,
the Crusader was nicknamed "MiG Master." |
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Here's the USN's 'big stick': the Douglas A-3 "Skywarrior."
It served in many roles, including tactical nuclear bomber, conventional
bomber, and electronic warfare ship. It was the heaviest airplane to routinely
operate aboard carriers. The Air Force adopted a later version as the B-66
"Destroyer." |
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Lockheed's P-2 "Neptune" was a long-range maritime
reconnaissance-patrol aircraft that was both hunter and killer. The design
dates back to World War II; constant upgrades -- such as the addition of
two jet engines -- kept the type in production for about two decades. It
served in several navies around the world. |
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The McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B "Harrier" is the Americanized
version of a British invention. Powered by a single, massive engine, thrust
is delivered via four steerable main ducts while other smaller ducts help
stabilize the plane during a hover. Acoustically, the Harrier is the worst
of both worlds: it has the thrust noise of a jet plus the whine of a VERY
large turbine blade close to the huge intakes. (After hearing this beast,
the F-4 suddenly didn't seem so bad after all!) The Marines scored a real
coup as the Harrier began entering service -- they recruited a lot of ROTC
cadets who were (somehow!) led to believe they'd be flying this thing.
Unfortunately for them, the Corps had a limited number of available planes
and a far greater number of (then) willing MOs (Marine Options in naval
ROTC programs)! Gee...I wonder what happened to all those other guys who
didn't make it...? Having just gotten out of the Air Force while all this
was going on, I knew exactly what was going to happen to those poor souls,
and just thinking about it gave me many a chuckle over the years. |
