![North American A3J-1 Vigilante during trials aboard USS Saratoga (CVA-60), in July 1960](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/North_American_A3J-1_Vigilante_during_trials_aboard_USS_Saratoga_%28CVA-60%29%2C_in_July_1960.jpg)
The North American A-5 Vigilante was an American carrier-based supersonic
bomber
A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped from an air ...
designed and built by
North American Aviation (NAA) for the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
. Prior to 1962
unification of Navy and Air Force designations, it was designated the A3J Vigilante.
[Wagner 1982, p. 361.]
Development of the A-5 had started in 1954 as a private venture by NAA, who sought to produce a capable supersonic long distance bomber as a successor to the abortive
North American XA2J Super Savage
The North American Aviation XA2J "Super Savage" was a prototype carrier-based attack aircraft built in the early 1950s. It was developed by North American Aviation (NAA) from the smaller AJ Savage.
Design and development
The XA2J was intended ...
. It was a large and complex aircraft that incorporated several innovative features, such as being the first bomber to feature a digital computer, while its ability to attain speeds of up to Mach 2 while carrying a nuclear strike payload was also relatively ambitious for the era.
The US Navy saw the value of such a bomber, leading to a contract for its full development and production being issued to the firm on 29 August 1956. The type performed its first flight just over two years later, on 31 August 1958.
The Vigilante was introduced by the US Navy during June 1961; it succeeded the
Douglas A-3 Skywarrior
The Douglas A-3 Skywarrior is a jet-powered strategic bomber that was developed and produced by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It was designed by Douglas on behalf of the United States Navy, which sought a carrier-capable strategic bomber. D ...
as the Navy's primary nuclear strike aircraft, but its service in this capacity was relatively brief due to the deemphasising of manned bombers in American nuclear strategy. A far larger quantity of the RA-5C tactical strike
reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
variant were also procured by the service, which saw extensive service during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
. It also established several world records in both long-distance speed and altitude categories. During the mid-1970s, the withdrawal of the type commenced after a relatively short service life, largely due to the aircraft being expensive and complex to operate, as well being a victim of post-Vietnam military cutbacks.
Development
Origins
The late 1940s and early 1950s were marked by a series of fast-paced advancements in the field of aviation.
The aircraft manufacturer
North American Aviation (NAA) was one of a large number of companies that sought to harness these recent innovations in developing a new generation of aircraft. During early 1954, the company embarked on a private study into a conceptual
carrier-based, long-range, all-weather strike bomber, that would be capable of supersonic speeds while carrying a sizable payload.
[Dean 2001, p. 23.] This aircraft was envisioned as a successor to the abortive
North American XA2J Super Savage
The North American Aviation XA2J "Super Savage" was a prototype carrier-based attack aircraft built in the early 1950s. It was developed by North American Aviation (NAA) from the smaller AJ Savage.
Design and development
The XA2J was intended ...
. Much of this early work was undertaken by NAA's recently acquired Columbus division, overseen by chief of preliminary design Frank G Compton.
[Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, pp. 187-188.]
During the mid-1950s, the notion of a nuclear-armed aircraft capable of speeds of up to Mach 2 was considered to be quite ambitious, and only more so for that same aircraft to be operable under the unavoidable constraints imposed by aircraft carrier operations.
In terms of its basic configuration, the conceptual aircraft featured twin-engines and high-mounted wing, as did the XA2J, but differed substantially by being highly
swept and adopting
jet propulsion
Jet propulsion is the propulsion of an object in one direction, produced by ejecting a jet of fluid in the opposite direction. By Newton's third law, the moving body is propelled in the opposite direction to the jet. Reaction engines operatin ...
. According to aviation authors
Bill Gunston
Bill Gunston (1 March 1927 – 1 June 2013) was a British aviation and military author. He flew with Britain's Royal Air Force from 1945 to 1948, and after pilot training became a flying instructor. He spent most of his adult life doing resear ...
and Peter Gilchrist, NAA's design incorporated numerous advanced technology features, such as being the first supersonic bomber to be designed with a slim forward fuselage, as well as being the first with fully-variable wedge-type side air intakes.
[Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, p. 188.] The company's preliminary design studies had been typically centred around a twin vertical fin/rudder arrangement, but this was substituted for a single large all-moving vertical fin as design definition proceeded.
This proposal, which was referred to the ''North American General Purpose Attack Weapon'' (NAGPAW) concept, was promptly evaluated by the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
.
The service produced numerous challenging demands, including the somewhat contradictory necessity of both a high speed of Mach 2 and the ability to take off from an aircraft carrier at maximum weight with no head-wind, also known as wind-over-the-deck, to assist the take-off. Compton's team were able to reconcile these performance requirements into the design.
Following these changes, US Navy officials voiced their approval of the design and advocated for its procurement. During July 1955, an initial design contract, which included the production of a mockup, was issued to NAA. During September 1956, a follow-on contract for the production of a pair of flight-worthy prototypes, was awarded to the firm.
On 31 August 1958, one of these prototypes performed the type's
maiden flight
The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets.
The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alw ...
from
Columbus, Ohio.
[Siuru 1981, p. 16.] By this point, the role envisioned for the aircraft within the US Navy had shifted somewhat. According to Gunston and Gilchrist, officials had viewed the aircraft through the lens of the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
and placed a high value on performing low-level conventionally-armed attack missions, but had subsequently shifted towards viewing the in-development bomber as a successor to the
Douglas A-3 Skywarrior
The Douglas A-3 Skywarrior is a jet-powered strategic bomber that was developed and produced by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It was designed by Douglas on behalf of the United States Navy, which sought a carrier-capable strategic bomber. D ...
in the strategic nuclear attack role instead. Thus, the design team implemented a somewhat unorthodox bomb bay as to accommodate the stowage of a
nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bom ...
, which was also designed to accommodate both fuel tanks and reconnaissance payloads.
[Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, p. 190.]
Further development
![RA-5C Vigilante overhead aerial view](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/RA-5C_Vigilante_overhead_aerial_view.jpg)
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, NAA worked on an improved bomber model, designated ''A-5B''.
This took advantage of the zero-wind requirement's elimination to considerably increase the aircraft's maximum weight, the fuselage being redesigned with a hump back to accommodate additional fuel. The wings were also redesigned with enlarged trailing-edge flaps and fully-blown flaps; these changes, when carrying four external
drop tank
In aviation, a drop tank (external tank, wing tank or belly tank) is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks externally carried by aircraft. A drop tank is expendable and often capable of being jettisoned. External tanks are commonplace on modern ...
s, roughly doubled the bomber's range.
Development was halted after only six A-5Bs had been completed due to a shift in the US Navy's strategic focus that placed less value on manned bombers.
The majority of Vigilantes were of a
reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
configuration, designated ''RA-5C''.
[Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, p. 187.] It had a slightly greater wing area and added a long canoe-shaped fairing under the fuselage for a multi-sensor reconnaissance pack, which housed an APD-7
side-looking airborne radar
Side-looking airborne radar (SLAR) is an aircraft- or satellite-mounted imaging radar pointing perpendicular to the direction of flight (hence ''side-looking''). A squinted (nonperpendicular) mode is possible also. SLAR can be fitted with a st ...
(SLAR), AAS-21
infrared line scanner, and camera packs, as well as improved electronic countermeasures. An AN/ALQ-61
electronic intelligence
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of '' signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication ...
system could also be carried. The RA-5C retained the AN/ASB-12 bombing system, and could, in theory, carry weapons, although it never did in service. Later-build RA-5Cs had more powerful J79-10 engines with afterburning thrust of 17,900 lbf (80 kN). The reconnaissance Vigilante weighed almost five tons more than the strike version with almost the same thrust and an only modestly enlarged wing, resulting in reduced acceleration and
climb rate
In aeronautics, the rate of climb (RoC) is an aircraft's vertical speed, that is the positive or negative rate of altitude change with respect to time. In most ICAO member countries, even in otherwise metric countries, this is usually expressed ...
, though it remained fast in level flight.
The
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(RAAF) considered acquiring the RA-5C as its principal bomber to succeed its fleet of
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havil ...
s. Various other aircraft, such as the McDonnell F-4C/RF-4C,
Dassault Mirage IV
The Dassault Mirage IV was a French supersonic strategic bomber and deep- reconnaissance aircraft. Developed by Dassault Aviation, the aircraft entered service with the French Air Force in October 1964. For many years it was a vital part of ...
A, and the
BAC TSR-2
The British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2 is a cancelled Cold War strike and reconnaissance aircraft developed by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The TSR-2 was designed ...
were also considered for the role. However, the
General Dynamics F-111C, a variant of the
TFX (F-111) tailored to fulfil the requirements of the RAAF, was procured to meet the service's needs instead. Due to the F-111C's protracted development, a team of RAAF officers advocated for an interim fleet of 36 Vigilantes to be acquired by the RAAF, having determined that the aircraft satisfied the service's requirements and could be delivered within a shorter time frame. The
Australian Government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government ...
rejected this advice and no such procurement occurred.
Design
The North American A-5 Vigilante was a supersonic carrier-based bomber. At the time of its introduction, the Vigilante was one of the largest and by far the most complex aircraft to operate from an aircraft carrier. It was furnished with a high-mounted
swept wing with a
boundary-layer control system (blown flaps) to improve low-speed lift.
It lacked ailerons; instead,
roll control was provided by spoilers in conjunction with differential deflection of the all-moving tail surfaces, which were paired with a relatively large all-moving single vertical stabilizer. The use of
aluminum-lithium alloy for wing skins and
titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resista ...
for critical structures was also unusual for the era; other exotic materials included the use of a
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile me ...
coating to reflect heat in key areas such as the bomb bay.
[Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, p. 189.] The wings, vertical stabilizer and the nose
radome
A radome (a portmanteau of radar and dome) is a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a radar antenna. The radome is constructed of material transparent to radio waves. Radomes protect the antenna from weather and conceal antenna e ...
all folded to enable easier stowage onboard aircraft carriers.
[Grove, Michael and Jay Miller. "Aerofax Minigraph 9: North American Rockwell A3J/A-5 Vigilante." ''Aerofax, Inc.,'' Arlington, TX; c1989; p. 41.]
Two widely-spaced
General Electric J79
The General Electric J79 is an axial-flow turbojet engine built for use in a variety of fighter and bomber aircraft and a supersonic cruise missile. The J79 was produced by General Electric Aircraft Engines in the United States, and under li ...
turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, an ...
engines were supplied with air through inlets with variable
intake ramp
An intake ramp is a rectangular, plate-like device within the air intake of a jet engine, designed to generate a number of shock waves to aid the inlet compression process at supersonic speeds. The ramp sits at an acute angle to deflect the intake ...
s.
[Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, pp. 188-189.] While the same engine was used by several other US military aircraft, such as the
Convair B-58 Hustler
The Convair B-58 Hustler, designed and produced by American aircraft manufacturer Convair, was the first operational bomber capable of Mach 2 flight.
The B-58 was developed during the 1950s for the United States Air Force (USAF) Strategic Air ...
and the
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and B ...
, the powerplants used on the A-5 differed in some ways, such as the use of a somewhat uncommon air-impingement starter along with a single igniter. Both engines were equipped with
constant-speed drives for
alternator
An alternator is an electrical generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current. For reasons of cost and simplicity, most alternators use a rotating magnetic field with a stationary armature.Gor ...
s to generate a steady 30kVA for the onboard electrical systems, a
hydraulically
Hydraulics (from Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counter ...
-driven emergency supply generated by a
ram air turbine
A ram air turbine (RAT) is a small wind turbine that is connected to a hydraulic pump, or electrical generator, installed in an aircraft and used as a power source. The RAT generates power from the airstream by ram pressure due to the speed o ...
was also installed.
The electronics of the Vigilante were relatively advanced and complex at the time of its entry to service. It incorporated one of the first "
fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire (FBW) is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires, and flight control ...
" systems on an operational aircraft, along with mechanical/hydraulic backup.
Other elements of its avionics include a computerized AN/ASB-12 nav/attack system incorporating a
head-up display
A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD (), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a pilot being able to view informa ...
("Pilot's Projected Display Indicator" (PPDI), one of the first), multi-mode
radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...
, radar-equipped
inertial navigation system
An inertial navigation system (INS) is a navigation device that uses motion sensors (accelerometers), rotation sensors ( gyroscopes) and a computer to continuously calculate by dead reckoning the position, the orientation, and the velocity (dir ...
(REINS, based on technologies developed for North American's
Navaho missile
The North American SM-64 Navaho was a supersonic intercontinental cruise missile project built by North American Aviation (NAA). The final design was capable of delivering a nuclear weapon to the USSR from bases within the US, while cruising at ...
),
closed-circuit television camera under the nose, and an early
digital computer
A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs. These program ...
known as "
Versatile Digital Analyzer" (VERDAN) to operate it all.
[Gunston and Gilchrist 1993, pp. 188-190.] According to Gunston and Gilchrist, the Vigilante was the first bomber to feature a digital computer.
It was operated by a crew of two, a pilot and a bombardier-navigator (BN), that were seated in
tandem
Tandem, or in tandem, is an arrangement in which a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction.
The original use of the term in English was in ''tandem harness'', which is used for two ...
; both were provided with North American HS-1A
ejection seat
In aircraft, an ejection seat or ejector seat is a system designed to rescue the pilot or other crew of an aircraft (usually military) in an emergency. In most designs, the seat is propelled out of the aircraft by an explosive charge or rock ...
s. On the reconnaissance-orientated aircraft; the bombardier-navigator was replaced by a reconnaissance/attack navigator (RAN) instead.
![North American A-5A Vigilante internal bomb bay (English)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/North_American_A-5A_Vigilante_internal_bomb_bay_%28English%29.png)
Given its original design as a carrier-based, supersonic, nuclear heavy attack aircraft, the Vigilante's main armament was carried in an unusual "linear bomb bay" between the engines in the rear fuselage, which allowed the bomb to be dropped at supersonic speeds. The single
nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bom ...
, commonly the
Mk 28 bomb, was attached to two disposable fuel tanks in the cylindrical bay in an assembly known as the "stores train". A set of extendable fins was attached to the aft end of the most rearward fuel tank. These fuel tanks were to be emptied during the flight to the target and then jettisoned with the bomb by an explosive drogue gun. The stores train was propelled rearward at about per second (30 knots) relative to the aircraft. It then followed a ballistic path. In practice, the system was not reliable and no live weapons were ever carried in the linear bomb bay. In the RA-5C configuration, the bay was used solely to accommodate fuel. On three occasions, the shock of the catapult launch caused the fuel cans to eject onto the deck; this phenomenon reportedly resulted in one aircraft loss.
Early production Vigilante were outfitted with a pair of wing pylons, which were intended primarily for
drop tank
In aviation, a drop tank (external tank, wing tank or belly tank) is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks externally carried by aircraft. A drop tank is expendable and often capable of being jettisoned. External tanks are commonplace on modern ...
s. The second Vigilante variant, the ''A3J-2'' (''A-5B''), featured two additional wing hardpoints, for a total of four, and also incorporated internal tanks for an additional 460 gallons of fuel (which added a pronounced dorsal "hump"). In practice, these hardpoints were rarely used. Other improvements to the type included blown flaps on the leading edge of the wing and stronger
landing gear
Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...
. While designated by the US Navy as a "heavy" aircraft, the A-5 was surprisingly agile; without the drag of bombs or missiles, even escorting fighters found that the clean airframe and powerful engines made the Vigilante very fast at high and low altitudes. However, its high approach speed and high angle of attack contributed to a high workload during carrier landings.
Operational history
![A3J-1s VAH-7 CVAN-65 NAN11-62](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/A3J-1s_VAH-7_CVAN-65_NAN11-62.jpg)
Designated ''A3J-1'', the Vigilante first entered service with
Heavy Attack Squadron Three (VAH-3) in June 1961 at
Naval Air Station Sanford
Naval Air Station Sanford was a naval air station of the United States Navy in Sanford, Florida, approximately 20 miles north of Orlando, Florida. Opening less than a year after the start of World War II, NAS Sanford's initial function was as ...
, Florida, replacing the
Douglas A-3 Skywarrior
The Douglas A-3 Skywarrior is a jet-powered strategic bomber that was developed and produced by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It was designed by Douglas on behalf of the United States Navy, which sought a carrier-capable strategic bomber. D ...
in the heavy attack, e.g., "strategic nuclear strike" role.
[Goodspeed 2000, p. 51.] All variants of the Vigilante were built at North American Aviation's facility at
Port Columbus Airport
John Glenn Columbus International Airport is an international airport located east of downtown Columbus, Ohio. Formerly known as Port Columbus International Airport, it is managed by the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, which also overs ...
in Columbus, Ohio, alongside the
North American T-2 Buckeye,
T-39 Sabreliner
The North American Sabreliner, later sold as the Rockwell Sabreliner, is an American mid-sized business jet developed by North American Aviation. It was offered to the United States Air Force (USAF) in response to its Utility Trainer Experimen ...
and
OV-10 Bronco
The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is an American twin-turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. It was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency (COIN) combat, and one of its primary missions was as a f ...
.
Under the Tri-Services Designation plan implemented under
Robert McNamara
Robert Strange McNamara (; June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009) was an American business executive and the eighth United States Secretary of Defense, serving from 1961 to 1968 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He remains the ...
in September 1962, the Vigilante was redesignated ''A-5'', with the initial A3J-1 becoming ''A-5A'' and the updated A3J-2 becoming ''A-5B''. The subsequent reconnaissance version, originally ''A3J-3P'', became the ''RA-5C''.
The Vigilante's early service proved troublesome, with many teething problems for its advanced systems. Although these systems were highly sophisticated, the technology was in its infancy and its reliability was poor.
[Grove, Michael and Jay Miller. "Aerofax Minigraph 9: North American Rockwell A3J/A-5 Vigilante." ''Aerofax, Inc.,'' Arlington, TX; c1989; pp. 6-10.] Although most of these reliability issues were eventually worked out as maintenance personnel gained greater experience with supporting these systems, the aircraft tended to remain a maintenance-intensive platform throughout its career.
The A-5's service coincided with a major policy shift in the U.S. Navy's strategic role, which switched to emphasize
submarine-launched ballistic missiles rather than manned bombers. As a result, in 1963, procurement of the A-5 was ended and the type was converted to the fast reconnaissance role. The first RA-5Cs were delivered to VAH-3, the A-5A and A-5B Replacement Air Group (RAG)/Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), subsequently redesignated as Reconnaissance Attack Squadron Three (RVAH-3), at
Naval Air Station Sanford
Naval Air Station Sanford was a naval air station of the United States Navy in Sanford, Florida, approximately 20 miles north of Orlando, Florida. Opening less than a year after the start of World War II, NAS Sanford's initial function was as ...
, Florida in July 1963. As they transitioned from the attack version to the reconnaissance version, all Vigilante squadrons were subsequently redesignated from VAH to RVAH.
Under Commander, Reconnaissance Attack Wing One (COMRECONATKWING ONE), a total of 10 RA-5C squadrons were ultimately established. RVAH-3 continued to be responsible for the stateside-based RA-5C training mission of flight crews, maintenance and support personnel, while
RVAH-1,
RVAH-5
RVAH-5 was a Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron of the U.S. Navy. Originally established as Composite Squadron Five (VC-5) at Naval Air Station Moffett Field, California on 9 September 1948, it was redesignated as Heavy Attack Squadron Five ( ...
,
RVAH-6
RVAH-6 was a Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron of the U.S. Navy. Originally established as Composite Squadron Six (VC-6) on 6 January 1950, it was redesignated as Heavy Attack Squadron Six (VAH-6) on 1 July 1956 and was redesignated as Recon ...
,
RVAH-7,
RVAH-9
RVAH-9 was a Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron of the U.S. Navy. Originally established as Composite Squadron Nine (VC-9) on 15 January 1953, it was redesignated as Heavy Attack Squadron Nine (VAH-9) on 1 November 1955 and was redesignated a ...
,
RVAH-11
RVAH-11 was a Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron of the U.S. Navy. Originally established as Composite Squadron Eight (VC-8) on 3 December 1951, it was redesignated Heavy Attack Squadron Eleven (VAH-11) on 1 November 1955 and was redesignated ...
,
RVAH-12
RVAH-12 was a Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established on 1 July 1965 and disestablished on 2 July 1979.
Operational history
RVAH-12 / Cold War and Vietnam
RVAH-12 was established on 1 July 1965 at ...
,
RVAH-13 and
RVAH-14 routinely deployed aboard , , , , , , , , and eventually the s to the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Western Pacific.
![RA-5C RVAH-12 off Vietnam 1967](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/RA-5C_RVAH-12_off_Vietnam_1967.jpg)
Eight of ten squadrons of RA-5C Vigilantes also saw extensive service in the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
starting in August 1964, carrying out hazardous medium-level post-strike reconnaissance missions. Although it proved fast and agile, 18 RA-5Cs were lost in combat: 14 to anti-aircraft fire, 3 to surface-to-air missiles, and 1 to a
MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-21; NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Its nickn ...
during
Operation Linebacker II
Operation Linebacker II was an aerial bombing campaign conducted by U.S. Seventh Air Force, Strategic Air Command and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam ( North Vietnam) during the final period of ...
. Nine more RA-5Cs were lost in operational accidents while serving with
Task Force 77. Due, in part, to these combat losses, 36 additional RA-5C aircraft were built from 1968 to 1970 as attrition replacements.
In 1968, Congress closed the aircraft's original operating base of Naval Air Station Sanford, Florida and transferred the parent wing, Reconnaissance Attack Wing One, all subordinate squadrons and all aircraft and personnel to
Turner AFB, a
Strategic Air Command (SAC)
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress and
Boeing KC-135 base in Albany, Georgia. The tenant SAC bomb wing was then inactivated and control of Turner AFB was transferred from the Air Force to the Navy with the installation renamed Naval Air Station Albany. In 1974, after barely six years of service as a
naval air station, Congress opted to close Naval Air Station Albany as part of a post-Vietnam force reduction, transferring all RA-5C units and personnel to
Naval Air Station Key West
Naval Air Station Key West , is a naval air station and military airport located on Boca Chica Key, four miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Key West, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25
NAS Key West is an air ...
, Florida.
Despite the Vigilante's useful service, it was expensive and complex to operate and occupied significant amounts of precious flight deck and hangar deck space aboard both conventional and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers at a time when carrier air wings, with the introduction of the
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after the ...
and
S-3 Viking
The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a four-crew, twin-engine turbofan-powered jet aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Corporation. Because of its characteristic sound, it was nicknamed the "War Hoover" after th ...
, were averaging 90 aircraft, many of which were larger than their predecessors. With the end of the Vietnam War, disestablishment of RVAH squadrons began in 1974, with the last Vigilante squadron, RVAH-7, completing its final deployment to the Western Pacific aboard USS ''Ranger'' in late 1979. The final flight by an RA-5C took place on 20 November 1979 when a Vigilante departed
Naval Air Station Key West
Naval Air Station Key West , is a naval air station and military airport located on Boca Chica Key, four miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Key West, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25
NAS Key West is an air ...
, Florida. Reconnaissance Attack Wing One was subsequently disestablished at Naval Air Station Key West in January 1980.
![RA-5C Vigilante RVAH-7 1979](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/RA-5C_Vigilante_RVAH-7_1979.jpg)
The Vigilante did not end the career of the A-3 Skywarrior, which would carry on as photo reconnaissance aircraft, electronic warfare platforms, aerial refueling tankers, and executive transport aircraft designated as RA-3A/B, EA-3A/B, ERA-3B, EKA-3B, KA-3B, and VA-3B, into the early 1990s.
Fighters replaced the RA-5C in the carrier-based reconnaissance role. The RF-8G version of the
Vought F-8 Crusader
The Vought F-8 Crusader (originally F8U) is a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft built by Vought for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps (replacing the Vought F7U Cutlass), and for the Fren ...
, modified with internal cameras, had already been serving in two light photographic squadrons (
VFP-62
Light Photographic Squadron 62 (VFP-62) was an aviation unit of the United States Navy in service from 1949 to 1968. The squadron provided a detachment of reconnaissance planes for each of the carrier air wings of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.
History ...
and
VFP-63) since the early 1960s, operating from older aircraft carriers unable to support the Vigilante. The Marine Corps' sole photographic squadron (
VMFP-3
Marine Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron 3 (VMFP-3) was an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps active between 1975 and 1990.
Mission
Conduct aerial, multisensor imagery reconnaissance to include aerial photographic, infrared, and side ...
) would also deploy aboard aircraft carriers during this period with RF-4B Phantom II aircraft. These squadrons superseded the Vigilante's role by providing detachments from the primary squadron to carrier air wings throughout the late 1970s and early-to-mid-1980s, until the transfer of the recon mission to the Navy's fighter squadron (VF) community operating the F-14 Tomcat. Select models of the F-14 Tomcat would eventually carry the multi-sensor
Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System
The Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) was a large and sophisticated camera pod carried by the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. It contains three camera bays with different type cameras which are pointed down at passing terrain. It was ori ...
(TARPS) and the Digital Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod (D-TARPS). Up to present day, the weight of carrier-based fighters such as the F-14 Tomcat and
Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat variants are larger and more ad ...
have evolved into the same class as the Vigilante.
Records
On 13 December 1960, Navy Commander Leroy A. Heath (Pilot) and Lieutenant Larry Monroe (Bombardier/Navigator) established a world altitude record of in an A3J Vigilante carrying a 1,000 kilogram payload, beating the previous record by over . This new record held for more than 13 years. The attempt was accomplished by reaching a speed of Mach 2.1, then pulling up to create a ballistic trajectory beyond the altitude at which its wings could continue to function. The engines flamed out in the thin atmosphere, and the aircraft rolled onto its back. This had already been experienced in previous flights, and so the pilot simply released the controls and the aircraft regained control naturally as it descended back into the thicker air of the lower atmosphere.
Variants
![North American NR-349 (34410707756)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/North_American_NR-349_%2834410707756%29.png)
;XA3J-1: (NA247) Prototypes, two built, one converted to RA-5C, one crashed 1959.
;A3J-1: 58 built, 6 cancelled, survivors re-designated A-5A in 1962, 42 converted to RA-5C.
;A3J-2: 18 built, redesignated A-5B, 5 completed as XA3J-3P (YA-5C), all converted to RA-5C.
;XA3J-3P: 5 x A3J-2 completed from A3J-2 order without reconnaissance systems and assigned to pilot familiarization, later converted to RA-5C.
;A3J-3P: 20 built, re-designated RA-5C.
;A-5A: A3J-1 re-designated.
;A-5B: A3J-2 re-designated.
;YA-5C: The 5 XA3J-3P aircraft re-designated, before conversion to RA-5C
;RA-5C: Reconnaissance aircraft, 77 contracted, 8 cancelled, 69 built, plus 20 redesignated and 61 converted from earlier variants
;NR-349: Proposed Improved Manned Interceptor for U.S. Air Force with three J79 engines and an armament of six
AIM-54 Phoenix
The AIM-54 Phoenix is an American radar-guided, long-range air-to-air missile (AAM), carried in clusters of up to six missiles on the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, its only operational launch platform.
The Phoenix was the United States' only long-range ...
missiles.
Operators
;
*
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
Aircraft on display
![RA5C 156643 at PRNAM](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/RA5C_156643_at_PRNAM.jpg)
;A-5A
*BuNo 146697 -
Naval Air Station Patuxent River
Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States naval air station located in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River.
It is home to Headquarters, Naval Air S ...
,
Lexington Park, Maryland
Lexington Park is a census-designated place (CDP) in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States, and the principal community of the Lexington Park, Maryland Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,626 at th2010 census
History
Nati ...
. It is the oldest Vigilante on display and the only one still in its original A3J/A-5A nuclear attack bomber configuration.
An additional example of an A-5A destined for restoration as a museum aircraft, BuNo 146698, was destroyed when it was being relocated by Army helicopter from
Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst
Lakehurst Maxfield Field, formerly known as Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst (NAES Lakehurst), is the naval component of Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst (JB MDL), a United States Air Force-managed joint base headquartered approximately ...
, New Jersey to a new location. When the A-5A became unstable in flight, the helicopter crew was forced to jettison the aircraft from altitude.
;RA-5C
* BuNo 149289 -
Pima Air & Space Museum
The Pima Air & Space Museum, located in Tucson, Arizona, is one of the world's largest non-government funded aerospace museums. The museum features a display of nearly 300 aircraft spread out over 80 acres (320,000 m²) on a campus oc ...
in
Tucson, Arizona
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
, mapsize = 260px
, map_caption = Interactive map ...
. It was transferred from long-term storage at nearby
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and it carries the markings of RVAH-3.
* BuNo 151629 -
Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum (formerly the Fred E. Weisbrod Museum/International B-24 Museum) in
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo () is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 111,876 at the 2020 United States Census, making Pueblo the ninth most populo ...
. It has been restored and currently displays the markings of RVAH-7 while assigned to
Carrier Air Wing 9
Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The Air Wing is currently assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). The Tail Code of aircraft assigned to ...
aboard .
* BuNo 156608 - Naval Support Activity Mid-South, formerly
Naval Air Station Memphis
Naval Support Activity Mid-South (NSA Mid-South, NAVSUPPACT Mid-South, NSAMS), in Millington, Tennessee, is a base of the United States Navy. A part of the Navy Region Southeast and the Navy Installations Command, NSA Mid-South serves as the Navy ...
,
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
. It was the last operational RA-5C aircraft and it carries the markings of its last squadron, RVAH-7, during its final deployment with
Carrier Air Wing 2
Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier .
Subordinate units
CVW-2 consists of 9 Squadrons
History
1940s-50s
Origi ...
aboard in 1979.
* BuNo 156612 -
Naval Air Station Key West
Naval Air Station Key West , is a naval air station and military airport located on Boca Chica Key, four miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Key West, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25
NAS Key West is an air ...
,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. "Gate guard" aircraft located just inside the main gate. It carries the markings of RVAH-3.
* BuNo 156615 -
Castle Air Museum
Castle Air Museum is a military aviation museum located in Atwater, California, United States adjacent to Castle Airport, a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base which was closed in 1995, after the end of the Cold War. It ...
at the former
Castle Air Force Base
Castle Air Force Base (Castle AFB, 1941–1995) is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base in California, located northeast of Atwater, northwest of Merced, and about south of Sacramento.
The Central Valley base in u ...
,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
in 2012. This aircraft was formerly located on the
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake Range. This particular RA-5C was the last Vigilante to land aboard the
USS Ranger (CV-61)
The seventh USS ''Ranger'' (CV/CVA-61) was the third of four supercarriers built for the United States Navy in the 1950s. Although all four ships of the class were completed with angled decks, ''Ranger'' had the distinction of being the firs ...
while assigned to RVAH-7 in August 1979 during the last Vigilante overseas carrier deployment.
* BuNo 156621 - New York State Aerosciences Museum (ESAM) in
Glenville, New York. It was initially on display at the former US Naval Photographic School at Naval Air Station Pensacola. In 1986, it was shipped up the
East Coast by barge and placed on display aboard the
USS ''Intrepid'' Museum in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. In 2005, this RA-5C was acquired by ESAM. The aircraft suffered minor damage to its fuselage aft of the wing root while being moved from the aircraft carrier ''Intrepid'' to a barge while supported by slings. It is currently (as of 2010) undergoing restoration for display. It carries the markings of the RA-5C Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), RVAH-3.
* BuNo 156624 -
National Naval Aviation Museum
The National Naval Aviation Museum, formerly known as the National Museum of Naval Aviation and the Naval Aviation Museum, is a military and aerospace museum located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.
Founded in 1962 and moved to its cur ...
at Naval Air Station Pensacola. It is displayed in the markings of RVAH-6 per that squadron's final cruise with
Carrier Air Wing 8
Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8), is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier
Mission
To conduct carrier air warfare operations and assist in the ...
aboard in 1978.
* BuNo 156632 -
Orlando Sanford International Airport
Orlando Sanford International Airport is in Sanford, Florida, United States, near Orlando. It was built as Naval Air Station Sanford, a Master Jet Base for carrier-based attack and reconnaissance aircraft, and was used by the U.S. Navy until ...
(formerly
Naval Air Station Sanford
Naval Air Station Sanford was a naval air station of the United States Navy in Sanford, Florida, approximately 20 miles north of Orlando, Florida. Opening less than a year after the start of World War II, NAS Sanford's initial function was as ...
) in
Sanford, Florida. It was placed there on 30 May 2003 as a memorial to A-5A and RA-5C aircrewmen and support personnel who served at NAS Sanford. On loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation, the aircraft was transferred from the
Naval Air Systems Command
The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) provides materiel support for aircraft and airborne weapon systems for the United States Navy. It is one of the Echelon II Navy systems commands (SYSCOM), and was established in 1966 as the successor to the ...
(NAVAIR) Weapons Division at
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
and is marked as an RVAH-3 aircraft.
* BuNo 156638 -
Naval Air Station Fallon
Naval Air Station Fallon or NAS Fallon is the United States Navy's premier air-to-air and air-to-ground training facility. It is located southeast of the city of Fallon, east of Reno in western Nevada. Since 1996, it has been home to the U.S. Na ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
. It was transferred from
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California and was previously marked as an RVAH-6 aircraft in a Vietnam-era jungle camouflage paint scheme, as an RVAH-12 aircraft in traditional Cold War gray/white paint scheme, and currently as an RVAH-7 aircraft in traditional gray/white paint scheme.
* BuNo 156641 -
USS ''Midway'' Museum in
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...
. It carries the markings of RVAH-12 and RVAH-7 Both squadrons represented on the tail of the aircraft.
* BuNo 156643 -
Patuxent River Naval Air Museum
The Patuxent River Naval Air Museum is a museum at Lexington Park, Maryland, first opened in 1978, which preserves and interprets the Naval Air Station Patuxent River history and heritage of advancing US naval aviation technology with artifacts, ...
, at
Naval Air Station Patuxent River
Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States naval air station located in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River.
It is home to Headquarters, Naval Air S ...
,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
. It was transferred from Naval Air Station Key West and is displayed as a test aircraft operated by the Patuxent River Flight Test Division in the 1970s. It was the last RA-5C built.
"A-5 Vigilante/156643."
''aerialvisuals.ca'' Retrieved: 24 June 2015.
Specifications (A-5A/A3J-1 Vigilante)
See also
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
* Buttler, Tony. ''American Secret Projects: Fighters & Interceptors 1945–1978''. Hinckley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2007. .
* Buttler, Tony. "Database: North American A3J/A-5 Vigilante". '' Aeroplane'', Vol. 42, No. 7, July 2014. pp. 69–84.
* Butowski, Piotr and Jay Miller. ''OKB MiG: A History of the Design Bureau and Its Aircraft.'' Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1991. .
* Dean, Jack. "Sleek Snooper." ''Airpower'', Volume 31, No. 2, March 2001.
* Donald, David and Jon Lake, eds. ''Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft''. London: AIRtime Publishing, 1996. .
* Eden. Paul. ''Modern Military Aircraft Anatomy.'' London: Amber Books, 2009. .
* Ellis, Ken, ed. "North American A-5 Vigilante" (In Focus). ''Flypast'', August 2008.
* Goodspeed, M. Hill. "North American Rockwell A3J (A-5) Vigilante". ''Wings of Fame'', Volume 19, pp. 38–103. London: Aerospace Publishing, 2000. .
*
* Gunston, Bill. ''Bombers of the West''. London: Ian Allan Ltd., 1973, pp. 227–35. .
* Gunston, Bill and Peter Gilchrist. ''Jet Bombers: From the Messerschmitt Me 262 to the Stealth B-2''. Osprey, 1993. .
*
* Powell, Robert. ''RA-5C Vigilante Units in Combat (Osprey Combat Aircraft #51)''. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing Limited, 2004. .
* Siuru, William. "Vigilante: Farewell to the Fleet's Last Strategic Bomber!" ''Airpower'', Volume 11, No. 1, January 1981.
* Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66''. London: Sampson Low, Marston, 1965.
*
* Taylor, John W.R. "North American A-5 Vigilante." ''Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the Present''. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. .
* Thomason, Tommy H. "Strike from the Sea". North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2009. .
* Wagner, Ray. ''American Combat Planes''. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, third edition, 1982. .
*
* Wilson, Stewart. ''Combat Aircraft since 1945''. Fyshwick, Australia: Aerospace Publications, 2000.
External links
*
{{Authority control
Aircraft first flown in 1958
Carrier-based aircraft
High-wing aircraft
A-05 Vigilante
Twinjets
North American AJ3 Vigilante
North American RA-5 Vigilante