I was assigned to heavy 3 for training and then transfered to RVAH-11 from 1969 until 1971. I will never forget the friends I made during this time. I often think of them and wonder what happened to my fellow sailors. David Manderson..
AQB-2 Sanford '68 Heavy 3 OJT Leader for ASB-12 system then NAS Albany 'til 1970. As others have said the plane looked like it was moving even if it was tied down. Yes the pilot could be hanging over the edge of the deck because the nose was so long. In AB at night was quite a site. Bomb nav system with HUD, digital computer and terrain avoidance radar way before GPS could guide hands off across the US and end up a few feet from where you wanted to go...in the 1960's!! Beautiful airplane
The Vigilante has to the most beautiful airplane in the world. Unfortunately I was 8 years old when they were phased out so I never got to work on or even see one fly. But ever since I was a kid I have always loved this plane. I just want to say thank you to the men and women of the US Navy who maintained and flew this great machine.
spent some time with RVAH 14, NAS Albany and then onto the USS Independence middle to end of 1973, Med Cruise. What a plane!!! A real thing of beauty. I was and AMH3 (hydrolics) and this plane was a problem for us for changing one filter! Other than that, a great plane
I had the pleasure of being in the Navy in the 70's and seeing these things work.
On our ship we named them Instamatic's after the Kodak cameras. They worked in all weather, any conditions, and never broke. The Navy finally got them right before discontinuing them. New Electronics and the bigger engines they have today, it would still fly the pants off anything in the air.
I was an RA-5C Vigilante plane captain with RVAH-1 from 1967 to 1969. My vigi was BUNO 147857 NG-101, CDR Ray D Murphy (pilot and squadron CO) and Lt E Peter Denlea (BN and line division officer). 1968 cruise onboard USS Enterprise CVAN-56.
Typical North American Product. A thing of Beauty, problems out of the gate, but a classic just like the X-15, B-25, P-51, F-86, The Valkyrie and the B-1 Lancer.
I only saw on RA-5C and that was at Millington Tenn. Me and a AME-2 dearmed the last active RA in 80' and I believe it is still on a stand outside the chow hall in Millington. That was some plane, 62 CAD charges in the ejection system.
NEWS FLASH - Historic Flight SImulator flight Feb 6th 2010. I have built a photo-real panel for this aircraft from a NASA photo dated 1963. As far as I know I am the very first sim pilot to document a carrier landing with the A-5. I used the AlphaSim CVN-65 Enterprise parked off Puerto Rico. Check out my videos and my website! This bird rides again! Hooyah!
Please check out my website at SimSamurai-dot-net. I am going to post some carrier traps with this aircraft soon. I am a pilot, cockpit builder and panel designer. I am actually flying in a real F-18 trainer next week and will be releasing a freeware photo real panel for the RA-5C very soon. This beast is born again!
I hear that with the nose wheel set so far back there were times when turning near the edge of the deck the cockpit would actually be over the edge of the deck. The pilot was totally reliant on "paddles". That takes 2 big brass ones!
Worked on Vigilantes from '63 to '66 at NAS Sanford, FL, Heavy 5 and Heavy 3. Best years of my life. So used to hearing Vigilantes flying over the barracks at night, after I got out of the Navy, couldn't sleep without that noise, it was too quiet.
Heaven, for me, would be working out of an RA5C ASB shop 24 hrs a day for eternity. I would pull a ball every day and never complain. Maybe I'd like to get liberty to go to Orlando every so often ;-)
Please check out my website at SimSamurai-dot-net. I am going to post some carrier traps with this aircraft soon. I am a pilot, cockpit builder and panel designer. I am actually flying in a real F-18 trainer next week and will be releasing a freeware photo real panel for A-5 very soon. This beast is born again!
My old man was on the USS Yorktown (CVS-10) during the Pueblo crisis. He said they cruised around in the Sea of Japan. Froze their butts off for awhile and then went to the Philippines to get drunk.
Cool, man. Mine was on 'The Lady' from '55- '57 and just couldn't have loved her more. Got to see his rack too, when we went to see her in Charleston.
The A-5 is what inspired the Soviets to build the MiG-25. It was clearly a design well ahead of it's time! If they had opted for the duel rudders as was originally designed, perhaps the performance would've been slightly better.
I have also heard that Air Force plans for the XB-70 Valkyrie were a prime factor. Mach 3 high altitude, etc. But I guess the vigilante may have been a factor in keeping the mig-25 program alive after the Valkyrie program was scrapped.
Rumor has it that this plane was originally designed to drop a nuclear weapon; however, because of its aerodynamics, it created a vacuum and sucked the weapon back into the plane. Not good. So they made it a spy plane instead. It was often called the Mach 2 Malfunction. It had a lot of other problems.
I was attached to a squadron of "RVAH's" that flew the plane that was designed to be the USN fast Heavy Attack plan it had speed (two GE J-79) engines, brains as it had the first onboard computer called VERDAN (varible electronic response digital analoge computer), Topped off with the first Terrain Avoidance
system as a radar tech I spent many nights fixing it and I was never alone as most of the mechnicis,photomates,plane captains, riggers, electricians and other folks were also fixing it.
The A5 also was the first to have "fly-by-wire" controls and variable inlet intakes...Not bad for a mid-50's design and first flight in '58....The F-4 escorts couldn't keep up!
I was a controller in the USN. We called these things flying emergencies. But I'll tell you what...even tied down on the ramp, they looked like they were doing about 450 knots...
There seems to be A LOT of similarity between this aircraft and North American's aborted F-108 Rapier of 1958.
ChamplainDivision 2 months ago
I was assigned to heavy 3 for training and then transfered to RVAH-11 from 1969 until 1971. I will never forget the friends I made during this time. I often think of them and wonder what happened to my fellow sailors. David Manderson..
bgdavmn@aol.com
bgdavmn 6 months ago
AQB-2 Sanford '68 Heavy 3 OJT Leader for ASB-12 system then NAS Albany 'til 1970. As others have said the plane looked like it was moving even if it was tied down. Yes the pilot could be hanging over the edge of the deck because the nose was so long. In AB at night was quite a site. Bomb nav system with HUD, digital computer and terrain avoidance radar way before GPS could guide hands off across the US and end up a few feet from where you wanted to go...in the 1960's!! Beautiful airplane
FixRite4U 7 months ago
I can not imagine landing that beast on a moving carrier!
HuasoPodrido 9 months ago
The Vigilante has to the most beautiful airplane in the world. Unfortunately I was 8 years old when they were phased out so I never got to work on or even see one fly. But ever since I was a kid I have always loved this plane. I just want to say thank you to the men and women of the US Navy who maintained and flew this great machine.
nev594 9 months ago
A really remarkable piece of engineering made by a great aircraft designing company. Why didn't they make a version for the US air fore as well?
StiviGun1 1 year ago
GERMAN TECHNOLOGY!
Rollirotor 1 year ago
spent some time with RVAH 14, NAS Albany and then onto the USS Independence middle to end of 1973, Med Cruise. What a plane!!! A real thing of beauty. I was and AMH3 (hydrolics) and this plane was a problem for us for changing one filter! Other than that, a great plane
oshtoolman 1 year ago
That is one beautiful jet.
LonesomeTroubadour 1 year ago
We have an RA5C Vigilante at the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum located on the grounds of the Pueblo Memorial Airport (PUB).
generalripper1964 1 year ago
my favorite aircraft ever !
mayo250 1 year ago
Always my fav jet- just gorgeous!!
diadane85 1 year ago
This video brings back fond memories of my years in RVAH-14 electronics shop and our Med cruise on board the USS John F. Kennedy in the early 70's.
bobbq2 1 year ago
I had the pleasure of being in the Navy in the 70's and seeing these things work.
On our ship we named them Instamatic's after the Kodak cameras. They worked in all weather, any conditions, and never broke. The Navy finally got them right before discontinuing them. New Electronics and the bigger engines they have today, it would still fly the pants off anything in the air.
My favorite Aircraft above all.
CA
CaptAmerica11 1 year ago
Vigilantes flew westpac '79 on the USS Ranger. I understood that was the last they flew.
61phantom 1 year ago
I was an RA-5C Vigilante plane captain with RVAH-1 from 1967 to 1969. My vigi was BUNO 147857 NG-101, CDR Ray D Murphy (pilot and squadron CO) and Lt E Peter Denlea (BN and line division officer). 1968 cruise onboard USS Enterprise CVAN-56.
rick948 1 year ago
Typical North American Product. A thing of Beauty, problems out of the gate, but a classic just like the X-15, B-25, P-51, F-86, The Valkyrie and the B-1 Lancer.
Rocketeer22 1 year ago
beautiful aircraft, dont know a lot about it. Cant believe they landed that monster on a deck.
BeLikeWater1000 1 year ago
I only saw on RA-5C and that was at Millington Tenn. Me and a AME-2 dearmed the last active RA in 80' and I believe it is still on a stand outside the chow hall in Millington. That was some plane, 62 CAD charges in the ejection system.
dkkght46 1 year ago
Very fast approach speed.
BusterBunker 1 year ago
My favorite plane
Georgianradist 2 years ago
This is a beauty design, mostly unknown for general public but I really like it.
EDDGC 2 years ago
NEWS FLASH - Historic Flight SImulator flight Feb 6th 2010. I have built a photo-real panel for this aircraft from a NASA photo dated 1963. As far as I know I am the very first sim pilot to document a carrier landing with the A-5. I used the AlphaSim CVN-65 Enterprise parked off Puerto Rico. Check out my videos and my website! This bird rides again! Hooyah!
SimSamurai 2 years ago
5 * * * * *
TurkishHistorian1923 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Please check out my website at SimSamurai-dot-net. I am going to post some carrier traps with this aircraft soon. I am a pilot, cockpit builder and panel designer. I am actually flying in a real F-18 trainer next week and will be releasing a freeware photo real panel for the RA-5C very soon. This beast is born again!
SimSamurai 2 years ago
I hear that with the nose wheel set so far back there were times when turning near the edge of the deck the cockpit would actually be over the edge of the deck. The pilot was totally reliant on "paddles". That takes 2 big brass ones!
boeingdriver525 2 years ago
Worked on Vigilantes from '63 to '66 at NAS Sanford, FL, Heavy 5 and Heavy 3. Best years of my life. So used to hearing Vigilantes flying over the barracks at night, after I got out of the Navy, couldn't sleep without that noise, it was too quiet.
Heaven, for me, would be working out of an RA5C ASB shop 24 hrs a day for eternity. I would pull a ball every day and never complain. Maybe I'd like to get liberty to go to Orlando every so often ;-)
catlarry 2 years ago 12
@catlarry I was in heavy five from aug 1962 untill jan 1966 THE WOODMAN
therwoodard 1 year ago
@therwoodard I was in ASB. What was your rate?
catlarry 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@catlarry Question for the airplane. did bomb hatch between the after burner slide out for release, or was it ejected along with the payload?
adtuna1192 6 months ago
Looks like fast jet
squadman33 2 years ago
man, i miss the narrator that is speaking in this video. he was always narrating the discovery wings channel, anybody remember his name?
dimitri02 2 years ago
Thanks for sharing. I was in HVAH 11 RA-5-C planes. We were into reconnaissance! Our emblem was a checkerboard tail on the jet!
10/10*****
o7jimmy 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Please check out my website at SimSamurai-dot-net. I am going to post some carrier traps with this aircraft soon. I am a pilot, cockpit builder and panel designer. I am actually flying in a real F-18 trainer next week and will be releasing a freeware photo real panel for A-5 very soon. This beast is born again!
SimSamurai 2 years ago
RA-5 on display at NAS Key West front gate, and one on display at NAS Fallon just inside the main gate sporting Heavy 7paint scheme.
calvineteacher 2 years ago
RVAH-6 - USS Enterprise, Constellation and Ranger - Tonkin Gulf, USS Pueblo incident and the EC-121 incident
abrams0000 2 years ago
My old man was on the USS Yorktown (CVS-10) during the Pueblo crisis. He said they cruised around in the Sea of Japan. Froze their butts off for awhile and then went to the Philippines to get drunk.
n68188 2 years ago
Cool, man. Mine was on 'The Lady' from '55- '57 and just couldn't have loved her more. Got to see his rack too, when we went to see her in Charleston.
freiherrudet 2 years ago
The A-5 is what inspired the Soviets to build the MiG-25. It was clearly a design well ahead of it's time! If they had opted for the duel rudders as was originally designed, perhaps the performance would've been slightly better.
RobbieRottenZombie 2 years ago
I have also heard that Air Force plans for the XB-70 Valkyrie were a prime factor. Mach 3 high altitude, etc. But I guess the vigilante may have been a factor in keeping the mig-25 program alive after the Valkyrie program was scrapped.
n68188 2 years ago
correction(to comment below) rvah-6,not rhah,must be too much san miguel lol
bentleysdaddy 2 years ago
rhah-6 the fleures u.s.s. kitty hawk cv-63
1973-1975 key west fla home port.
west pac cruise
elongapo city!!!!!
love u long time!!!!
terry m.
bentleysdaddy 2 years ago
it was a "backward bomber",no suction problems existed,but upward inertia at mach two,was problematic for escape.
we never got hit going in for recon,but charie knew we were comin back for bomb damage assesment.
i believe she would be a worthy opponent even today,and yes.....she looks movin when she is static.
god speed my ol' arial corvette.
terry m (chi-town)
bentleysdaddy 2 years ago
I should have said 74-77
CVAN687478 2 years ago
RVAH 9 HootOwls--USS Nimitz 74-78
CVAN687478 2 years ago
Rumor has it that this plane was originally designed to drop a nuclear weapon; however, because of its aerodynamics, it created a vacuum and sucked the weapon back into the plane. Not good. So they made it a spy plane instead. It was often called the Mach 2 Malfunction. It had a lot of other problems.
StephenB58 2 years ago
The vigilante is one of the nicest looking planes ever built by NAA. Almost as good looking as P51
seabulls69 2 years ago
I was attached to a squadron of "RVAH's" that flew the plane that was designed to be the USN fast Heavy Attack plan it had speed (two GE J-79) engines, brains as it had the first onboard computer called VERDAN (varible electronic response digital analoge computer), Topped off with the first Terrain Avoidance
system as a radar tech I spent many nights fixing it and I was never alone as most of the mechnicis,photomates,plane captains, riggers, electricians and other folks were also fixing it.
dannysdog 3 years ago
The A5 also was the first to have "fly-by-wire" controls and variable inlet intakes...Not bad for a mid-50's design and first flight in '58....The F-4 escorts couldn't keep up!
irondragsportster 2 years ago
...and a digital flight systems computer and a HUD. Very advanced bird.
A great deal of the cancelled F-108 Rapier technology found it's way into the A-5.
raynus1 2 years ago
back when Speed was good.
mightycowhero 3 years ago 2
Incredible plane.
Capt777harris 3 years ago
I was a controller in the USN. We called these things flying emergencies. But I'll tell you what...even tied down on the ramp, they looked like they were doing about 450 knots...
Bluebonnett52 3 years ago 18
@Bluebonnett52
Thanks for your service to our country, Bluebonnett52. I agree wholeheartedly, one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built.
0289XYZ 1 year ago
@Bluebonnett52 I dearmed the last RA-5C in Millington Tenn. Last time I knew it was on a stand infront of the chow hall.
dkkght46 8 months ago
RA-5, my mouth is watering...
ironroad18 3 years ago