Have you listened to the music - the words? It is an interesting dichotomy. I wonder if the pilots that flew the A7 and the artist that associated this song with these videos agree.
Flight Deck Safety is written in Blood. Compare what our sailors were wearing in this Video, as to what they are wearing on Todays Flight Decks. And to think, NO more bridle launchs. T2 was the last to launch with the throw away Bridle. So many memories, Time flies when you are having fun.
The first second of the vid shows an A-7E of VA-86 aboard CVN-68 during "Eagle Claw" operation in 1980 (see orange and black special markings on the wing)
Then It switch to A-7A ( not B ! ) of VA-147 Argonauts aboard USS RANGER (CVA-61) during 1967-68 ops off North Vietnam.The B had a slightly more powerful variant of the TF-30 jet engine but it was still gutless. It enterd service in vietnam in 1969 and was NOT used by the Argonauts who were the first to convert to the Echo variant in 1970.
@stupidrider53 Yes, I was one of the last NAVCAD's, Flew mostly A4 type from 1965 to 1971 and spent three years flying in the war zone, I choose the A4 because it was smaller and a bit quicker than the A7, but had short legs as far as fuel went. and could not carry the big load like the Corsair could. The fact was that for each A7 mission, you would have to fly two A4s to do the same damage.
My best friend LtJg Niedecken was one of the first to get killed flying the A7 in combat. Shot down during a night bombing raid, he remains in Laos with his beloved A7.
Lt(jg) W. C. Niedecken was shot down on 14th February 1969, supposedly by AAA over Laos, while flying A-7A BuNo 153181, NH 412 with VA-105 "Gunslingers" off USS Kittyhawk (CVA-63). May he rest in peace.
Nice to see stuff from my era BUT your film is reversed! The LSO platform is where I stood at arresting gear deck edge, the super structure is on the left and it looks like he is trapping across the bow instead of the fantail.
@bubbles867 - Sorry, but most of the planes in this video are A-7B aircraft, not the Air Force's A-7D, or the Navy's later A-7E. The B variant was still using the Pratt & Whitney TF-30. The Allison TF-41 (licensed from Rolls-Royce) was not used until the D variant - even the two-seat C model still used the older P&W. Not that I'm knocking the TF-41 - it is a great powerplant, and was an excellent upgrade from the P&W ...
Weapons don't make freedom for one country. ..need the real brain,braveheart of the citizen of that country. . .Dmtau was a former Fighter Pilot almost for 10 yrs. .real war! I knew what I am talking about. . .life & death. . .don't make any wrong.. Wrong you are death .
How many good US citizen know that ? Not many.. . .Mongols told the whole world"US was lack about nuke. .. ."Dmtau came to US after VN war. . .but I knew that ! If you say . .you love this US..you must know deeply of US. . .Be brave not cowards!
US. . .look likes have the "power". . . but that power to the Impire Mongols.. .When Mongols not happy. .. Our US in the big trouble. .sample ..1979. . .Mongols gave order to US Military . .Atomic on Pennsylvania.
Great aircraft, good capability, but why did the US Navy and Air Force operate it. The other aircraft in the US inventory could perform any mission it could. That's the reason it was retired, but why was it developed in the first place?
The USN A-7 was designed to replace the USN A-4, hence the tail hook. Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara decided it would be best to have the USN and USAF fly the A-7 in an effort to lower Defense costs.
It was the only aircraft to operate in Vietnam that was built from the lessons learned in vietnam. The A-10 was another but it arrived too late to participate. The A-7 was capable of a 20,000 lb payload and had a very impressive lottier time. It also had the best weapons delivery system of the time. It was so impressive the F-117 used the same system, 20 years later! It was also the first to provide the pilot with its exact location. Something every craft does today, but the A7 was first.
@LANewell2 What system are you talking about that the F-117 used from the A-10? The Nighthawk uses a Pavetac-style delivery system that the A-10 did not have. Their system for a similar delivery was called Pave Penny. Being the F-117 was NEVER going to be used for CAS, I don't see any similarities at all. Could you clarify, please?
@jonesy97 I was referring to the A-7's weapon delivery system. I just re-read my post and it is confusing. The F-117 used off shelf tech for its avonics which the Skunk Works was famous for. I only referenced the A-10 to indicated that it two was designed from lessons learned from Vietnam. I actually know little abouth the A-10. I learned of its design origin from a book on the A-7. I learned of the F-117 from a book written by the lead designer.
Dad's plane was the A7E on The Mighty "O", (VA-153), Blue Tail Flies.
For irony: A few years after dad was interred at Ft. Barrancas National Cemetery his ship followed him home and was also laid to rest 60 miles off the coast of Pensacola.
fucking good looking air frame . like the sharck mouth
rsm93 5 months ago
@rsm93
rsm93 5 months ago
Have you listened to the music - the words? It is an interesting dichotomy. I wonder if the pilots that flew the A7 and the artist that associated this song with these videos agree.
Bmuscutt 6 months ago
Comment removed
Bmuscutt 6 months ago
Flight Deck Safety is written in Blood. Compare what our sailors were wearing in this Video, as to what they are wearing on Todays Flight Decks. And to think, NO more bridle launchs. T2 was the last to launch with the throw away Bridle. So many memories, Time flies when you are having fun.
David611950 7 months ago
The first second of the vid shows an A-7E of VA-86 aboard CVN-68 during "Eagle Claw" operation in 1980 (see orange and black special markings on the wing)
Then It switch to A-7A ( not B ! ) of VA-147 Argonauts aboard USS RANGER (CVA-61) during 1967-68 ops off North Vietnam.The B had a slightly more powerful variant of the TF-30 jet engine but it was still gutless. It enterd service in vietnam in 1969 and was NOT used by the Argonauts who were the first to convert to the Echo variant in 1970.
frenchrattlesnake 9 months ago
Cockpit footage over Hanoi is breathtaking. Not a place to get shot down!!!!!
jamesdewer 11 months ago
@jamesdewer I think it was over the Haiphong area, not Hanoi. Even so, it was a pretty hairy place to fly over.
rafaquintana 8 months ago
A-7 rules! But I don't think it dropped a higger amount of ordnance in Hanoi than the F-105D, or even the F-4 .
rafaquintana 11 months ago
VA86 Sidewinders, VA 82 Marauders, NAS Cecil Field, USS Nimitz CVAN 68 75-78
CVAN687478 1 year ago
the film is reversed at 5:45
res05aum 1 year ago
@stupidrider53 Yes, I was one of the last NAVCAD's, Flew mostly A4 type from 1965 to 1971 and spent three years flying in the war zone, I choose the A4 because it was smaller and a bit quicker than the A7, but had short legs as far as fuel went. and could not carry the big load like the Corsair could. The fact was that for each A7 mission, you would have to fly two A4s to do the same damage.
res05aum 1 year ago
My best friend LtJg Niedecken was one of the first to get killed flying the A7 in combat. Shot down during a night bombing raid, he remains in Laos with his beloved A7.
redbaroniii 1 year ago 2
@redbaroniii
Lt(jg) W. C. Niedecken was shot down on 14th February 1969, supposedly by AAA over Laos, while flying A-7A BuNo 153181, NH 412 with VA-105 "Gunslingers" off USS Kittyhawk (CVA-63). May he rest in peace.
frenchrattlesnake 9 months ago 2
why wasn't the A-7 designed to be as fast as the F-8 Crusader?
xTomcatsForeverVF84x 1 year ago
Nice to see stuff from my era BUT your film is reversed! The LSO platform is where I stood at arresting gear deck edge, the super structure is on the left and it looks like he is trapping across the bow instead of the fantail.
Litemup22 1 year ago
Worked on and loaded bombs on A-7A in 1972 Tonkin Gulf ,USS Saratoga
arthurleino 1 year ago
great video,nice music!!
TOURKOFAGOS4 1 year ago
Nice BRITISH engine on that Corsair
bubbles867 2 years ago
@bubbles867 - Sorry, but most of the planes in this video are A-7B aircraft, not the Air Force's A-7D, or the Navy's later A-7E. The B variant was still using the Pratt & Whitney TF-30. The Allison TF-41 (licensed from Rolls-Royce) was not used until the D variant - even the two-seat C model still used the older P&W. Not that I'm knocking the TF-41 - it is a great powerplant, and was an excellent upgrade from the P&W ...
dragonsrightwing 1 year ago
Weapons don't make freedom for one country. ..need the real brain,braveheart of the citizen of that country. . .Dmtau was a former Fighter Pilot almost for 10 yrs. .real war! I knew what I am talking about. . .life & death. . .don't make any wrong.. Wrong you are death .
dmtau 2 years ago
How many good US citizen know that ? Not many.. . .Mongols told the whole world"US was lack about nuke. .. ."Dmtau came to US after VN war. . .but I knew that ! If you say . .you love this US..you must know deeply of US. . .Be brave not cowards!
dmtau 2 years ago
US. . .look likes have the "power". . . but that power to the Impire Mongols.. .When Mongols not happy. .. Our US in the big trouble. .sample ..1979. . .Mongols gave order to US Military . .Atomic on Pennsylvania.
dmtau 2 years ago
Great aircraft, good capability, but why did the US Navy and Air Force operate it. The other aircraft in the US inventory could perform any mission it could. That's the reason it was retired, but why was it developed in the first place?
kp66pk1616 2 years ago
The USN A-7 was designed to replace the USN A-4, hence the tail hook. Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara decided it would be best to have the USN and USAF fly the A-7 in an effort to lower Defense costs.
irondragsportster 2 years ago
It was the only aircraft to operate in Vietnam that was built from the lessons learned in vietnam. The A-10 was another but it arrived too late to participate. The A-7 was capable of a 20,000 lb payload and had a very impressive lottier time. It also had the best weapons delivery system of the time. It was so impressive the F-117 used the same system, 20 years later! It was also the first to provide the pilot with its exact location. Something every craft does today, but the A7 was first.
LANewell2 2 years ago
@LANewell2 What system are you talking about that the F-117 used from the A-10? The Nighthawk uses a Pavetac-style delivery system that the A-10 did not have. Their system for a similar delivery was called Pave Penny. Being the F-117 was NEVER going to be used for CAS, I don't see any similarities at all. Could you clarify, please?
jonesy97 1 year ago
@jonesy97 I was referring to the A-7's weapon delivery system. I just re-read my post and it is confusing. The F-117 used off shelf tech for its avonics which the Skunk Works was famous for. I only referenced the A-10 to indicated that it two was designed from lessons learned from Vietnam. I actually know little abouth the A-10. I learned of its design origin from a book on the A-7. I learned of the F-117 from a book written by the lead designer.
LANewell2 1 year ago
@LANewell2 Gotcha, understood. Thanks for the reply!
jonesy97 1 year ago
"BITCHIN"
MrSpaceAcer 2 years ago
feel good
Mrkminm 2 years ago
Dad's plane was the A7E on The Mighty "O", (VA-153), Blue Tail Flies.
For irony: A few years after dad was interred at Ft. Barrancas National Cemetery his ship followed him home and was also laid to rest 60 miles off the coast of Pensacola.
They're together again in a way.
oriskany 2 years ago
Awesome video --I worked on these planes from 1982 thru 1985 VA 147 argo's USN
tstone147 3 years ago
My dad put over 20,000 hours in the A-7E for the USN.
RobertGary1 3 years ago 8
famous by association?
BlikjeBier 3 years ago
we still use this proud bird E models but they are going to be replaced by the F-16 bl 52+ Advance...
they have seen glorious days when operaded by the USN
great video man!
tasoscorsair 3 years ago 6
WAIT! when was this post made?
terminator363 3 years ago
even today 24/1/2009 we fly them ;)
tasoscorsair 3 years ago
Cool! but not the b model the d model right?
terminator363 3 years ago
we originaly bought 60 of the H model at 1975 which is basicaly an E model without the refueling prob and with autonomus engine starter.
after the end of the 1st Gulf War we bought from the USN 60 more E models.
they will be operational at least 1-2 years untill the new F-16 Block 52+ Advance, will arrive in Araxos AFB
tasoscorsair 3 years ago
yes but dont they already have F-16 even F/A-18s?
terminator363 3 years ago
Greece dosent have F-18, we are buying new F-16 so we can retire the Corsairs...
we also use the F-16 series BL-30 BL-50 and BL-52+
tasoscorsair 3 years ago
Oh your talking about greece I thought you were talking about U.S.
terminator363 3 years ago