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A3D-1 Skywarrior 135440 about to land on airfield runaway. Tail bumper down. Partial flap. VAH-2 below NAVY on rear fuselage. Very large Modex side code 1. Tail code BF of VAH-2 'Royal Rampants. Later code became ZA. Large squadron insignia on nose. Typed comment on lower picture dating it as 30 April 1956 ‘First Factory Delivery’. Possibly the first aircraft delivered to an active unit. Info on VAH-2 here: www.nebna.org/squadrons.html www.hatron2.org/History.htm www.hatron2.org/ www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohuk5yg7ERs Insignia of VAH-2: bluejacket.com/usn/insignia/av/va-vd/vah2_b_insig.jpg A little info on A3D-1 Skywarrior 135440 Accepted by US Navy April 1956. Tragically it was lost in night accident while operated by VAH-1. Reference to the loss of the aircraft and crew may be found here: www.a3skywarrior.com/memorial/full_accident_date.htm VAH 1.135440. [26 Aug 1959] 8/26/1959. One nm ESE of E. Monbo NC [East Monbo North Carolina] "Description difficult to read. Compressor stall in a thunderstorm caused the A3 to crash. VAH 1 CO recommended ejection seats be installed in A3s. Flying thru a thunderstorm was considered a contributing fact." Pilot; LCDR John Sangster Bombardier Navigator: PH1 D.E Wilson 3rdCM; AE2 Mitchell Google map of East Monbo North Carolina USA. maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&biw=1024&bih=677&... If the aircraft was found " One nm ESE of E. Monbo NC" it would have impacted land and been instantly destroyed. My respect to the crew, their families or friends.

Douglas YA3D-1 Skywarrior. Bu No 130352 Side code 352. Midnight blue paint scheme overall YA3D-1 130352 Accepted Oct 1953 Became NA-3A from 1962. Struck off Charge at NARF Alameda following June 1965 inflight accident while operated by Naval Missile Center from Point Mugu, California. Possibly SOC April 1966. As yet there is no record of the incident here: www.a3skywarrior.com/memorial/full_accident_date.htm

Nice!! Yüksel