cva61

Low quality monochrome picture taken from aircraft carrier control island. Grumman A-6E Intruder 155714 with wings folded. VA-52 ‘Knightriders’ Modex 505. Squadron emblem of medieval knights helmet with plume on forward upper part of tail. Black anti glare panel over oversprayed nose. Last two digits ’01’ of Modex on upper part of rudder. Aircraft in gull gray and white with white or unpainted radome Ram air intake on top of rear fuselage for increased electronics cooling of an A-6E. ‘TRAM’ turret not fitted below radome in front of landing gear. Code NL of Carrier Air Wing Fifteen (CVW-15). Cockpit has internal anti blast/flash curtains installed. Two A-7E Corsair II Modex 400 & 411 of VA-94 'Mighty Shrikes' with folded wings. Wing code NL of CVW-15. If picture taken during 1979-1980 these may be VA-94 Modex 400 A-7E Bu No 156836 VA-94 Modex 411 A-7E Bu No 157551. Picture probably dated between 1979 & 1981 from info further down comment. …………………………………………………………………………………………… Info on A-6A/E Intruder 155714 A 1971 'flickr' pic including A-6A 155714: www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/4556420688/ A 1981 'flickr' color pic of A-6E 155714 with VA-52: www.flickr.com/photos/jackmcgo210/4758292277/ VA-52 ‘Knightriders’ Modex 505, Code NL of CVW-15. Bu No 155714 was originally built as an A-6A, later converted to A-6E. A 1972-1973 record for A-6A 155714: www.gonavy.jp/CVW2-NE1972.html This was on board CVA-61 USS RANGER between November 16, 1972 & June 22, 1973 when A-6A 155714 was with VA-145 Swordsmen as Modex 504 when part of CVW-2 code NE for a Vietnam War deployment and was heavily involved in attacking North Vietnamese targets throughout. A scale model enthusiast discussion page specifically mentioning A-6A 155714 in context whilst deployed with VA-145 as immediately above: www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=67987&am... Nov. 72-June 73 Ranger cruise, three VA-145 Swordsmen A-6As were configured with belly-mounted PAVE Knife pods [NE 503-155711, NE 504-155714, and NE-505-155715]. Noted configurations for the latter included PAVE Way I Mk 84 LGBs on the outboards and AERO 1C fuel tanks on the inboards or PAVE Way I Mk 83 LGBs on the inboards and MER-mounted Mk 82 LDGPs on the outboards. The above source was discovered to be from “A-6 Carrier-Borne Bomber", a book by Robert F. Dorr, which may be down loaded from the internet. 1973 monochrome picture of A-6A 155714: www.gonavy.jp/bbs2-a6f.html Click on picture above caption titled A-6A 155714/NF-506 (1973) It appears that as A-6A 155714 was equipped with Pave Knife it was further test flown on the ranges at NAS China Lake California after return from its 1972-1973 deployment: www.chinalakealumni.org/1973.htm 1973 picture of A-6A 155714 at NAS China Lake Test Center California: www.chinalakealumni.org/IMAGES/1973/155714%20A-6A%2013FEB... VA-145 Intruder BuNo 155714, NE-504, Pave Knife, China Lake, 13 February 1973. Official U.S. Navy photo. Note PAVE KNIFE pod on centerline and angled Modex 504. (Use slider to scroll down page to locate picture and click on to view) 1973 to 1977 record for A-6A 155714 with VA-115 'Arabs' as Modex 506: www.gonavy.jp/CVW5-NF1973.html www.gonavy.jp/CVW5-NF1974.html www.gonavy.jp/CVW5-NF1975.html www.gonavy.jp/CVW5-NF1976.html www.gonavy.jp/CVW5-NF1977.html Some time between October 1973 & December 1977 A-6A 155714 flew with VA-115 as Modex 506… In 1977 it was replaced by an A-6E Intruder. This was as part of permanently forward deployed air wing CVW-5 (code NF) based at NAF Atsugi in Japan, flying from CV-41 USS MIDWAY, also forward deployed. After return from Japan to the USA A-6A 155714 was placed into the update program, emerging as an A-6E. This 1979 picture includes A-6E 155714: www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Marines/Grumman-A-6E-Intrud... VA-52 ‘Knightriders’. Modex 516. tail code NL CVW-15. USS KITTY HAWK. Andrews AFB Maryland, May 1979. 1979 record for A-6E 155714 www.gonavy.jp/CVW15-NL1979.html May 30, 1979 to February 25, 1980 A-6E 155714 with VA-52 ‘Knightriders’ was Modex 505 whilst aboard CV-63 USS KITTY HAWK on a Western Pacific deployment. Tail code NL of CVW-15. 1981 record for A-6E 155714: www.gonavy.jp/CVW15-NL1981.html From April 1 to November 23, 1981 A-6E 155714 was again with VA-52 ‘Knightriders’ as Modex 505 as part of CVW-15 using code NL when embarked on CV-63 USS KITTY HAWK for another WestPac cruise. Perhaps during 1982 A-6E 155714 was updated further to A-6E ‘TRAM’ configuration with a Hughes 'Target Recognition and Attack Multisensor' turret containing a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), laser designator and laser receiver for target recognition and delivery of laser guided weapons. Between 1983 & 1984 A-6E 155714 as a 'TRAM' equipped plane is recorded with the US Marine Corps within Marine Aircraft Group Twelve (MAG-12) forward based at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan: www.gonavy.jp/usmc/05/usmc0504.html A-6E 155714 Modex 09 was VMA(AW)-224 ‘Bengals’ (code WK) ( using A-6E TRAM ) from 20 April to Oct.1983 Then between Oct.1983 & April1984 A-6E TRAM 155714 was with VMA(AW)-332 ‘Moonlighters’ (code EA) as Modex 09: www.gonavy.jp/usmc/05/usmc0504.html It seems upon arrival back in the USA. A-6E TRAM 155714 was transferred to test squadron VX-5 as Modex 22 tail code XE from this inventory of all aircraft used at China Lake: www.chinalakealumni.org/Aircraft.htm (use slider to scroll down to 'Intruder' to identify and view record) 155714 A-6A VA-145 504 NE 1973….. brought up to A-6E standards; 155714 A-6E. VX-5. XE-22 . 1987. VX-5 < 07/13/87 1987 picture of A-6E 155714 at NAS China Lake Test Center California: www.chinalakealumni.org/1987.htm www.chinalakealumni.org/IMAGES/1987/155714%20A-6E%20ddJUN... VX-5 A-6E Intruder BuNo 155714, XE-22, China Lake, June 1987. Photo by Bob Niedermeier. It is not yet known from internet sources what was the eventual fate of A-6A/E 155714. There is no known record of it being retired to AMARC storage in Arizona. The aircraft may have been stored then scrapped at a Naval Air Depot.

Post 1977 picture, because we flew Phantoms untill the 1977 drydock, Bremerton, WA. Catapult and blast deflector upgrade for the larger Tomcat.

This was taken around 1987 after a Dear Abby "dear US Serviceman" campaign. The crew was thanking ordinary Americans for their overwhelming response.

Very nice! Yüksel