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A-6A, BuNo 155719. Delivered to the US Navy 1969. Assigned VA-165, codex NG-504 1973-1974. Upgraded to A-6E. To VA-165, codex NG-503 1979-1980. To VA-176, codex AE-503 1983-1986. To VMA(AW)-533, codex AC-556 1986-1987. To VA-176, codex AE-503 1989-1990. To VMA(AW)-332, codex EA-512 1990. WFU NAS Norfolk, VA 1994.

This is a Grumman KA-6D Intruder aerial tanker, BuNo 151823. It was originally constructed as an A-6A, before being converted to tanker configuration.

Monochrome picture of Grumman A-6A Intruder 157013 VA-52 ‘Knightriders’ Modex code 501 in black outlined with white. Squadron emblem of medieval knights helmet with plume on forward upper part of tail. Dark color rudder with last two digits’ 01’ of Modex on upper part. Aircraft in gull gray and white with white or unpainted radome on an airfield ramp with wings folded under high angle sunlight. Multiple Ejector Rack (MER) on outer pylon. Tail tip and engine of an EKA-3B Skywarrior behind. Tail code NH of Carrier Air Wing Eleven ‘GO!NAVY’ internet webpage for CVW-11 deployments: www.gonavy.jp/CVW-NHf.html Note; the 1972 & 1974 deployments included VA-52 equipped with A-6A Intruder. After this the squadron is recorded as operating the A-6E. Unfortunately Intruder Bu No157013 is not as yet recorded with VA-52. 1970-1971 record that includes A-6A 157013: www.gonavy.jp/CVW2-NE1970.html A-6A 157013 was with VA-145 'Swordsmen' as Modex 500 when part of Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) code NE aboard CVA-61 USS RANGER October 27, 1970 to June 17, 1971 for an extended Vietnam War deployment. A 1970-1971 Vietnam War period picture of VA-145 ‘Swordsmen’ A-6A Intruder on ‘flickr’ to illustrate how A-6A 157013 would have looked then: www.flickr.com/photos/divemasterking2000/194159354/ A-6A Intruder 157018 in foreground. Wearing hi-viz markings of VA-145 'Swordsmen' with Modex nose code 504 and tail code NE of CVW-2 probably aboard CV-61 USS Ranger around 1970-1971. Sometime during the 1970’s Bu No 157013 was updated from A-6A to A-6E. 1977-1978 record including A-6E 157013: www.gonavy.jp/CVW8-AJ1977.html CVW-8 (code AJ) was embarked on CVN-68 USS NIMITZ from December 1, 1977 to July 20, 1978 for a Mediterranean Sea patrol. A-6E 157013 was with VA-35 ‘Black Panthers’ as Modex 507 during that time. 1978 picture of A-6E 157013: www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1156814/ A-6E 157013 VA-35 ‘Black Panthers’ Modex 507 Tail code AJ Seen onboard USS Nimitz anchored in the Solent off Portsmouth, UK - England 25th June 1978 1978 picture including A-6E 157013: www.planepictures.net/show.php?id=754971 A-6E 157013 VA-35 ‘Black Panthers’ Modex 507 Tail code AJ Seen onboard CVN-68 USS Nimitz anchored. 2 July 1978 As on this website page: www.planepictures.net/search4.cgi?stype=actype&srng=2... 1982 picture of A-6E 157013 with US Marine Corps unit VMA(AW)-224 ‘Bengals’. www.cloud9photography.us/Military-Aviation-11/Grumman-A-6... A-6E 157013 of VMA(AW)-224 ‘Bengals’, Modex 11 & squadron tail code WK with emblem on rudder. Pictured at MCAS Yuma Arizona & dated July 1982. 1983 picture of A-6E 157013 with US Marine Corps A-6 training unit VMAT(AW)-202. www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Marines/Grumman-A-6E-Intrud... A-6E 157013 Modex 09 & squadron tail code KC. VMAT(AW)-202 ‘Double Eagles’ Fleet Replacement Squadron. MCAS Cherry Point MCAS North Carolina, November 9, 1983 1986 record for A-6E 157013: www.gonavy.jp/CVW14-NK1986.html A-6E 157013 was Modex 506 with VA-196 ‘Main Battery’ as part of CVW-14 (code NK) aboard CV-64 USS CONSTELLATION for a short exercise cruise in the North Atlantic Ocean between September 4 & October 20, 1986. 1987 record including A-6E 157013: www.gonavy.jp/CVW14-NK1987.html Still as part of CVW-14 (code NK) aboard CV-64 USS CONSTELLATION, A-6E 157013 of VA-196 ‘Main Battery’ as Modex 506 Deployed with the air wing between April 11 & October 13, 1987 for a Western Pacific, Indian Ocean & Arabian Gulf voyage. 1990 reference to A-6E 157013: www.gonavy.jp/CVW2-NE1990.html CVW-2 (code NE) was assigned CV-61 USS RANGER during the December 8, 1990 to June 8, 1991 for Operations ‘Desert Shield’ & ‘Desert Storm’, A-6E 157013 joined VA-155 ‘Silver Foxes’ as Modex 411 to replace an A-6E during this important war deployment. (Info in GO!NAVY' website is gathered purely on a voluntary basis and may be fragmentary. It is extremely fortunate when there are records of actual aircraft and their serial numbers available. For which recognition and appreciation of Takafumi Hiroe, citizen of Japan and naval air historian for all ‘GO!NAVY’ references is well deserved) A-6E 157013 was retired to the then AMARC via Davis Monthan AFB near Tucson Arizona on 3rd March 1994 and stored with PCN/Inventory No. AN5A0092 & Location code 040204. This was AMARC West. Area 4, Row 2, Position 4. March 2005 picture of A-6E 157013 in the desert air: www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1016374/ A-6E 157013 previously with VA-128, Modex 556 Short code 5A0092 Dated March 15, 2005 VA-128 ‘Golden Intruders' was the US Pacific coast based Fleet Requirements Squadron. So the final operational period of A-6E 157013 was with the training and conversion unit for A-6 aviators and maintenance personnel at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington State. May 2008 picture of A-6E 157013: www.airfighters.com/photo/26204/M/USA-Navy/Grumman-A-6E-I... www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Navy/Grumman-A-6E-Intruder/... A-6E 157013 (cn I-482) previously with VA-128, Modex 556 NAS Whidbey Island, WA Retired to AMARC 3 March 1994 stored with the PCN/Inventory No. AN5A0092. Short code 5A0092. Dated May 4, 2008 September 2008 picture of A-6E 157013: www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Navy/Grumman-A-6E-Intruder/... A-6E 157013 (cn I-482) previously with VA-128, Modex 556 NAS Whidbey Island, WA Retired to AMARC 3 March 1994 & stored with the PCN/Inventory No. AN5A0092. Short code 5A0092. Dated September 29, 2008 By going to this website "AMARC III": www.amarc.info/ Mouse clicking on 'Inventory by type', scroll down to box 'A-6 Intruder', mouse click on it and the most up to date inventory list may be viewed. Inventories dated 15 December 2010, 14 January 2011 & 29 March 2011 recorded 163. A-6 still in storage at what is now AMARG. A list dated 14 Sept 2010 recorded 174 Intruder. Because of recent precautionary restrictions on information only the minimum details of aircraft at AMARG are allowed to be published. All aircraft in all "AMARC III" lists are in arrival date order only. As A-6E 157013 arrival date was March 3, 1994 and is still included on that list so by end of March year 2011 still existed in a desert military compound near Tucson Arizona. Maintain a check on this website as it is regularly updated………. the numbers decrease continually as airframes are disposed of for salvage and scrapping. My extreme thanks to Martyn Swann for "AMARC III"