ussamerica

Thanks to San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive for picture. Douglas EA-3B Skywarrior. Probably about to land aboard CV-66 USS America. VQ-2 tail code JQ with squadron emblem below. Based at NAS Rota, Spain. Relevant VQ-2 patch: (there were several for the unit) www.vpnavy.com/logo_01/vq2patch_01_03oct2006.jpg Also a Grumman KA-6D Intruder aerial tanker by the protrusion below the rear fuselage. The picture on display will be a scanned copy of an original. Unfortunately it has low definition, is a little grainy and even using 'Actions' & 'View all sizes' details are a little indistinct. Thus the 'Modex' number on the EA-3B nose cannot be read and the full size serial numbers on the tails of the two A-6 types are not easily read. After both a search of my Galleries inc the one titled "KA-6D Intruder tankers-1", plus the web, the full serial may be interpreted as 149940 with tail decoration similar to this 'flickr' pic: www.flickr.com/photos/divemasterking2000/194171501/ At the time the photo was made 149940 belonged to VA-34 'Blue Blasters' with small rudder code AG of Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7) This picture of KA-6D 149940 was probably taken when embarked on CVN-69 USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during 1988. www.gonavy.jp/CVW-AGf.html These are VA-34 web links with squadron info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_Squadron_34_(U.S._Navy) www.intruderassociation.org/squadrons/va34.html This web page records all the deployments of VA-34; note period when equipped with A-6. All deployments were with Atlantic Fleet and vast majority were Mediterranean Sea focussed www.gonavy.jp/navy/sqn/VFA034.html Mainly aboard CV-66 USS America. As all A-3 Skywarrior aircraft stopped flying on and off carriers from 1987, (safety reasons after a crash) the picture may have been taken between 1985 & 1987. VQ-2 EA-3B Skywarrior 'flickr' Gallery with 18 pictures and detailed info on several aircraft pictured (click on pic to view info in Comment) : www.flickr.com/photos/45586426@N06/galleries/721576236428... VQ-2 history website: www.wherndon.com/vq2sandeman/ Pictures of VQ-2 EA-3B web page picasaweb.google.com/herndonjohn/EA3B# Go here for more pics of VQ-2 aircraft: www.viablewebsolutions.com/vq/acgallery.html VQ-2 info: www.ussindependencecv-62.org/gwf/vq2.html VQ-2 Established 01 Sep 1955 - Homeported U. S. Naval Air Station, Port Lyautey, Morocco. Originally Designated (ECMRON TWO) Electronic Countermeasures Squadron TWO In January 1960 transferred to Naval Station, Rota, Spain and renamed Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron TWO (VQ-2). Planes P4M-1Q Mercator & P2V Neptune (original planes) A3D-1Q Skywarrior (added September 1956) WV-2Q Super Constellations (replaced P4M-1Q 1960) redesignated EC-121M Super Constellation October 1962 EC-121M aircraft were operated and maintained into 1974. A3D-2Q replaced the A3D-1Q then redesignated EA-3B EP-3E ARIES (first received 31 July 1971 EP-3E ARIES II (first received 29 June 1991 (The EA-3B Skywarrior was retired from VQ-2, 20 Sep.1991) Two VQ-2 EA-3B webpages: mitfordmadness.blogspot.com/2008/02/ea-3b-more-photos.html mitfordmadness.blogspot.com/2008/02/ea-3b-whales-vq2.html Video of last VQ-2 EA-3B flight to view on 'YouTube': video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6952890232203999757# VQ-2 CDR Porterfield , AKA Skag, last EA-3B flight, June 20, 1990. CDR Porterfield last flight Rota Spain, Ranger 011 BUNO 144865.

Glad you liked the photo

Dear SDASM Archives representative, I have made observations of the picture in the condition it is currently displayed and added web based information to attempt identification. As there is no date or location it is not yet possible to positively identify the aircraft or occasion. The picture appears to have come from an original US Navy official photograph taken by a member of one of the carriers helicopter squadrons. This would have most probably been of high quality for publicity purposes. As per my previous comment; "Unfortunately it has low definition, is a little grainy and even using 'Actions' & 'View all sizes' details are a little indistinct. Thus the 'Modex' number on the EA-3B nose cannot be read and the full size serial numbers on the tails of the two A-6 types are not easily read." Perhaps a better copy at the time this was scanned may have allowed a more detailed image to be broadcast into the public domain. Of note and highly commended are the extremely high quality renditions now available in the later SDASM Archive 'Photostream' offerings. My thanks and gratitude to you all for the investment of time and money in this very labor intensive and time consuming effort in publicly displaying the museums historical aviation pictures from your major collection.

Many thanks to SDASM and their generosity via personal correspondence. The Modex number for EA-3B of VQ-2 is 17. A decorative diagonal band stretches down from the cockpit rear to under fuselage. The KA-6D Bu No 149940 is confirmed and its Modex number was 520. The air wing code on top of rudder appears to be AB. Also the KA-6D alongside it may be Bu No 152939 with possible Modex 515 from ‘15’ on top of rudder. www.joebaugher.com/usattack/newa6_4.html Both aircraft were originally built as A-6A, converted to KA-6D. The text on reverse of original print reads; “With airbrakes open, the sole E-3B Skywarrior of VQ-2 crosses the stern of USS America for a no-flare landing. Apart from “17” the Skywarrior’s serial was conspicuous by its absence. One of a pair of KA-6D Intruders picketed on the aft of the flight deck.” The picture may also have appeared in the British aviation enthusiast magazine ‘Aircraft Illustrated’ some time ago in the late 1980’s. The print came from the collection of British aviation author Malcolm English and former editor of another UK aviation magazine ‘Air International’. This web page from ‘GO!NAVY’ website by Takafumi Hiroe of Japan records VQ-2 and VA-34 aboard CV-66 USS America between 1984 & 1986: www.gonavy.jp/CVW-ABf.html Carrier Air Wing One (CVW-1 tail code AB) was embarked aboard CV-66 AMERICA between March 10, 1986 & Sept 14, 1986, for the Mediterranean Sea, Libya and Gulf of Syrte dispute. This is corroborated by information below. A detachment by VAQ-2 ‘Batmen’ with EA-3B (Modex unknown) tail code JQ were also on temporary assignment to CVW-1 from their base at Rota in Spain. This is corroborated by information below. See “1986 - Last deployment of an A-3 Skywarrior on the Coral Maru.” Unfortunately as yet there are no details of the actual aircraft (and serial numbers) that were part of the air wing. This ‘GO!NAVY’ web page also records a detachment of VQ-2 EA-3B aboard CV-43 USS Coral Sea at the same time, again no serial number or Modex code is quoted: www.gonavy.jp/CV-CV43f.html From my own personal notes gathered on EA-3B’s assigned to both EA-3B units VQ-1 and VQ-2, Modex 17 from VQ-2 may be EA-3B Bu No 146455. EA-3B Bu No 146455 Originally built as Douglas A3D-2Q Skywarrior, from 1962 redesignated EA-3B. Constructor number 12407. Accepted by US Navy April 1960. Assigned to VQ-2 as Modex 7. Tail code JQ. Seen Weisbaden, Germany Feb 1st 1971 as Modex 17. JQ. Flew from NAS Rota Spain to USS Eisenhower in Pacific 1980 on ‘Round World Road Trip’. Took part in round world flight with EA-3B 146455 during Aug 1980. Seen Frankfurt Rhein Main, Germany 19th Dec 1980. Seen on 'Coral Sea' CV-43 off Libya coast 1986 as 17, JQ. Seen as 17 at Prestwick Scotland Sept 1986. Information gleaned from ‘The AMARC Experience’ web link: www.amarcexperience.com/AMARCDB.asp?SessionId=534092316&a... 146455 AN2A0129. Douglas EA-3B Skywarrior….12407..09-SEP-91 Information on Douglas EA-3B Skywarrior 146455 This A/C spent it's entire flying career in VQ-2 out of Rota, Spain. In August 1980 we flew her along with 146453 around the world to catch up with our ship in the Indian Ocean. We took off from Rota, flew to Azores, Nova Scotia, Wash DC, Ellsworth SD, Alameda, Hawaii, Wake IS, Guam, PI, Diego Garcia, USS Eisenhower (our ship), Djibouti, Athens and finally back to Rota. Whew what a trip. We flew like 26,000 miles to catch up to our ship and return, could be a record for a carrier based A/C. Fond memories of this A/C and that around the world flight. Side #'s in VQ-2: #7 #17 then finally #005 John Herndon vq2sandeman@hotmail.com - 23:07:34 16 August 2010 Another info source provides a little info combined with this web picture of both EA-3B 146453 as 15 and 146455 as 17 taken during the ‘Round the World Road Trip’ in August 1980: www.aero-web.org/database/aircraft/getimage.htm?id=309 The picture of the two EA-3Bs Bu No 146453 Ranger 15 and 146455 Ranger 17, was taken over the Pacific Ocean in 1980 on the way to USS Eisenhower in support of the Iranian Hostage Crisis, on VQ-2's first around the world Det RT-80 (Short for Road Trip 1980). Further information on EA-3B 146455 from this excellent picture and caption: www.usscoralsea.net/images/8586a3vq2.jpg 1986 - Last deployment of an A-3 Skywarrior on the Coral Maru. "Dawn Launch" - 'Ranger 17', EA-3B (146455), from VQ-2 on the starboard bow cat of the Coral Sea (CV-43). Mission: Electronic Warfare, locate and identify hostile Libyan Naval Combatant ships. Use AN/ALR-40 ESM and COMINT systems. Mission was successful with the destruction of a Libyan ship by an A-6 bomber. Note the action: Cat crew departing from bridle hookup, Troubleshooter checking bleed ports at both engines as they are brought up to full power and the button man in the catwalk at the ready. It looks like a 'thumbs up launch'. [From Mark Swisher - A-3 Skywarrior Association] By going to this website: www.amarc.info/ Mouse clicking on 'Inventory by type', scroll down to box 'A-3 Skywarrior', mouse click on it and the most up to date inventory list of A-3 Skywarriors at AMARG in Arizona may be viewed. Inventory dated 14 Sept 2010 records eleven A-3 Skywarrior; One of which is; EA-3B. Bu No 146455 Arrival Date…..09-Sep-91 Storage Code..AN2A0129 EA-3B Bu No 146455 Still exists in 2010 ! !

"The Amerika, the largest ship in the world, is 687 feet long, 74 feet 6 inches wide, and 53 feet deep. She can carry about 4,000 passengers and crew." (Hamburg-American Steamship Line) – NY Times reporting on maiden voyage, October 11, 1905. "USS America (ID # 3006), 1917-1919. Originally the German passenger liner Amerika (1905-1917). Later the U.S. Army Transport America (1919-1920), the U.S.passenger liner America (1921-1940) and the U.S. Army Transport Edmund B. Alexander (1940-1957)" – Dept of the Navy

I concur - according to references by Arnold Kludas, she was originally the German Amerika, and after being seized by the US upon declaration of war with Germany, was renamed the America.

Is there some irony there?

She also was, in 1913, no longer the largest ship in the world -- the Imperator was, which probably explains all the pictures of its maiden voyage to NYC and the juxtaposition of this picture with it.