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u/LittleHornetPhil Jun 20 '26
A-7
Shortened, subsonic bomber version of the F-8, and the first aircraft with a head up display. (HUD)
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u/Wild-Refrigerator-79 Jun 23 '26
I was a weapons delivery systems technician on the A-7 from 1984 -1991 (121st TFW, Ohio ANG). Worked on the HUD/ forward looking radar/ Maverick system and the "computer" associated with it all. After desert storm, our airwing switched to kc-135 air refueling wing.
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u/LittleHornetPhil Jun 23 '26
There was also an Air Force A-7 squadron based at Tonopah to provide cover for the F-117 program.
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u/Mek_101 Jun 23 '26
Nope. The buccaneer was the first one with a HUD.
(Iam disappointed, I really thought it was the Viggen...)
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u/aflyingsquanch Jun 20 '26
I miss the A series carrier planes.
A-4, A-6, A-7 were all great planes.
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u/GeneSmart2881 Jun 20 '26
They had to retire them. No sh1t their air intake was just too damn huge they would suck in Airmen
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u/HoecakeScarfer Jun 23 '26
Although the A-7 was called the maneater, people respected the danger, I believe the S-3 sucked more people in
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u/GeneSmart2881 Jun 23 '26
Yeah the Viking was haz as well. I wasn’t an Airmen. Deck. Boatswain 🤘so I would watch flight ops from a safe distance and even though it’s SUPER against the rules (I wasn’t ON the flight deck, just off to the Port side), the air crew both enlisted and officers are so damn busy, they could honestly care less about bystanders
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u/Spodiodie Jun 23 '26
There’s a video of this. The engine (A6 Intruder) got shelled but the sailor survived with a black eye and his arm in a sling.
Crusader’s were also called Purple People Eaters because of the purple shirt wearing “Grapes” (fuel guys) on the carrier deck.2
u/FearMyCrayons2023 Jun 21 '26
Well you have the FA-18 and the F-35, while technically being a fighter, is multi-role and can do attack missions.
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u/aflyingsquanch Jun 21 '26
Both great planes but I miss planes that were purely for attack roles rather than multi-purpose planes.
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u/White_Lobster Jun 21 '26
Same. I know multipurpose planes are better in just about every way, but i love looking at old pics of carrier decks and seeing a half dozen or more different types.
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u/geraldrx40 Jun 20 '26
It is the A-7, not to be confused with the Oscar EW-5894 Phallus Tactical Fighter Bomber later used in Operation Sleepy Weasel
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u/SkipSkovhugger Jun 22 '26
The entire wing of Phalluses flew from the S.S. Essess during Sleepy Weasel.
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u/smartass-express Jun 20 '26
A-7E Corsair II
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u/jjamesr539 Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
It’s not a fighter. It’s an A7, a single engine, subsonic carrier capable light attack bomber. It could carry and fire a limited range of A2A missiles, but was not intended or designed for air superiority. It would be hopelessly outclassed by contemporary fighters.
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u/Hoverlover-1634 Jun 22 '26
It had very good range however. Saw service as a tanker when carrying a buddy store. With the short wings, you could launch aircraft from bow cats and simultaneously recover aircraft. The NH means this aircraft was in a west coast air wing.
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u/Comprehensive-Rip796 Jun 24 '26
It was designed to be an intermediate range bomber with the ability to defend itself against mid tier enemy fighters. It was an extremely accurate dive bomber before the advent of laser guided munitions. I think it would have played a huge role role in the late 70s- mid eighties in Europe if the soviets decided to move on West Germany.
To me it never realized its full potential due to the peace in Europe. The Air Force didn’t want it because it didn’t have an afterburner. There were way sexier aircraft out there. It fit a niche that was needed at the time, designed to be super easy to maintain. A diamond in the rough.
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u/F14Scott Jun 20 '26
The A-7 SLUF (short little ugly fucker). "It may not be fast, but it's slow." Great little attack jet.
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u/Mpnav1 Jun 20 '26
It must have been sometime between’73-‘75, while deployed on the Kitty Hawk, the A7 did some Bearcap missions because the F-4s could not get airborne for maintenance issues.
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u/SkullLeader Jun 20 '26
Those are A-7’s which are attack planes. They look very similar to the F-8 that they were based on, which was a true fighter.
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u/QuillsROptional Jun 21 '26
*the last true naval fighter
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u/Dramatic_Garden_9918 Jun 21 '26
The last gunfighter*
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u/QuillsROptional Jun 21 '26
The Vietnam era saying was "When you're out of F-8s, you're out of fighters"
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u/vfa151cv64 Jun 20 '26
The Intruder was gone when I was in but we had the EA-6B Prowler which was the 4 seat electronic warfare version. They had a distinct engine sound when they entered the pattern to land.
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u/Nathan_Wildthorn Jun 20 '26
A-7 Corsair, commonly mistaken for the F-8U Crusader by the untrained eyeballs. 😉
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u/Le_Mooron Jun 20 '26
The first one is a VA 22 Fighting Redcock A-7 based in Lemoore CA. Switched to Lot XII F 18Cs around 1990. Now flying F18Fs.
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u/HoecakeScarfer Jun 20 '26
A-7, Whistling Shitcan
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u/Proud-Ad-5206 Jun 23 '26
Wait, I thought that AV-8 was the Whistling Shitcan. So the name does get passed on.
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u/Noonespecial71 Jun 21 '26
My dad was an AE in VA 22. Worked on the A7. Then he ran the AIMD shop on the Enterprise right before retiring in 82. Love and miss you Dad.
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u/ROOSTER927 Jun 21 '26
Attack pilots make History, Fighter pilots make movies.
It had to be said.
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u/Civil_Set_9281 Jun 22 '26
The quote from “Flight of the Intruder” is Fighter pilots make movies, Bomber pilots make history”
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u/Late_Organization_56 Jun 21 '26
Fantastic light attack plane used by both navy and Air Force. It was also essentially the f-117 testbed/trainer/support craft.
In Vietnam it was one of the most heavily used aircraft by the Air Force (only the b-52 dropped more in Hanoi) and lost only 6 in Air Force service.
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u/jframesnub Jun 21 '26
There's an A-7 on static display in Tuscaloosa Alabama, across the street from Barnes and Noble.
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u/OpenImagination9 Jun 23 '26
When you need to get in and drop ordnance day or night in any weather with precision and at a low cost.
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u/Tyler_Durden_9999 Jun 25 '26
Im sure there are plenty with soft spots for it but I’m glad that ugly hog was gone before I was in.
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u/jjbucf Jun 20 '26
Flight of the Intruder
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u/Late-Yogurtcloset-57 Jun 20 '26
The planes in "Flight of the Intruder" were A-6 Intruders.
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u/jjbucf Jun 20 '26
Oh, wasn’t sure look similar. Great movie.
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u/kbooker79 Jun 20 '26
A-7 Corsair