North American A-5 Vigilante

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_..._A-5_Vigilante

The North American A-5 Vigilante was a carrier-based supersonic bomber designed
and built by North American Aviation for the United States Navy. Its service in
the nuclear strike role to replace the Douglas A-3 Skywarrior was very short;
however, as the RA-5C, it saw extensive service during the Vietnam War in the
tactical strike reconnaissance role. Prior to the unification of the Navy
designation sequence with the Air Force sequence in 1962, it was designated the
A3J Vigilante.

In 1953, North American Aviation began a private study for a carrier-based,
long-range, all-weather strike bomber, capable of delivering nuclear weapons at
supersonic speeds.[2] This proposal, the North American General Purpose Attack
Weapon (NAGPAW) concept, was accepted by the United States Navy, with some
revisions, in 1955.[3] A contract was awarded on 29 August 1956. Its first
flight occurred two years later on 31 August 1958 in Columbus, Ohio.[4]

At the time of its introduction, the Vigilante was one of the largest and by far
the most complex aircraft to operate from a United States Navy aircraft carrier.
It had a high-mounted swept wing with a boundary-layer control system (blown
flaps) to improve low-speed lift.[4] There were no ailerons. Roll control was
provided by spoilers in conjunction with differential deflection of the
all-moving tail surfaces. The use of aluminum-lithium alloy for wing skins and
titanium for critical structures was also unusual. The A-5 had two widely spaced
General Electric J79 turbojet engines (the same as used on the McDonnell Douglas
F-4 Phantom II fighter), fed by intake ramps and a single large all-moving
vertical stabilizer.[2] Preliminary design studies had employed twin vertical
fin/rudders.[4] The wings, vertical stabilizer and the nose radome folded for
carrier stowage. The Vigilante had a crew of two seated in tandem, a pilot and a
bombardier-navigator (BN) (reconnaissance/attack navigator (RAN) on later
reconnaissance versions) in individual North American HS-1A ejection seats.

Role Nuclear strike bomber or reconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer North American Aviation
First flight 31 August 1958
Introduction June 1961
Retired 20 November 1979
Status Retired
Primary user United States Navy
Produced 1956–63
1968–70
Number built 156

Designated A3J-1, the Vigilante first entered squadron service with Heavy Attack
Squadron THREE (VAH-3) in June 1961 at Naval Air Station Sanford, Florida,
replacing the Douglas A-3 Skywarrior in the heavy attack, e.g., "strategic
nuclear strike" role.[11] All variants of the Vigilante were built at North
American Aviation's facility at Port Columbus Airport in Columbus, Ohio,
alongside the North American T-2 Buckeye, T-39 Sabreliner and OV-10 Bronco.

Under the Tri-Services Designation plan implemented under Robert McNamara in
September 1962, the Vigilante was redesignated A-5, with the initial A3J-1
becoming A-5A and the updated A3J-2 becoming A-5B. The subsequent reconnaissance
version, originally A3J-3P, became the RA-5C.

The Vigilante's early service proved troublesome, with many teething problems
for its advanced systems. Although these systems were highly sophisticated, the
technology was in its infancy, and its reliability was poor.[12] Although most
of these reliability issues were eventually worked out as maintenance personnel
gained greater experience with supporting these systems, the aircraft tended to
remain a maintenance-intensive platform throughout its career.

Specifications (A-5A Vigilante)

General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 76 ft 6 in (23.32 m)
Wingspan: 53 ft 0 in (16.16 m)
Height: 19 ft 4¾ in (5.91 m)
Wing area: 700 ft² (65.1 m²)
Empty weight: 32,714 lb (14,870 kg)
Loaded weight: 47,530 lb (21,605 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 62,953 lb (28,615 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric J79-GE-8 afterburning turbojets
Dry thrust: 10,900 lbf[33] (48 kN) each
Thrust with afterburner: 17,000 lbf[33] (76 kN) each

Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 2.0 (1,149 knots, 1,320 mph, 2,123 km/h) at 40,000 ft
(12,200 m)
Combat radius: 1,121 nmi[dubious – discuss] (1,289 mi, 2,075 km)
Ferry range: 1,571 nmi (1,807 mi, 2,909 km)
Service ceiling: 52,100 ft (15,880 m)
Rate of climb: 8,000 ft/min (40.6 m/s)
Wing loading: 80.4 lb/ft² (308.3 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.72

Armament
Bombs:
1× Mark 27 nuclear bomb, B28 or B43 freefall nuclear bomb in internal weapons
bay
2× B43, Mark 83, or Mark 84 bombs on two external hardpoints


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I actually saw one of these at Lajes AFB (Azores) in the 60s. It was on display
for Armed Forces Day and one of the crew standing next to the plane said the
pilot had two bottles of Scotch in his bag on board next to his dress white
uniform.

He said the bottle exploded/leaked during the flight from the US rendering the
uniforms unwearable.





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