1983 - A-7Es make history. See it here!

[PRB]

In April 1983, VA-94 flew their A-7Es from NAS Cubi Point to NAS Lemoore, CA. They stopped off at Guam, Wake, Midway, and Pearl. It was the first time a single-engine squadron had ever made a “Trans-Pac” flight. They were accompanied by some USAF KC-135s and two C-9s full of maintenance people and parts. Those of you who worked in A-7 squadrons know why, hehe. Here's a pic, taken between Hawaii and the West Coast. The pilot/photographer just posted this on our VA-94 Facebook page and I thought it was pretty cool.

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p575/GHJ9854/Airplanes/Trans-Pac_zps737d2aeb.jpg

[OBIO]

I have loved the A-7 since I was a wee lad and used to watch them flying about in the skies over south central Ohio doing training flights with the Ohio Air National Guard out of Rickenbacher Air Field. Of the "modern" military jets that I fly in FS9, the IRIS A-7 is at the top of the list and will remain there for a long long time.

Tim

[Willy]

Always liked to see the A-7s come onboard for refresher training on the Lexington.

[Navy Chief]

​long live da SLUFs! NC

[Daveroo]

Those of you who worked in A-7 squadrons know why

ok..i didnt but id like to know..please sir..(holds out porage bowl)fill it with knowledge ...also...ive never liked the A-7 per-say just because of its looks,so i dont know much about it...did it have a good combat record?

did it fly well?...im curious...

what is the differances between the A-7 and F-8...besides one being attack and one being fighter...they look close to the same animal to me....

[Typhoon Willy]

When I was on the Midway ('85-'87) we had two A-7E squadrons, VA-56 and VA-93, very cool plane, the A-7.

TW

[PRB]

Those of you who worked in A-7 squadrons know why

ok..i didnt but id like to know..please sir..(holds out porage bowl)fill it with knowledge ...also...ive never liked the A-7 per-say just because of its looks,so i dont know much about it...did it have a good combat record?

did it fly well?...im curious...

what is the differances between the A-7 and F-8...besides one being attack and one being fighter...they look close to the same animal to me....

Actually, after I wrote that I half expected somebody to challenge that statement. Between all the planes on the flight decks back then (F-14, A-6, A-3, A-7, S-3, E-2C) the A-7E probably had the lowest "maintenance man hours per flight hour" of all of them. But in a long flight of this kind, there was zero chance of none of the planes going "down" for maintenance along the way. So we carried spare parts, computers, INS units, flight control computers, light bulbs, hydraulic filters, spare tires, tools, maintenance pubs, rags, you name it. Besides, after each landing, and before the next flight there are required inspections that have to be done. It was a big operation. And without our USAF shipmates it may not have been possible. :salute:

I also noted the drop tanks carried on the outboard stations. I had to look in the NATOPS to "remember" that the A-7 could carry drop tanks on all but the two center wing stations.

The airframe was based on the successful F-8, but with a "no afterburner" engine, and stubby-er, since it didn't have to go supersonic. It was a very successful plane. Can't say how it flew, but all the pilots I know who flew it only say good things about it. It was a bomber, after all, so it won't win any air-to-air fights with F-14s or Migs. It flew in Vietnam, and it's last combat missions were in "Gulf War I" in 1991.

[Matt Wynn]

another fan of the SLUF here, many fond memories of seeing the things as a kid flying into visits at Larissa AB, something they still do to this day with their lovely SEA (South-East Asia) camouflage, blue-white-blue roundels and that shape... i love that shape... makes me miss Greece and seeing these birds.... and if i recall are the last Active A-7's out there globally (Active by military usage) as i think Thailand have pretty much retired theirs..

[Great Ozzie]

So the A-7 is quite the maintenance hog eh? Although the A-7 not the prettiest girl on the dance floor, a beauty nonetheless.

Thanks for posting. For the life of me I could not remember for some time now that Air Station at Subic (sure I could have googled but... more fun the A-HA! moment). When at Subic, we would stay at the Upper MAU Camp... quite neat as a great view of the bay and Cubi. I like to walk the flightline when I had the chance... a lot of P-3s there I remember.

Not sure if I was there in April... Christmas of '83 thru New Years yes for sure... and sometime earlier that year... maybe Feb or March? Interesting as when I was a little pissant tooling about the base, these guys getting ready for that flight.

-Rob


Edit: just saw what you wrote above about the maint... thanks for that info.

[OBIO]

Personally....I think the A-7 was the best looking jets of its day....and to this day I think the SLUF is much better looking than the F-22 and F-35 by many miles. But then again, I like my jets the way I like my women.....shorter and a bit thicker built!

Tim

[PRB]

So the A-7 is quite the maintenance hog eh? Although the A-7 not the prettiest girl on the dance floor, a beauty nonetheless.

Thanks for posting. For the life of me I could not remember for some time now that Air Station at Subic (sure I could have googled but... more fun the A-HA! moment). When at Subic, we would stay at the Upper MAU Camp... quite neat as a great view of the bay and Cubi. I like to walk the flightline when I had the chance... a lot of P-3s there I remember.

Not sure if I was there in April... Christmas of '83 thru New Years yes for sure... and sometime earlier that year... maybe Feb or March? Interesting as when I was a little pissant tooling about the base, these guys getting ready for that flight.

-Rob


Edit: just saw what you wrote above about the maint... thanks for that info.

I remember "Upper MAU" and all those places. When we were staying there we were in the barracks on top of the hill. After I made CPO, and could go into the Chief's mess, I remember the view of the bay and the airfield was great. Looking down on planes landing! Remember riding in the base taxi cabs? All we ever heard on the cab's radio was the female dispatcher saying "Beneeckti-kahn, come eeeen?" Dang, I'll never forget that! :icon_lol:

[PRB]

At first I was unimpressed with the diminutive and stubby little plane, but it grew on me over the years. In the last days of the A-7s, in the early 1990s, seeing a section come in fast and do their break turn to land at NAS Lemoore, showing that plan form shape, I though looked dam pretty! :icon_lol:

[Victory103]

Great read on the haul, always a SLUF fan and only got to see them in Thai service by the time I came into the Navy, but at least got to see one fly.

So who's going to try this in FS with the RAZBAM or Iris model?

[TARPSBird]

Remember riding in the base taxi cabs? All we ever heard on the cab's radio was the female dispatcher saying "Beneeckti-kahn, come eeeen?" Dang, I'll never forget that! :icon_lol:
Paul, I pulled liberty in Subic numerous times from 1968 through 1971, then was stationed at Cubi 1972-73. I know exactly the female taxi dispatcher you're referring to, and believe it or not that girl kept her job through three different on-base taxi companies. Now that's job security! :icon_lol:

[Great Ozzie]

I remember "Upper MAU" and all those places. When we were staying there we were in the barracks on top of the hill. After I made CPO, and could go into the Chief's mess, I remember the view of the bay and the airfield was great. Looking down on planes landing! Remember riding in the base taxi cabs? All we ever heard on the cab's radio was the female dispatcher saying "Beneeckti-kahn, come eeeen?" Dang, I'll never forget that! :icon_lol:

Yeah it was fun to watch that traffic Paul. Excellent you made Chief. You must have been a lifer. :icon_lol:

Most impressive thing I remember is some sort of fighter getting about half-way down the runway then pulling straight into the vertical. I mean it was like a rocket. I'll never forget that (until I become senile).

I walked (or ran) everywhere as Subic. I cannot remember once taking a cab. Lol I can't even remember cabs being there. Maybe we did take cabs from the gate to the MAU camp, but I just don't have a recollection of that (maybe I am getting senile). I do remember the jeepneys in town (Olongapo) which I did shoehorn myself into from time to time.

This is way OT I know... but I got to quote what I just saw in wiki:

"Sailors of the war remember talented Filipino musicians and singers, inexpensive San Miguel beer, attractive teen-age prostitutes, erotic floor shows, Jeepney rides back to the naval base and children diving for coins tossed from the bridge over the estuarine drainage channel in front of the naval base main gate." Waahoo...

We had another name for that "estuarine drainage channel" which modesty (and probably forum rules) prevent me from posting here. There used to be River Queens (a gal in a like a wedding dress in small canoe like thing - I am sure you know exactly what I am talking about) that would hold out net when guys would toss Pesos at them. Wiki forgot to mentioned "Marines" and don't know that I would describe the singers as "talented". Also, I don't know what is worse... a hangover from that San Miguel or a case of Malaria. Some things better left in the dark recesses of my memory.

Don't know if you saw that... I think it happened prior to my third pump (Westpac '83-'84) but I reckon it was the base that erected a big steel barrier painted (lol appropriately) an ugly brown on the side of the bridge so one could no longer "toss" Pesos to the Queens. We were warned if we ever fell in (into the "drainage channel") that after the decon showers (similar to after having been radiated by nuclear fallout) we would be getting shots and borescoped for weeks while being laid up in the dispensary.

You know Paul... if you were on the Big E in '83, our phibron could have been been a part of some exercises with you. I remember at least once being close enough to see a carrier (must have just a couple miles away). I also got some pics of a Russian Bear flying overhead - escorted by a pair of fighters in tight trail... an A-7 and the other I'd have to look at the pic to see (F-14 maybe?). Everyone topside was giving the Bear the "universal greeting". Not me tho... really! The Good Lord had collared me by then and I was trying hard to mend my ways... really!



Paul, I pulled liberty in Subic numerous times from 1968 through 1971, then was stationed at Cubi 1972-73.

LOL ok... ok...

I am going to pull a Sgt. Schultz and start a "I know noth-THING!" :monkies: