Douglas A-3 Skywarrior

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_A-3_Skywarrior

The Douglas A-3 Skywarrior was designed as a strategic bomber for the United
States Navy and was among the longest serving carrier-based aircraft in history.
It entered service in the mid-1950s and was retired in 1991. Throughout its
service, it was the heaviest operational aircraft to operate from aircraft
carriers, earning its nickname, "The Whale." Its primary function for much of
its later service life was as an electronic warfare platform, tactical air
reconnaissance platform, and high capacity aerial refueling tanker.

The Skywarrior is one of only two U.S. Navy attack aircraft intended as a
strategic bomber to enter full-scale service (the other being its predecessor,
the North American AJ Savage). The carrier-based supersonic North American A-5
Vigilante was also originally designed for strategic nuclear strike missions and
initially, very briefly, supplanted the A-3 in that role beginning in the early
1960s. However, with the removal of aircraft carriers from the Single Integrated
Operational Plan (SIOP), the realization that very high altitude penetration of
the Soviet Union was no longer feasible, and the transfer of the U.S. Navy's
strategic nuclear deterrence mission to the Fleet Ballistic Missile submarine
force, the Vigilante saw its mission changed to carrier-based tactical air
reconnaissance.

A modified derivative, the B-66 Destroyer, served in the U.S. Air Force until
the early 1970s as a tactical bomber, electronic warfare aircraft, and
reconnaissance platform.

The Skywarrior had a 36° degree swept wing and two Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojet
engines. Early prototypes had used the intended Westinghouse J40, a powerplant
that proved to be disastrous and subsequently canceled. The turbojets could be
supplemented by a provision for twelve 4,500 lbf (20 kN) thrust JATO bottles.
The aircraft had a largely conventional semi-monocoque fuselage, with the
engines in underwing nacelles. Flight controls were hydraulic, and for storage
below deck, the A-3's wings folded outboard of the engines, lying almost flat,
and its vertical stabilizer was hinged to starboard. Capacious internal fuel
tanks provided long range.


Role
Strategic bomber

Manufacturer
Douglas Aircraft Company

Designer
Ed Heinemann

First flight
28 October 1952

Introduction
1956

Retired
27 September 1991

Status
Retired

Primary user
United States Navy

Produced
1956–1961

Number built
282

Developed into
Douglas B-66 Destroyer

Skywarriors saw some use in the conventional bombing and mine-laying role (A-3B)
during the Vietnam War from 1964 through 1967, often to deliver 2000 lbs bombs.
The A-3 found subsequent service in the tanker (KA-3B, EKA-3B), photographic
reconnaissance (RA-3B), electronic reconnaissance (EA-3B), and electronic
warfare (EKA-3B) roles.

For most of the Vietnam War, EA-3Bs of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 1
(VQ-1) flew from Da Nang Air Base in South Vietnam, providing continuous
electronic reconnaissance capability over the area, including the Ho Chi Minh
Trail and all the way north to Haiphong harbor. This was known as VQ-1 "Det.B".
The aircrew and ground support personnel were temporarily assigned from their
home base at NAS Atsugi, Japan and after 1970, NAS Agana, Guam. After Det B was
disestablished, VQ-1 provided detachments of two EA-3B aircraft that deployed
with Western Pacific and Indian Ocean (WESTPAC/IO) bound aircraft carrier battle
groups up until the late 1980s when it was replaced by the Lockheed ES-3A
Shadow.

EA-3Bs remained in service long enough to participate in the first Gulf War in
1991. The Skywarrior was out of Navy service by September 1991, with the last
USN Skywarriors retiring on 27 September 1991. U.S. Navy RDT&E units, notably
Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) activities at NAS Point Mugu and NAWS China
Lake, attempted to retain their A-3 testbeds. This plan ultimately failed when
Vice Admiral Richard Dunleavy, as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air
Warfare and an old A-3 bombardier/navigator himself, made the final decision to
retire the type.

Specifications (A3D-2/A-3B Skywarrior)

General characteristics
Crew: 3
Length: 76 ft 4 in (23.27 m)
Wingspan: 72 ft 6 in (22.10 m)
Height: 22 ft 9½ in (6.95 m)
Wing area: 812 ft² (75.4 m²)
Empty weight: 39,409 lb (17,876 kg)
Loaded weight: 70,000 lb (31,750 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 82,000 lb (37,195 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney J57-P-10 turbojet, 10,500 lbf (46.7 kN) dry
(12,400 lbf (55.3 kN with water injection)) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 530 knots (610 mph, 982 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
Cruise speed: 452 knots (520 mph, 837 km/h)
Range: 1,826 nmi (2,100 mi, 3,380 km)
Service ceiling: 41,000 ft (12,495 m)
Wing loading: 86.2 lb/ft² (421 kg/m²)

Armament

Guns: 2 20 mm M3L cannon in the tail turret
Bombs: 12,800 pounds (5,800 kg) of free-fall bombs or mines, including any
combination of 12 500 pounds (230 kg) Mark 82 bombs or
6 1,000 pounds (450 kg) Mark 83 bombs or
8 1,600 pounds (730 kg) armor-piercing bombs or
4 2,000 pounds (910 kg) bombs
1 free-fall nuclear weapon




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