Grumman A-6 Intruder

Louis

Louis

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The Grumman A-6 Intruder was an American, twin jet-engine, mid-wing attack aircraft built by Grumman Aerospace. In service with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps between 1963 and 1997, the Intruder was designed as an all-weather medium attack aircraft to replace the piston-engined A-1 Skyraider.

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A-6 Intruders first saw action during the Vietnam War, where the craft were used extensively against targets in Vietnam. The aircraft's long range and heavy payload (18,000 pounds or 8,165 kilograms) coupled with its ability to fly in all weather made it invaluable during the war. However, its typical mission profile of flying low to deliver its payload made it especially vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire, and in the eight years the Intruder was used during the Vietnam War, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps lost a total of 84 A-6 aircraft of various series.

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The first loss occurred on 14 July 1965 when an Intruder from Attack Squadron 75 (VA-75) from the carrier USS Independence, flown by LT Donald Boecker and LT Donald Eaton, commenced a dive on a target near Laos. An explosion under the starboard wing damaged the starboard engine, causing the aircraft to catch fire and the hydraulics to fail. Seconds later the port engine failed, the controls froze, and the two crewmen ejected. Both crewmen survived.-

Of the 84 Intruders lost to all causes during the war, 10 were shot down by surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), two were shot down by MiGs, 16 were lost to operational causes, and 56 were lost to conventional ground fire and AAA. The last Intruder to be lost during the war was from Attack Squadron 35 (VA-35), flown by LT C. M. Graf and LT S. H. Hatfield, from the carrier USS America; they were shot down by ground fire on 24 January 1973 while providing close air support. The airmen ejected and were rescued by a Navy helicopter.-

General characteristics

Crew: 2 (pilot, bombardier/navigator)
Length: 54 ft 7 in (16.6 m)
Wingspan: 53 ft (16.2 m)
Height: 15 ft 7 in (4.75 m)
Maximum speed: 563 knots (648 mph, 1,040 km/h)


Armament

Hardpoints: 5 total: 4 wing and 1 fuselage with 18,000 lb (8,170 kg) load
Rockets:
2.75 in (70 mm) CRV7 Rocket Pod
5 in (127 mm) Zuni Rocket Pod
Missiles:
AIM-9 Sidewinder Air-to-air missiles
Air-to-ground missiles
AGM-45 Shrike
AGM-62 Walleye
AGM-65 Maverick
AGM-84 Harpoon
AGM-88 HARM
Bombs:
Mk 81 250 lb (113 kg) GP bombs
Mk 82 500 lb (227 kg) GP bombs
Mk 83 1,000 lb (454 kg) GP bombs
Mk-84 2,000 lb (907 kg) GP bombs
Mk-117 750 lb (340 kg) GP bombs
Mk-20 Rockeye II cluster bombs
CBU-89 GATOR mine cluster bombs
Mk 77 750 lb (340 kg) incendiary bombs
GBU-10 Paveway II laser-guided bombs
GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs
GBU-16 Paveway II laser-guided bombs
B61 nuclear bomb
B43 nuclear bomb
 
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My relationship with the A-6 predates my utilizing them for airstrikes while a FACman during my ToD. My mother worked for Kaiser Aerospace & Electronics, the company that made the VDI (Vertical Display Indicator) & HUD (Heads-Up Display) for the A-6, so I was familiar with what this aircraft could do long before I actually got to see it in action. After my ToD and return to the US, I went on to work for the same company.

A-6 VDIG.jpg VDI is in yellow highlight

[video=youtube;NwTAzFuVals]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwTAzFuVals[/video]
The music playing in this video is by Quicksilver Messenger Service, one of my favorite SF bands of the 60's.


We once ran an airstrike using a single A-6 at an altitude where you could barely see the plane, we were painting the target (hilltop) with a radio signal. The VDI would take the signal from the ground compute the airspeed and altitude of the aircraft and indicate to the pilot when he should release his payload. Afterwards I was on a patrol to that hilltop and the devastation was impressive. Had there been any troops on that hilltop, they would not have survived. Trees 3-4 feet in circumference were reduced to toothpicks, and not a single bomb had missed the target.
 
My relationship with the A-6 predates my utilizing them for airstrikes while a FACman during my ToD. My mother worked for Kaiser Aerospace & Electronics, the company that made the VDI (Vertical Display Indicator) & HUD (Heads-Up Display) for the A-6, so I was familiar with what this aircraft could do long before I actually got to see it in action. After my ToD and return to the US, I went on to work for the same company.

View attachment 7979 VDI is in yellow highlight

[video=youtube;NwTAzFuVals]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwTAzFuVals[/video]
The music playing in this video is by Quicksilver Messenger Service, one of my favorite SF bands of the 60's.


We once ran an airstrike using a single A-6 at an altitude where you could barely see the plane, we were painting the target (hilltop) with a radio signal. The VDI would take the signal from the ground compute the airspeed and altitude of the aircraft and indicate to the pilot when he should release his payload. Afterwards I was on a patrol to that hilltop and the devastation was impressive. Had there been any troops on that hilltop, they would not have survived. Trees 3-4 feet in circumference were reduced to toothpicks, and not a single bomb had missed the target.
 
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