063 - A-5 Vigilante

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

00:00 Listener Q&A 18:35 A-5 Vigilante Interview

[@keatonluis9053]

i know it is kinda off topic but do anybody know a good website to watch new series online?

[@benedictmarco6242]

@Keaton Luis flixportal =)

[@keatonluis9053]

@Benedict Marco thank you, I went there and it seems like a nice service =) I really appreciate it!!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@keatonluis9053 kzbin.info/door/FRAt0yTBVXjWCfJDicOcsg

[@benedictmarco6242]

@Keaton Luis glad I could help =)

[@SpypilotSR-71]

RA-5C is definitely one of the most beautiful airplanes thrown off a boat. Awesome episode!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Some sleek lines for sure.

[@Snuckster2]

shes a big girl for sure

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@Snuckster2 Big and fast.

[@michaelcap9550]

The pride of Columbus.

[@NKBobcat]

Was an RA-5C plane captain in RVAH-6 and RVAH-12 in the 70's. Loved the Viggie.

[@christophermailloux4706]

Really nice to see lesser known aircraft on the show!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks. 🙏

[@B1900pilot]

They had a couple of them on a "stick"...One outside the BOQ at NAS Cubi Point, and another in front of the chow hall at NATTC Memphis. One of my college professors, also a retired O-6 flew the RA-5C in Vietnam...Beautiful airplane, and enjoyed the interview very much...

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks!

[@bobv5806]

There’s one at NAS Key West and Pax River, too.

[@tabascoindy5005]

A-5 vigilante episode with Vigilante 1982 movie with Vigilante 1988 arcade with Vigilante IPA(Bridger Brewing) equals great Vigilante saturday nite.

[@dhomer00007]

As a former Vigilante bombing system technician it's good to know the plane is not forgotten. I was assigned to VAH-7, the first operational squadron of the A3J, in 1961, straight out of A school at 20 years old. My memories of working on the Vigilante over the next three years and three cruises aboard the Enterprise were not that pleasant. That first dozen aircraft had a lot of issues. Just bugs that had to be worked out. For example, the plane had a very sophisticated guidance computer for the time, but the jolt of carrier landing would jiggle the printed circuit cards and cause the program to dump in a high percentage of time. That would require removing the 80+Lb computer, and carrying it down to the shop where they would hook it to a room sized Basic Automatic Checkout System (BASE) for reprograming. The plane was fine, but it was flown "seat of the pants" a lot of the time because state-of-the-art systems needed a lot of modifications to get them working right. I just happened to be with that first group to deal with it. Looking back now, it was a heck of an experience. Working the flight deck during air operations was a hoot. Watching videos and movies now of flight deck operations it's hard to remember that I actually lived it. And at nearly 80 years old I assume there are not many of us left, I'm glad you got first hand information from Captain Jellison. Thanks for a great presentation.

[@WhatisHealth-q7l]

My father worked on them as an AET and was on the team that loaded the nuke. They had a incident and I am now trying to get him VA benefits. CVN 65-1960-66. Thank you for your service.

[@keithava7498]

I was a brown shirt on the flight deck in Nam (68-72). the A-5's had a distinctive engine sound in the air an on deck from the rest of all other aircraft at that time. it sounded like a train coming out a tunnel. what a BEAUTIFUL designed aircraft.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

💪

[@jellison0069]

Fantastic episode Jell-o, and even though I spent my life growing up on fighter bases, this podcast gave me a far greater insight into the professional life of this particular Vigilante pilot - my badass Dad, Captain R. K. Jellison!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Excellent! Thanks for reaching out, David--your pops is a legend. 😎

[@MN6WS6]

David, I think you would love to talk to my dad, who was your dad's RAN for most of his missions on the Forrestal and Kitty Hawk.

[@jellison0069]

@@MN6WS6 I would! I'm seeing my Dad for Xmas this Sunday, and will ask him about your Dad. Also please give me your father's contact information as I would like to talk to him about his experiences in the Vigilante with my Dad. Cheers, David

[@MN6WS6]

@@jellison0069 email sent!

[@donno1970]

Great episode guys, I knew nothing about the A-5 until now, very interesting. Oh and great job Andy for this weeks guest host, well done.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Agreed, Andy rocked it (pun intended).

[@fenny1578]

This was absolutely fascinating, but as someone who is a fan of the lesser known navy birds an F3H Demon interview would be absolutely made of gold. It and the F-11 Tiger are basically completely forgotten in this age.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Perhaps someday...

[@Automatic_Otto]

Awesome! Please try to get an interview with the other carrier strategic bomber the A-3 Skywarrior next!

[@Primus54]

I don’t know how I missed this when it was first uploaded. I grew up just a few miles from Port Columbus (now John Glenn International) where the Vigilante was developed, tested, and produced so I’ve always been a big fan of it. In the very beginning of test flights there was no supersonic restrictions so sonic booms were an occasional occurrence. And I well remember some night test flights over Columbus with the reconnaissance version that had a super bright strobe flashing from the bottom. Great memories of my childhood. Great upload! 👍👍👍

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Awesome!

[@randysearle2702]

As for what may have carried on to other aircraft - the intake design and specifically the ramp design to slow supersonic air down for the turbine inlet is very similar to the F-14A - this makes sense because the TF-30s (of the Tom) were very efficient at high altitudes which was the same design envelope that the A-5 was designed to operate in. High Altitude/High speed cruise. Visually I think when you take a look at them with the F-14s intakes in mind you'll see a very similar profile, and I know that with both the Tom and the Vig - the engine is tucked way back in there. J79 and TF30 were both designed to operate in basically the same envelopes.

[@ShamuXEagleDriver]

Listener cohost, Andy, did a great job, he has the radio DJ voice down pat. Suggest an honorary FPP callsign of "Sticks" for supporting aviation & drums 😁

[@jamesmterrell]

Loved the Vigilante when I was in an F-4J squadron deployed on USS KITTY HAWK. I used to go up on Vulture's Row and watch landing operations. I saw an RA-5C land and didn't stop until the pilot looked like he stopped over the water. I expected the pilot and BN to eject. They didn't. Wow.

[@gkimmd1]

I've been enjoying your aviation talk show. I will be waiting for a story about A-3 Skywarrior.

[@jeffgreene4449]

sewing1234, I remember that RA-5C static display at NATTC Memphis. Thanks for the info. That's great to hear that they are restoring it. We marched past it on our way to classes while I was there for AMS "A" school in 1986. I thought I knew everything about Navy jets but I had never seen nor heard of the A-5 until then. Jello, I finished at the top of my AMS class and got to choose from the list of orders for my class. I chose the training squadron VFA-125 at Lemoore hoping that I would get a chance to take a ride in the backseat. I eventually got "back seat qualed" and took 6 rides. Lots of people hated VFA-125 but it was one hell of an operation--especially the Airframes Shop where I proudly worked. We broke operational records all the time as we got all those new and old pilots transitioned to the new Hornet.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

No doubt! Went through there a time or two myself. The "Rough Raiders" disestablished for awhile but are back now as the West Coast F-35 FRS.

[@X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X]

Thank you very much for an episode on this aircraft! This is one of the "coolest" aircraft there is (supersonic carrier-based nuclear bomber, does it get any better?) yet forgotten in public memory, it seems

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

You're right. When I tag aircraft on Instagram they usually have thousands of mentions already. The Vigi always comes up as "less than 100."

[@X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X]

@@FighterPilotPodcast To be perfectly honest, I had completely forgotten it as well...

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X Tragic! I hope we did it justice...

[@X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X]

@@FighterPilotPodcast I haven't had time to listen to it yet but given your previous podcasts, you certainly have!

[@MrDayjur]

How could the aerodynamic beauty and symmetry of the A5 Vigilante, ever be forgotten?

[@travistolbert2647]

Sounds like we need to do a listener episode Andrew on the Vigilante stories he has collected! lol Great episode gents thank you!

[@doncalypso]

Glad to see I guessed correctly at the hint given in the last podcast... The statement about carrier-borne bomber turned into recon was the giveaway.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

👍

[@johnmilner5485]

I think that the most interesting thing about military aviation to me is the maintenance personnel , the crew chiefs / plane captains and how beloved their individual aircraft was to them , how they literally had their pilots lives in their hands ,and how serious they took that commitment , and how damn much they LOVED their individual planes.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Then you'll enjoy this: www.fighterpilotpodcast.com/musing/just-thoughts/

[@johnmilner5485]

@@FighterPilotPodcast Thank you ! I'll check that out after this podcast.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@johnmilner5485 👍

[@LRRPFco52]

One of my favorites that was a common CV/CVN airframe back in the late 1960s/1970s (RA-5C). Soviets had KGB assets in the Canadian Avro Arrow program and used the nose section/radome from that, with fuselage design and wings that seem to be heavily inspired by the Vigilante when doing the design work on the MiG-25. There was a really good documentary that detailed the KGB penetration of the Avro Arrow I saw several years ago and how that fed into the MiG-25.

[@boBSsuperbirD70]

A5 in the movie The Final Countdown, sitting on the ramp, in the beginning of the movie, as the helicopter takes off.

[@terryboyer1342]

Great episode. Always loved the A-5C. Andy did a fantastic job!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

🙏

[@sewing1243]

The RA-5C pictured on the cover for this podcast is actually one of the few remaining Vigilantes in existence and is currently undergoing a restoration in Memphis Tennessee by James Jones and his crew at Visual Perfection &Towing and when complete will be placed on display at the former NAS Memphis (Millington-Memphis Airport (NQA) ). The Aircraft had been on Display at NSA Mid-South (the former NATTC Memphis, south side of Navy Road in Millington TN). 40 years of sun and bird guano had taken its toll on the aircraft so James and his guys have had to pretty much disassemble it. And for those interested in more info on flying the Vigilante, Cdr Robert "Boom" Powell, USN Retired has a book coming out any day now titled "Vigilante!: 1,200 Hours Flying the Ultimate US Navy Reconnaissance Aircraft. It can be found for pre-order on Amazon, B&N, and other book seller websites.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Good to know!

[@dougtripp4161]

For those that are interested, there are also RA5C on display at: Key West FL, Orlando FL, Pax River MD ( 1 off base, 1 on base), Schenectady NY ( this a/c was previously on USS Intripid Museum), Pueblo CO, Fallon NV, Midway Museum San Diego, and Castle Air Museum, Atwater CA

[@dougtripp4161]

And at the air museum at Pensacola FL, don't know I forgot that one.

[@NKBobcat]

@@dougtripp4161 That is 156643 which was the last one produced too. My RVAH community had a reunion there a few years ago.

[@dougtripp4161]

@@NKBobcat I was there Bob, had lunch with you.

[@Ripper13F1V]

When I emailed you and asked about the A5, didn't realize it was so close to release. It's almost like we're mind-melded. ha!

[@sequoyah59]

I think the most beautiful jet aircraft ever.

[@simflier8298]

Great story! Very pointy and sleek for an "A" designation

[@trespire]

Mach 2.5 will get you a pointy sleek design.

[@LtRiot]

Big sexy has finally made the podcast! Hooyah

[@Guysm1l3y]

Great episode, I remember getting a USS Nimitz Revell model as a kid that had little 1:720 scale aircraft and (thinking I knew it all) wondering what in the world this Buck Rogers looking halfway Tomcat looking but with a single tail and no swing wings jets were, assuming the model company was being lazy. And then having my little know-it-all mind blown that there was a dang nuclear strike bomber I had never heard of (this was in like the 80s). Also too bad about being before the era of callsigns, with Captain Jellison's name he could have been a fellow Jell-O!

[@cecilpotter1229]

My father let me as a kid around the A5 at Pax River Maryland flight test Navy it was a killer plane

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Lucky you!

[@lydialeigh9438]

The lead structural engineer of this plane passed away, December 12th, 2020 I have his original drafts of the Vigilante, I would like to donate these for others to enjoy, if anyone has any ideas, please let me know. Rest In Peace FLN. I miss you

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

www.navalaviationmuseum.org/

[@rodneypearce6113]

This thing when I was a kid was the coolest jet in the world! At that point it was already retired but it was awesome. But then, as a kid I couldn't get enough of carriers, and being Australian, Iseriously thought Australia was a backwater country for retiring the Melbourne :).

[@ktwei]

Great airplane and I won't mind listening to that 3 hour talk about the back seater. I find the job they do even more fascinating than the guy flying the thing.

[@dmutant2635]

Maybe you could do a show on the F-11 Tiger? Mostly famous as the Blue Angel's jet in the 50's and 60's. Even had it's own tv show! Like the Vigilante, it was a good looking jet.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

If it was a military aircraft and we have not covered it yet--it's fair game.

[@gustavorocha78]

Right on! Jello!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

You like?

[@gustavorocha78]

The Fighter Pilot Podcast yes sir! My father always liked the Vigilante! He is a retired helicopter pilot of the Brazilian Navy, At that time the Brazilian Navy did not have fixed wing aircraft. Even so, he has always studied a lot about naval aviation and usually admires the Vigilante, The Skyrider and the Phanton, of course. The Vigilante was a majestic aircraft, he said.

[@jimmorrison2783]

Couple things. 1. There is a display bird at the main gate of Fallon. 2. My dad served on the Connie during Vietnam. They used to have to go find wind because the A5 needed a certain amount of wind (he couldn't remember the exact amount) over the deck or they couldn't launch. He recalls that there were some days the Connie couldn't make up the difference so they didn't fly them those days.

[@Ripper13F1V]

Jello, as far as the F-18 or F-35, context: Phoenix missile range/performance with the Tomcat, keep in mind there is a program of record to give both platforms that exact capability. AIM-260, 2-way datalink, dual mode seeker, with advanced EW suite. This is an over the horizon weapon with better performance in terms of range and capability as the old Phoenix.

[@get2dachoppa249]

I served with a former Navy AD who was with RVAH-11 (Heavy 11) during its last Vietnam cruise on the Constellation. He told me something 20 years ago that I have only seen in one photograph since in that the RA-5C was capable of doing a "dump & burn" like the F-111.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Interesting...

[@greatzoglo]

I was thinking yesterday....would be nice if they made one on the Vigilante....and what do you know...I open my pc and there you have it!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

We read your mind, months ago!

[@NavyCWO]

I remember watching the RA-5Cs get lined-up on the cats. As the aircraft turned to line=up with the cat track, the cockpit would often be hanging-over the edge of the flight deck. The pilot would be hanging out over the ocean!

[@aaronryan553]

i appreciate what you guys have done. Simple question are you guys eventually going to do the b-47 my grandfather flew it in sac?

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

The standard answer to questions like yours is if the aircraft was operational and we can find a good guest, yes, it's on the list.

[@georgeburns7251]

Great interview. Wish you would ask what they did after leaving the military in future interviews.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

We sometimes do (did).

[@ligmaboo]

I need to see the picture of the SA-5 in flight :o

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

theaviationgeekclub.com/time-u-s-navy-ra-5c-vigilante-took-picture-sa-2-surface-air-missile-passing-just-104-feet-away-belly/

[@ligmaboo]

@@FighterPilotPodcast :)

[@uscustoms05]

Great interview

[@maximilliancunningham6091]

A favorite, such sleek lines. Beutifull Aircraft.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

For sure.

[@mobiuszero1018]

A real blast from the past and one of the lesser known birds too! P.S:I was right,I knew from the start that it was gonna be this thing!

[@samivwow]

hah, wasn't expecting a listener as a guest.... that was nice

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

And he did a good job!

[@Idahoguy10157]

At an air show in 1973 or 74. Included an RA-5C on static display. Talked to the pilot.

[@patrickchase5614]

Nitpick: The Shrike didn't have the ability to continue to guide if the radar was shit down. The contemporary Standard-ARM did, though.

[@cyclingnerddelux698]

I just found this channel. Seems to be my lucky day. Subscribe.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Welcome!

[@rudygarcia1493]

I'd like to give a shout out to Capt. Bob Jellison and let him know that a colleague of his and a good close friend of mine Cmdr. Jerry Ryman passed away a couple weeks ago, he was an A5 driver in Vietnam 66-68.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@rudygarcia1493 😢

[@advancedcavemen4104]

With carriers facing threats from longer range missiles I think bringing back the concept of a long range, supersonic, carrier based tactical bomber would be very useful. Something similar to the A5 but stealth and/or unmanned, that can also carry conventional bombs/missiles, would greatly expand the combat radius of carrier air wings, allowing them to operate further from enemy shores and to maintain their range advantage over the missiles of surface combatants. Range could be extended even further with the new refueling drone and a combination of stealth and supersonic speed would help the aircraft to be effective without fighter support.

[@trespire]

Don't know anything about the A-5, but judging by the design it looks like some serious kit. The navigator / RSO "buried" into the fuselage with those tiny windows is a giveaway.(edit) Great story, interesting guest. Thank you for sharing good job.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks. Hope you know something about the A-5 after this episode.

[@trespire]

Most certainly do now. Enjoyed it very much, will presented. And again thanks.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@trespire You're welcome!

[@victormanuelpolanco922]

The aircraft that effortlessly outrun her fighter escorts on missions feet dry!!!!.

[@randysearle2702]

oh and there's definitely a Vigi on the Midway :) Shes definitely the queen of the deck. Huge. The Tom is always the King of course :)

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Will have to go look!

[@baremetalmafia]

Randy, I don’t know if you know this. But you have just stated the obvious (a queen aircraft is one that doesn’t fly much for maintenance) since it is a static display, I’m sure this isn’t what you intended to point to. Still funny. As a former crew chief I found it funny anyway.

[@randysearle2702]

@@baremetalmafia no you're right, I hadn't intended to but she is the ultimate hangar queen! Just sitting there on her Golden Throne, panels open for parts that will never show lmao....

[@LRRPFco52]

Regarding the Fleet Air Defense mission and systems: Even the Block II Super Hornet working in conjunction with the F-35C brings a totally different and far more capable force mix to the table than the Tomcat ever could have. F-35C combat radius exceeds even the 2-tank D model Tomcat radius substantially, with theater-wide panoramic and multi-spectral SA covering everything from subsurface to low earth orbit contacts. There's an interview with one of the F-14D systems and weapons integration test pilots where he said he would take the F-14D with LANTIRN up against anything, except JSF, and that was years ago. He also said they encountered aerodynamic problems with the wing glove weapons stations when doing flight testing with the AMRAAM, which is one reason why the F-14 never got cleared or plumbed for fleet -120 use.

[@Fast85FoxGT]

This is the guy who flew the F3H Demon. I had incorrectly stated it was the A4 pilot guest. Get this man back on!

[@prosto_potomuwto]

The new type of cargo bay should have been easier, but was harder. Most often sticking to proven and classical technology is best.

[@dankuettel5063]

Maybe I missed it mentioned but the A-5 had a problem of retaining its payload in the "tube" during catapult launches..

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

We didn't cover that.

[@ligmaboo]

ya it went the other way

[@pontiacGXPfan]

The backseat has little side windows on either side and you can see almost nothing in front of or behind you. It's like a coffin

[@paralleler]

I helped restore a RA-5C Vigilante for static display at the Castle Air Museum. Here's a link to a video of the restoration: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZomuaYaGqpajZpY As always, thank you very much for your work! p.s., The museum also has a ten engine strategic bomber. The B-36 Peacemaker has six twenty-eight cylinder Pratt Whitney R-4360s and four turbojets. I have videos of the disassembly, transport, and reassembly of that aircraft on KZbin as well.

[@kentl7228]

Put twin fins on instead and it is almost a Mig 25... I always liked the Vigilante but I can see the bomb bay was a limited idea...

[@michaelmulligan0]

Has a bit of a resemblance to the F-111

[@jonathangibson9098]

Lets give him a call sign! I vote for "Jello".

[@alaskanmarine1]

F6F Hellcat has the highest kill ratio of WWII fighters and second only to the P-51 in total kills of 5,223.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Impressive.

[@Malibu1515]

The A-5 sounds like a Cadillac.

[@prosto_potomuwto]

I see no flaws with this plane, but do see them with F-15, and MiG-25.

[@terifarley4770]

F4U is slightly better than the F6F5 but the F6F5 Hellcat is my favorite WWII fighter from either the Navy or Marines.

[@horsemumbler1]

Better in terms of raw performance, but inferior as a carrier-born platform.

[@caseyholland7860]

Very little content about this bird out there

[@CaptAmerica12]

The Vigilante Was an Awsome Aircraft. Navy Brass screwed up design

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Well, North American is the firm the designed it so any design flaws would be on them, I'd think.

[@Fast85FoxGT]

This guy flew F3H Demons? Get him back on!!

[@yxeaviationphotog]

Great episode Jell-o! Definitely an aircraft that is not featured too much, when it comes to the Vietnam air war. Also, this might be of interest! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZomuaYaGqpajZpY

[@jpthomason]

I bet it irks you to no end...that you'll never fly the 22. lmao HAHAHAHAH

[@ericpress6192]

So you’re saying there is a chance!… to be on the show. I’m not sure he was far enough removed from aviation as some of the other listeners are 😂 he served in the Army too… I think you need a true civi to come on! Eh eh

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

We have had a couple.

[@ericpress6192]

@@FighterPilotPodcast don’t tell me! I’m only on episode 64… by the way I love this show. If you can’t tell from the comments lately! 😍

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@ericpress6192 🙏

[@terrywallace5181]

Hellcats get no respect.

[@danmallery9142]

Too bad he didn't have a call sign. Seems like "Jelly" would be a natural choice.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

True. Too late now, I suppose.