A-7 Corsair II. The American subsonic light attack aircraft by Ling-Temco-Vought | Upscaled Video

The LTV A-7 Corsair II is an American carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV).
The A-7 was developed during the early 1960s as replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its design was derived from the Vought F-8 Crusader; in comparison with the F-8, the A-7 is both smaller and restricted to subsonic speeds, its airframe being simpler and cheaper to produce. Following a competitive bid by Vought in response to the United States Navy's (USN) VAL (Heavier-than-air, Attack, Light) requirement, an initial contract for the type was issued on 8 February 1964. Development was rapid, first flying on 26 September 1965 and entering squadron service with the USN on 1 February 1967; by the end of that year, A-7s were being deployed overseas for the Vietnam War.
Initially adopted by USN, the A-7 proved attractive to other services, soon being adopted by the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Air National Guard (ANG) to replace their aging Douglas A-1 Skyraider and North American F-100 Super Sabre fleets. Improved models of the A-7 would be developed, typically adopting more powerful engines and increasingly capable avionics. American A-7s would be used in various major conflicts, including the Invasion of Grenada, Operation El Dorado Canyon, and the Gulf War. The type was also used to support the development of the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk.
The A-7 was also exported to Greece in the 1970s and to Portugal in the late 1980s. The USAF and USN opted to retire their remaining examples of the type in 1991, followed by the ANG in 1993 and the Portuguese Air Force in 1999. The A-7 was largely replaced by newer generation fighters such as the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The final operator, the Hellenic Air Force, withdrew the last A-7s during 2014.
In 1960, officials within the United States Navy (USN) began to consider the need to replace its existing fleet of Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, a light attack aircraft.At that time, it was not clear that the A-4 would eventually remain in production until 1979; furthermore, according to aviation authors Bill Gunston and Peter Gilchrist, some figures believed there to be an unmet requirement for a more capable attack platform that could routinely attain supersonic speeds, carry heavier payloads, and fly further than its predecessors. Proponents of a new attack aircraft included Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, who urged the Navy's consideration on the matter.
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 46 ft 2 in (14.06 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 9 in (11.8 m)
Width: 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) wings folded
Height: 16 ft 1 in (4.9 m)
Wing area: 374.9 sq ft (34.83 m2)
Airfoil: NACA 65A007 root and tip
Empty weight: 19,127 lb (8,676 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 41,998 lb (19,050 kg) overload condition.
Fuel capacity: 1,338 US gal (5,060 l; 1,114 imp gal) (10,200 lb (4,600 kg)) internal
Powerplant: 1 × Allison TF41-A-2 non-afterburning turbofan engine, 15,000 lbf (66.7 kN) thrust
Performance
Maximum speed: 600 kn (690 mph, 1,100 km/h) at sea level
562 kn (1,041 km/h; 647 mph) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m) with 12x Mk82 bombs
595 kn (1,102 km/h; 685 mph) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m) after dropping bombs
Range: 1,070 nmi (1,231 mi, 1,981 km) maximum internal fuel
Ferry range: 1,342 nmi (1,544 mi, 2,485 km) with maximum internal and external fuel
Service ceiling: 42,000 ft (13,000 m)
Rate of climb: 15,000 ft/min (76.2 m/s)
Wing loading: 77.4 lb/sq ft (378 kg/m2)
Thrust/weight: 0.50 (full internal fuel, no stores)
Sustained maneuvering performance: 5,300 ft (1,600 m) turning radius at 4.3g and 500 kn (930 km/h; 580 mph) at an All Up Weight (AUW) of 28,765 lb (13,048 kg)
Take-off run: 1,705 m (5,594 ft) at 42,000 lb (19,000 kg)
Armament
Guns: 1× M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm (0.79 in) rotary cannon with 1,030 rounds
Hardpoints: 6× under-wing and 2× fuselage pylon stations (for mounting AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs only) with a capacity of 15,000 lb (6,800 kg) total capacity, with provisions to carry combinations of:
Rockets: 4× LAU-10 rocket pods (each with 4× 127 mm (5.00 in) Zuni rockets)
Missiles: *** 2× AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile
2× AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile
2× AGM-62 Walleye TV-guided glide bomb
2× AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile
2× AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile
2× GBU-8 HOBOS electro-optically guided glide bomb
Bombs: *** Up to 30× 500 lb (230 kg) Mark 82 bombs or Mark 80 series of unguided bombs (including 6.6 lb (3 kg) and 31 lb (14 kg) practice bombs)
Paveway series of laser-guided bombs
Up to 4× B28, B43, B57, B61 or B83 nuclear bombs
Other: up to 4 × 300 US gal (1,100 l; 250 imp gal), 330 US gal (1,200 l; 270 imp gal), or 370 US gal (1,400 l; 310 imp gal) drop tanks
#corsair #a7 #A7corsair

[@Dronescapes]

Click the link to watch more aircraft, heroes and their stories, missions: kzbin.info/aero/PLBI4gRjPKfnNx3Mp4xzYTtVARDWEr6nrT

[@joemoore4027]

Great aircraft. I spent 4 years in attack squadron VA-146 ( the "Blue Diamonds " ) working on the A7E aboard the carrier USS Constellation in the 1970's. In fact in your video at time stamp 23.58 aircraft #302 in formation with #311 was my plane I was responsible for. I still have a picture of myself in the cockpit running the engine after needed repairs . After 40 years in aviation I still miss the Corsair. You could beat the hell out of the plane and it still kept going. Some say it was ugly but, it was beautiful to me and it never failed in it's mission in bombing the ...... out of someone. You can keep your F18's, I'll take an A7E any day. Thank you so much for your video sir, it brought a tear to my eye seeing my plane again. J.M. U.S.N, ex-Diamond.

[@Dronescapes]

Thank you for your kind comment and for sharing your experience, and most importantly, thank you for your service Joe

[@Mr11131989]

I too was an A7-E mechanic assigned to VA-146 in the mid 1980's . We had some of the oldest airframes in the fleet, but we kept em flying. Glad to serve behind you shipmate!

[@enricomandragona163]

Kudo's my buddy was on the Connie same time you were however he was a snipe!!

[@glennpupino4890]

Definitely not ugly. A great airplane!

[@dicksatan6444]

How’s it going?

[@44WillysMB]

Sure is nice that you squeezed in 8.5 minutes of the A7 Corsair II into your 24 minute video about the A7 Corsair II .

[@keimahane]

@15:48 spot the A-7 in this shot...

[@playingbadgolfwell9732]

Just what I was about to write. Absolutely ridiculous.

[@patrickhale424]

The F4U Corsair and the A7 Corsair 2 are two of the best aircraft ever built. Both rugged and tough as well as really cool looking!!! They were amazing and had awesome service records!!!

[@enricomandragona163]

Agreed

[@possumteeth1692]

Agreed

[@LexlutherVII]

we need a stealthy version of it😎🤍

[@jasonshuster4748]

In bootcamp at RTC Orlando in Oct 1993 they had a missing man table. One was for a Huey pilot and the other was for Cdr Thomas Earl Dunlop. His A-7 was shot down 4/6/72 and the pilot was the Coral Sea’s CAG or commander of Air Wing 15. The aircraft (call sign Beefeater 300) was on a road reconnaissance mission about seven miles south of Dong Hoi when it was destroyed by a SAM. The section of two A-7s had approached from the sea under broken cloud and poor visibility and ran into intense ground fire. Soon after starting their reconnaissance the Corsairs encountered intense AAA and received SAM warnings then the wingman saw Cdr Dunlop’s aircraft take a direct hit from a SAM. The Corsair exploded and hit the ground near the Kien Giang River and no parachute was seen or beeper heard to indicate that the pilot had been able to eject. The crash site was not located until 2003 and subsequent excavations recovered wreckage, personal effects and human remains. The remains were identified as being those of Cdr Dunlop and buried in Arlington National Cemetery on 21 March 2005. Cdr Dunlop was the sixth and last CAG to be lost during the war. Five of them were shot down while the sixth died in the Oriskany fire.

[@enricomandragona163]

Great story!!⚓

[@davidwemyss7303]

A great aircraft flown by the best, OUR BEST, honors to those aviators, prepare to render honors...taps

[@fortyfour6626]

This is the plane that made me fall in love with aviation. I remember being 4-5 years old. It was a bright sunny blue sky summer day and I was laying in the grass in my backyard. I vividly remember hearing a very deep rumbling sound. Just then, 2 A7s came streaking above me at what was probably 2,000 feet. Both were on their sides from my perspective. Just as they were above me, one pulled harder into the turn leaving these “white streamers” as I called it off both wing tips. Got my first adrenaline buzz from an airplane that day. I lived in Northwest Ohio and back in the 1980s the ANG base in Swanton OH had A-7s…..The Stingers. They’ve since changed to the F-16 there which is a gorgeous more capable plane but doesn’t even get close to the amount of “personality” the A7 had.

[@jpteknoman]

The last of Greece's A-7 is now a museum piece in the Fighter Pilot School in Athens. Once a year its open to the public for an air show and you can see all the retired planes lined up out on the taxiways. On most of them there is the date of their last flight handwritten by their pilot on their side

[@arkas6797]

Τα κακά στόματα λένε ότι οι Έλληνες αναγνωρίζοντας τις τεράστιες δυνατότητες του αεροσκάφους τα διατηρούν μυστικά ετοιμοπόλεμα. Πάντα τα κακά στόματα...

[@ZedThorson]

My grandfather built those planes. You’re still my favorite today.

[@johnfroybaljr1205]

Excellent for close air support. We had those in Panama 80. It was like they could float in the air. They would look for the Huyes tucked in jungle mountain clearings. One would pass by barley heard the engine. There was the camouflage green. Awsome.

[@tommyblackwell3760]

I remember seeing a few when I was in Panama in 91, pretty sure they were Reserve/NG only by that time.

[@Riverplacedad1]

My dad and I both worked for LTV (me during college) and I went on to fly it in VA195. Great weapons delivery platform, and very defensive because the lack of power. And the high bypass engine made it harder to keep on speed on approaches. But single seat Light Attack was a great mission and flying low levels in the western US was surreal

[@charlespenny7059]

Wonderful aircraft for the time. I worked on them for 17 years at Myrtle Beach, Korat Thailand, Davis Monthan, England AFB, and Nellis. Avionics Big 8 backshop.

[@keithsurdyke2535]

I also worked on A7Ds at myrtle Beach with the 354th TFW from 74 til 76 on the avionics (automatic flight controls system specialist). Basically power steering and the auto pilot system. Also did TDY at Howard AFB in Panama for about 6 months. Was scheduled to go to Korat RTAFB in Thailand in 75 but that TDY was canceled after Saigon fell in late April 75. The SLUF (short little ugly fellow) was a great plane and technologically advanced for its time and had the lowest loss rate of any plane during the Vietnam conflict. Probably not telling you much that you already didn't know. We usually used a different word for fellow in SLUF. Peace

[@Flamingo79295]

My dad was a topgun pilot in the A7 just prior to the F/A 18 in the navy. RIP dad.

[@Dronescapes]

Bless him

[@TRONABORON]

🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@anthonylessard6534]

In the 1970's and early 80's they used to fly out of Fallon NAS and used the terrain around the Walker River Indian Reservation just south of the air base. These guys would fly so low, that you could see their smiling faces and a quick wave from them as they zoomed by. Not a month or two would go by that one of the pilots overestimated their ability and would "lawn dart" into the surrounding hills. Some pilots would eject, but most never made it out. Went to quite a few sites where there was only twisted metal left, and to say a quick prayer for their souls. Still remember them to this day.

[@keimahane]

I absolutely loved watching this beauty take off and land on the USS Ranger and USS Midway during my first few years in the Navy in the early 1980's. Not sure why, but I have always been amazed it.

[@rickus7843]

I was in a hornet squadron in the late 90s all the guys who worked on A7s spoke of them fondly and bragged how easy they where to maintain.

[@Barnekkid]

Thanks for clearing away my Corsair/Crusader confusion.

[@Dronescapes]

Glad to help!

[@michaelkelly1251]

I grew up in Marietta. My Father worked at Lockheed, I saw these jets fly all the time. When you heard one you know what it was, I worked a place that was right on the flight line they used to come into Dobbins. AFB. One evening around 1989 I watched one fly over making a different sound and had no lights on, It was barely about 100 feet over the buildings. It crashed about a mile away. If he had 50 more feet of altitude he would have landed on an emergence strip that was a shut down runway. I have a special love for this jet. The sound I heard was the drop down APU I was the perfect Eye witness, But I was at work when it happened, and the crash held up many of customers that were on the way to where I worked. for a scheduled event. If I had a choice to fly one of these or an F-18 I would probably loose my mind trying to decide. This is a cool Jet!

[@Dronescapes]

Thank you for sharing your memories!

[@enricomandragona163]

Did the pilot eject ok?

[@michaelkelly1251]

@@enricomandragona163 No Sir I am sorry to say he lost his life staying with the jet to the last minute steering it away from a more populated spot at the last minute saving a lot of lives that included several children.

[@enricomandragona163]

He's a Hero!! ⚓

[@screamingnighthog7155]

My dad fought in the Korean War with the US 7th Cavalry. I asked him if he saw much air support and he said air support was very scarce. He did mention there were a couple of times that a pair of F4U Corsairs made a bombing/strafing run on some dug in hilltop NK positions. He said it was much appreciated.

[@sw40c]

The Army never operated the Corsair. They were prohibited by the Key West Agreement. Indeed, they were prohibited to operate any fast movers. Kind of a key mistake in research/accuracy there…

[@MarinBarisic-s5n]

So Key West was for Jasenovac?

[@danieljoseph255]

Whoever wrote the script was conflating the Marine Corps with “Army” dogs

[@DanRodgick1]

Why did you skip over the A-7D and A-7K for the Air National Guard? We had them from 1970's to 1994. They were upgraded with Flirs and a very competent bomber and with the turbofans, very hard to track by heat signatures. They were great aircraft!

[@enricomandragona163]

Agreed

[@randykelso4079]

The one mention I caught in the video referred to the "army's A9D", an obvious mistake which should have read "Air Force's A7D". Of course, the Guard should have been included.

[@enricomandragona163]

@@randykelso4079 agreed

[@joshnelson4953]

My grandfather flew A7’s in Vietnam war off the midway carrier. He passed away before I was born but this video gives me a glimpse into his world. Thank you for posting and thank you to everyone for your service 🇺🇸🫡 PS please let me know if anyone has any ideas of the best places to research my grandfather further :)

[@Dronescapes]

Bless him Josh

[@aaaeee2862]

My father used to build the A-7 Corsair 2 in the LTV plant in Dallas, Tx, for the war in Vietnam, back in the mid to late sixties.He said that the edge of the wing was so sharp, that the guys would bleed without knowing, he gave them an idea, of a rubber cover, but I don’t know if they took his advice into consideration.I never asked him. God rest his soul 🙏

[@bbrut3332]

I worked QC in the electronics department after leaving the USAF in 68 and may have worked with your Dad. Sorry for your loss.

[@aaaeee2862]

@@bbrut3332 Thank you 🙏 My father also retired from the Air Force, they most likely met. My father was a welder. He was stationed in Denver, Colorado..Most likely Lowery. He was there from 1954-1958 around that time. He did not like to talk to much about his Air Force experience.. I usually had to get him to talk about his experiences. My grandfather got cancer, he needed my father..My father resigned. I loved jets, since a little kid, Honestly, my father had nothing to do with it. My older brother grew up liking muscle cars. He likes nascar also.My father told me stories. He said he had close calls with, jets that crash landed..One time a wheel almost hit him and his friend, instantly would have killed them ,or severely injure them.I also built Jet models since I was a kid, YES Vietnam aircraft, I guess because I was born in 1970. Believe it or not, I never have built a A-7 Corsair 2 Model kit..I don’t know..It’s kinda of an ugly and slow jet, I guess🤷‍♂️ If you read all my story I appreciate it. I would like to hear about your story also, if you like.

[@CherieFlemingHorrigan]

My Dad worked there as well! Mike Fleming was his name he was project manager of the PVRs on the ISS.

[@aaaeee2862]

@@CherieFlemingHorrigan If you are talking about mid to late sixties, he was probably my fathers boss. My father “ maybe” said that he got paid 15 bucks an hour, but I googled 15 in 1965.. it’s 127 dollars an hour..Not possible. He probably meant five bucks an hour. I was young when I asked him this question’s. Like I said he didn’t like to talk about too much about military stuff.I always had to persuade him to talk to me about it.

[@esitu5655]

That sharp wing leading edge was on the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. A-7 Corsairs had a rounded wing leading edge. No need for a sharp, thin, edge since it was subsonic.

[@dougtaylor7724]

Have met two A7 pilots. One was retrained for a F18 and the other was too old for retraining and retired. Both spoke very highly of the A7.

[@michaelhowell2541]

I built a few in Dallas in the late 60's. Tough bird!

[@Dronescapes]

Wow, any anecdote you are able to share?

[@bbrut3332]

Work electronics in mid to late 68 also.

[@gort8203]

The F4U Corsair did not replace the F6F Hellcat on carriers. The Hellcat was actually the more recent design and they operated as contemporaries.

[@tricosteryl]

The hellcat was so good that the production was stopped immediately at the end of the war and the entire production scrapped at the speed of light, whereas the Corsair remained in service and continued to be produced for a few years. The Corsair was much more advanced on nearly everything. So you're right when saying the Corsair did not replace the hellcat, the Corsair survived and the Hellcat did not. The Corsair was moved to second rank missions and survived in these roles, in the US and in other countries. The Hellcat was excellent and cheaper than the Corsair, but was definitively an aircraft of the past ;) even being the pinacle of a generation. The Hellcat was the hi-end of a concept and there was no further development possible. For the Corsair, il was different because the design was overall much more modern.

[@andrewlabat9963]

@@tricosteryl But his statement is still true. They were hoping the Corsair could replace the Wildcat, but was awful from carriers, and the Hellcat, while it's service did end right after the war, did what the Navy wanted in the first place. It shot down more enemy aircraft than all other Pacific theater aircraft. So he's correct, but you can say the Bearcat was the adaptation of the Hellcat..

[@tricosteryl]

@@andrewlabat9963 i dont think there is anything common between the bearcat and the hellcat, except the 3 last letters.

[@tricosteryl]

@@andrewlabat9963 The Corsair was not awfull on carriers, it just needed more skilled pilots, in other words what the Navy needed was an easy to handle aircraft and the hellcat was perfect for this. I've never read anything stating that the Corsair was intended to replace the Hellcat. It may be a possibility that was raised, but not a project. Or may be you gave sources and they will be welcome ;) And the correct statement about shooting more ennemy planes is sadly meaningless.

[@ndx6779]

@@tricosteryl He's saying that the Hellcat is a newer design and not a superior design. Which is right, look at the dates of their first flights. Nothing more and nothing less.

[@arkas6797]

It is like a bulldog, it has the beauty of ugliness but the strength of a rhinoceros. In its path it is leveling.

[@Dronescapes]

👍

[@cleekmaker00]

The good old SLUF. Used to see these around Buckley AFB in the 80's, and the Gunsmoke winner "Speedwell" is on display at Wings Across the Rockies Air Museum in Denver.

[@YourHrntFixr]

VA-86 AE/TS from1984-1988, A-7E. Miss it everyday. No Slack in Light Attack!

[@brucehemming9749]

Great video, superb job with all the footage. Thanks for sharing 👍🍻

[@Dronescapes]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@pistitoth1363]

Mondjuk ki az őszintét, jó gépek ! Voltak . És érdekes .

[@jimattrill8933]

You fail to mention (of course) that the A7D for the USAF and the A7E for the Navy used a Rolls-Royce Spey engine licence-made by Allison. The Spey without afterburner was used in the British F4 Phantoms. Allison eventually became part of RR.

[@enricomandragona163]

@@kennethhamilton5633 correct!!

[@enricomandragona163]

Wrong!! The AB you Saw at the end of the video was an Experimental aircraft with a J-79 GE engine!!!!! For export only!! That was some hotrod!!

[@privatepilot4064]

@@kennethhamilton5633 The TF-41 engine was a Rolls Royce design license built by Allison out of Indianapolis. I used to to do hot sections on them in AIMD Lemoore TAD from VA-146 in the 70s.

[@aplusservice]

​@@kennethhamilton5633 Bro, the TF41 was a Spey 🤣

[@johnthomas2485]

The F4U Corsair was to replace the Gruman F4 Wildcat, the F6F Hellcat was a contemporary of the Corsair.

[@garymatthews1280]

Not quite. The Wildcat was deployed first. Than the F6F Hellcat and the Corsair were implemented at about the same time. But both of those planes were too big for the smaller carrier escorts. So the later Wildcats (FM-2) continued in service on the smaller carriers. Grumman was working on the F8F Bearcat to replace the Wildcats on the smaller carriers, had the war continued.

[@luissousa9251]

Portuguese A-7A/B were upgraded to D/E level and they were 50 in both A-7 and TA-7, Greek A-7 witch most were also upgraded from A/B models even TA-7, were initially H but after the USN started to retire their E model they bought several E model, but they were all with the same capabilities of D/E models in exception of portuguese P models that retained Both 20mm canons instead of the vulcan gun.

[@ericmowrey6872]

Switzerland wanted the A7 Corsair. Back in the early '70's, '71 or '72, the Swiss looked to replacing the aging British Hawker Hunters as a ground support aircraft. They invited bids for trials and chose the French Jaguar and the A7. After a number of flight and bombing tests the Corsair won out. Swiss pilots were very impressed with not only the payload and accuracy but also with the price, the radar, avionics and aiming system of the Corsair. It beat the Jaguar quite soundly in all categories...however.. However, the French government, though losing fairly, put up such a diplomatic fuss that the Swiss weren't buying a European aircraft etc.,etc. that the Swiss just said ok and put off buying any replacement and keeping the Hunter well into the 1980's.

[@pb68slab18]

I remember looking into the Mouth of Death, the intake of the A-7 and seeing that first turbine blade, whenever I walked by one as a Navy AO. Made me think of the shredded cheese on a pizza.

[@brightw]

We had a plane captain sucked up the intake. It happened on Med cruise, 71 or 72 can't remember which. I was an AE in VA-87. He lived for a short time. The corpsman said he should have been dead when they brought him to sick bay.

[@skeggjoldgunnr3167]

In the 80's I was a 16P-10 Air Defense Artillery Chaparral missile gunnery crewman - Aircraft recognition was my natural genius. I could tell the difference between a 1/4 second view of the silhouette in the clouds between an SU-17 and that of a MiG-21. I always KNEW the A7 and F8 were the same plane!

[@Dronescapes]

👍🙏

[@gregorymaupin6388]

VA-37 Bull A-7E Troubleshooter AE2 I loved my job miss doing even at 57. She was a pain in the butt sometimes but we loved her and we had a great squadron, at one point the Schlitz Malt Liquor Bull made a commercial using a few of our jets but the Secretary of the Navy decided not to allow it because of it put a bad light on drinking and driving. No slack in light attack!

[@joebarber4030]

VA-37 Bull A-7E AME2 Night Check, Troubleshooter working that deck at night never thought I’d miss it. Most exciting time of my life. In VA-37 from 74 thru 76

[@gregorymaupin6388]

@@joebarber4030 85-90 and I agree

[@enricomandragona163]

We're you ever on the Forrestal ?

[@gregorymaupin6388]

@@enricomandragona163 affirmative from 85-90

[@enricomandragona163]

@@gregorymaupin6388 awesome I was on her before her SLEP !! 81-84! Did Forrestal fly F-4's still? All we had was Phantoms and A-7's besides the regular aircraft...no Tomcats

[@lenyfreeman3807]

In the final scene, it shows an A7 taking off with after burner. I don't know what model that was because I worked on A7s from 70-73 and I never saw an AB on the A7. I worked on the As and Bs as an AMH and those suckers leaked hydraulic fluid like crazy when on the ground.

[@enricomandragona163]

It was an Experimental with a J-79 GE hotrod for export!!

[@randykelso4079]

Vought aircraft earned a reputation as hydraulic leakers. The F7U, F-8 and A-7s are examples. During the Vietnam War our squadron flew F-8Ds from the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) and the standing joke was that the Russians had developed an HOHF missile designed especially for taking down Vought aircraft. HOHF stood for "Home On Hydraulic Fluid". 😁

[@Thetequilashooter1]

When I was a kid I lived near an AFB that had A-7s. I just remember them being very loud.

[@Dronescapes]

🙂😎

[@shoominati23]

As they used to say in Vietnam days - When you run out of F8s - you've run out of fighters!

[@gort8203]

The variable incidence wing of the F-8 does not allow the wing to assume a higher angle of attack or produce more lift. The design of the wing itself sets those limits. What the variable incidence does do it allow the fuselage to assume a lower pitch angle when the wing is at its optimum angle of attack during approach and landing. This improves pilot visibility over the nose, and also allows a shorter main landing gear to provide the necessary tail clearance. Lighter landing gear may have offset the extra weight incurred by the variable incidence system, but I have no figures so that is just an interesting question. The gull wing had served to reduce the the weight of the landing gear on the F4U Corsair, so it seems Vought was sensitive to this area of fighter design.

[@enricomandragona163]

Was only used for landing as it's approach speeds exceeded 150 knot's!! Especially on an Essex carrier!!

[@randykelso4079]

@@enricomandragona163 The wing was also raised during takeoff/launch.

[@joelwalk3728]

From my research (navel aviators correct me) one other role for the Corsair II was STO (short take off) combat air patrol (CAP). Most likely these were A-7E USN variants with the more powerful turbofan engine. The Corsair II could take off light loaded (just fuselage mounted AIM-9 Sidewinders) when the catapults were down thus providing CAP over the carrier in emergencies.

[@jedibusiness789]

The first maintenance job I did was remove and replace the aft fuel cell on a A7 at VFA 125. We received 4 A7’s for pilot flight hours while waiting for F18’s

[@donjaeger2149]

I remember those days. I was a framp instructor at the same time in VFA-125

[@zonacrs]

I was right next door at VA-147 when the first Hornets started showing up at VFA-125.

[@daveme1803]

I'm a retired Air Force guy. I remember A7s in tech school. Voodoos. F-100s as drones at Holloman AFB in the 80s. Yeah, I'm sneaking up on 60 and old

[@herc1305]

I went through VFA 125 as an AQAN waiting for a few FRAMP schools to go through before reporting to my actual station at Pt. Mugu. Worked IMA in the vans, shop 65G

[@TheHandystanley]

I was a ADJ in VA-122 from 1974 to 1978, where we flew a few A-7C's but mostly the A-7E's. It wasn't until recently watching another video here on KZbin and your production that I finally began to understand the role that this aircraft played in the air operation of the U.S. Navy. Wish we had something like this to watch when we became part of an A-7 squadron. Still have a question on when this aircraft would be used over the A-6 Intruder.

[@RobertRodriguez-v4n]

Cruise's

[@RobertRodriguez-v4n]

VA 122 out of NAS Lemoore, was there from 1975-1981 with VA-27 Royal maces was plane captain and made 2 west-pac cruises

[@jurgenblick5491]

One of my favorite fighter. Pure fighter

[@randykelso4079]

The A-7 was not a fighter. The "A" designation means "Attack", while "F" means "Fighter". The A-7 was a subsonic light attack aircraft. Vought's earlier F-8 Crusader was the quintessential pure fighter: mach 1.5+, four 20mm cannons, Sidewinders and an incredible rate of climb and maneuverability. I have worked on both airplanes. The A-7 was basically a bomb truck, being one of only two aircraft capable of carrying its own weight in ordnance (the other was the propeller-driven A1 "Spad".

[@DaveSCameron]

Vaught certainly made some sensational aircraft.

[@tootall4646]

Served in VA-174 and VA-46, which took the A-7E to Desert Storm. We had prepared most of our planes for decommissioning by August of 1990 and planned on transitioning to the F/A-18, when Iraq invaded Kuwait and we had to prepare them for action. In two weeks, we were embarked on the USS John F. Kennedy, leaving for war. VA-46/VA-72 retired the A-7 afterwards and unfortunately, both squadrons were decommissioned as well. The SLUF was a tough ass plane, and I can't imagine being part of a better group of men than VA-46/72.

[@brightw]

I was in VA-174 for one year 1969-70.

[@Jimmytwogunz]

That air intake is massive

[@jorgearmijo3746]

Excelente video del F-8 Crusader…

[@Dronescapes]

Thank you

[@michaeldavid4857]

Soon we are going to wish we had started mass producing these legendary aircraft to off -set our gen. 5 aircraft. We will need them.

[@secretsquirrel16m]

I understand that it was called a people eater due to its low profile jet engine and the noise on the flight deck. Unlucky sailors might walk by as it was turning up and get sucked into the engine. Not sure how often this occurred but the flight deck was and is a very dangerous job.

[@jimmyjimbo61]

Was hoping for more than 7 minutes of a 24 minute video about the A-7's. This should have been a 45 minute video due to the intro about all of the other aircraft and evolution of the need for the A-7's. Just my two cents worth...

[@chrishackett554]

Your video begins with some short aerial video of the F8 Crusader in pre production red paint. Not the A7. The Crusader had the pointed nose cone and carried the 4 Sidewinders on the side of the fuselage.

[@debbies3763]

I WAS STATIONED ON FORRESTAL, A-7s , F-14s, E6b Prowlers, A-6 Intruders, S-3 VIKINGS, C-2AGREYHOUNDS,E-2HAWKEYES, HELOS/ SEA KINGS. HOW LUCKY I WAS WATCHING FLIGHT OPERATIONS, Not mention spending time at sea 1000miles out.

[@Dronescapes]

Thank you for your service Debbie!

[@anthonybeal9069]

this thing takes off like a brick, boy is she a lot of fun once she's up.

[@manricobianchini5276]

F-4u Corsair was definitely my favorite fighter of WW2! Best fighter of that period! The Corsair 2 was also damned great fighter.

[@playingbadgolfwell9732]

Light attack aircraft... not a fighter.

[@Laserblade]

The powerplant of these birds had a tendency for the turbine to disintegrate. The engines also had the least safetywire on them of any jets of the era. I used to do hot-section inspections on them in AIMD aboard Enterprise '74 - '75 WESPAC.

[@brightw]

TF-30 or later engines. I was the only electrician at Cecil Field test cell facility in 71-72 and never heard of this problem.

[@jamesharper7661]

Missed a lot about the A7. Like the first HUD. Doppler radar. D and E models had TF41's. More. Plus... US Army? USAF, yes. Army, no. Plus... The F4U was not intended to replace the F6F. The F4U flew before the F6F by near 2 years. Need to do better....

[@lancejohnson1406]

and that Thailand operated some.

[@elkabong6429]

Well done!

[@Dronescapes]

🙏👍

[@robertstrickland2121]

Starts at 15:00

[@Seminal_Ideas]

Excellent video marred slightly at 19:40 by mentioning Corsair being in service in the US Marines and the Army. It wasn't. Only with the Navy and Air Force, It also describes it as the A9D, It should read A7D.

[@Pushrod67]

Amazing ratio stats for the Corsair F4U! Has there ever been a WW2 aircraft fighters capable of the same or better stats?!

[@johngregory4801]

The reason the Corsair's stats are so impressive is that the experienced and capable Japanese pilots had never been rotated out to train others how to do what they did - they stayed in their cockpits until Wildcats and Hellcats shot them down. The Corsair wasn't trusted by the Navy, especially in carrier ops, until after the British took their Corsairs to sea and rewrote the book on carrier landings for them.

[@hanc37]

@@johngregory4801 Which leads to their desperation with the kamikaze...

[@johngregory4801]

BTW, the F6F Hellcat had a 19:1 kill ratio.

[@CorePathway]

Overwhelming numbers against boy-pilots with 20 hours under their belt. This is a garbage-time stat. Still impressive; I wouldn’t want it any other way.

[@jollyjohnthepirate3168]

@@CorePathway I'll just point out that yes the navy at first wouldn't use the F4U on carriers but the Marines used them from Island bases and carved the Japanese up. The navy finally shipped the Corsairs because of their higher speed was needed for intercepting Kamakazie attacks.

[@farber2]

The plane in the thumbnail is from my squadron, VA - 27.

[@ratdad48]

I spent two yrs as a mechanic on that thing. VA56 on CV41 USS Midway and VA215 on USS Roosevelt. If it didn't leak hydraulic fluid, it didn't have any in it.

[@esitu5655]

@19:37 of your video, you have a incoherent mix up of info. You said the "American Marines received their first A-9D's". and it was the first time in 15 years that the "US Army" had sub-sonic aircraft. Canada briefly looked at buying A-7's for their NATO commitment in Germany, but had to settle for the F-5A.

[@marvinlashley7358]

That makes me wonder what else is incorrect. That's such simple information to get correct, so any other info can't be trusted.

[@thefrecklepuny]

Far too many errors like this on various aviation channels. Better to produce fewer videos with better accuracy.

[@randym.7238]

I grew up living next to A naval Air base in Va. beach Va. The only thing separating my neighborhood from the base was a wide field. I was born there in 1952. I watched prop planes being replaced by Jets. Seen belly landings and such. The Corsair was one of the coolest Jets I'd ever seen. The F4 phantoms were huge and ugly in my opinion. Star fighters were and still are my favorite Jets. Only problem was when jets were breaking the sound barrier , which seemed to do every chance they could, my house and windows would shake. Life was fun in the 50s and early 60s. I still see those planes and jets in my memories eye today. We didn't have much back then, but we had the front row seat to see Naval Air advance through the years.

[@Dronescapes]

Thanks for sharing Randy!

[@enricomandragona163]

I resent the F-4 being Ugly comment!! 🤌

[@richardcox6935]

He kept referring to the "Army's A7s"? Was that a slip of the tongue?

[@tonygourdine512]

Nobody noticed that this isn't about the Corsair 2 but about the F 8 Crusader called " the last gunfighter ".

[@LesThackston]

A-7A VA-122, NAS Lemoore; VA-153 NAS Lemoore/CVA-34 USS Oriskany 1969-1972.

[@tstahler5420]

My dad worked for LTV in the late 60s. He was like a proud parent about the A-7. Does anyone remember the day of the F-8 or A-7 aborted takeoff/crash at the LTV plant in Dallas? I was like 4 and remember the smoke plume like it was yesterday.

[@randykelso4079]

There were several accidents at Hensley Field, right across the east fence from the LTV plant in Grand Prairie, Texas during the sixties and beyond. You may be talking about the F-8 which went through the north chain link fence, crossed Jefferson Boulevard, missing traffic, through the chain link fence on the other side and into the parking lot of LTV's Baghdad facility (as it was called), burning a number of cars in that lot. IIRC, the only casualty was the pilot who did not survive the ejection (no zero/zero seats in the F-8 in those days).

[@tstahler5420]

@@randykelso4079 As I said, I was about 4 years old. That the exact crash I'm talking about. My dad's old Ford was parked next to his boss's new Buick. The Buick was destroyed, my dad's car only got burned on the right quarter panel. It bubbled the steel and gave the car a very peculiar smell. The Navy paid him and let him keep it.

[@brianpeterson5452]

The narrator keeps referring to the "A9". Whaa?

[@jayjordan3868]

My favorite plane!

[@Dronescapes]

👍♥️🇺🇸

[@Popesontour]

Weren't the Navy variant equipped with a different radar system? More powerful?

[@crusader5989]

Please do one on the F-8!🙏🏻

[@Dronescapes]

👍

[@joserdiazalmodovar1898]

This Amazing Aircraft used to be The P.R.A.N.G. Or Puerto Rico Air National Guard , Active Fighter Aircraft of the 70,s and Early 80,s . They were Painted in Green Camo Pattern i saw them flying very low over the Highway i was so amazed¡ In late 80,s The Air Guard transitioned to the F-16 Fightin Falcón ¡ Solid Machine indeed 👍✌

[@Dronescapes]

Amazing indeed Jose

[@enricomandragona163]

Lawn Dart back then... still is!!

[@rickmorgan3930]

Why talk about the Corsair 1 in this video. The only thing the Corsair and the A7 had in common was the name. I was a black-shoe crewman on USS America, CVA-66, in the early 70s including Viet Nam. We had 2 A7 squadrons aboard, VA-82 and VA-89. This video tries to be something of a Navy jet aircraft history, but fails miserably.

[@alexdovbysh67]

Thanks

[@Dronescapes]

Welcome

[@EdMeyo]

The Corsair didn't "replace the Hellcat." Hellcats were concurrent, phased the Corsairs off carriers, and had more Japanese kills than the Corsair. It was a damn fine plane, but it wasn't the solo war-winner this claims.

[@randywilson944]

I remember the USAF version at Buckley ANGB in Colorado.

[@Dronescapes]

Did you like the aircraft Randy?

[@randywilson944]

@@Dronescapes Yes I did.

[@ronfry3324]

The A1 Skyraider, the A4 Skyhawk, the A7 Corsair II and the A10 Thunderbolt II. All proven hard hiting excellant attack aircraft. Why does the high brass not see the tactical advantage to slower moving, maneuverable target hitting aircraft. Always just thinking fast burners can do the job moe effectively. They cannt.

[@williamhoskins2300]

DONT FORGET THE F 5 , oops , sorry bout the caps .

[@John_Redcorn_]

The faster the jet, the faster you can get there, meaning the more area you can patrol

[@ronfry3324]

@@John_Redcorn_ You may get there faster but you also have to leave faster because you have no loiter time. And not as precise at the faster speeds.

[@John_Redcorn_]

@@ronfry3324 you slow down when you get there 🤦‍♂️

[@ronfry3324]

@@John_Redcorn_ When I worked A10s at Grissom I saw many bomb and close support competitions and the fast drivers always complained about us and we would always have to bomb and fire from different altitudes and distances from the target. Otherwise the didnt stand a chance if we used their parameters. Slow is good for the boots on the ground. Same reason why they still use a C130 as a gun ship. Loiter time and greater target acquisition.

[@mansurazeez2229]

What about the supersonic variant of the Corsair II, the Strikefighter?

[@curtekstrom9531]

You mean the F-8?

[@mansurazeez2229]

@@curtekstrom9531 the YA-7F Strikefighter was a proposed supersonic variant of the A-7D Corsair II that was canceled in favor of an enhanced attack F-16. The former was to be powered with the F100 engine to achieve supersonic performance and fly around Mach 1.2. The YA-7F looked more like an F-8 Crusader than a Corsair due to its lengthened fuselage taller tail fin.

[@andrewlabat9963]

The Corsair was not developed as a replacement for the haircut for the Hellcat, the Corsair didn't work out, and the Hellcat was outstanding, and when operating off aircraft carriers, has more kills than all other fighters in the Pacific theater, and had the highest kill to loss ratio of the war at a staggering 18 to 1..

[@tmcge3325]

This aircraft was loved by pilots.....only, one engine and that was not good. Really kind of reminds me of an F16, small but very powerful. The F-8 was also an incredible bird...worked with both.

[@Dronescapes]

Which one did you prefer?

[@tmcge3325]

@@Dronescapes both.....

[@DB-zp9un]

Does the video ever talk about the a7?

[@jurgenblick5491]

Pure power

[@wfdix1]

“No slack in light attack!”

[@ronbutler3431]

A-7 material does not appear until approx. fourteen minutes into the video.

[@randykelso4079]

Yes, and the opening sequence shows a mixture of A-7s and F-8s. The appearance is similar but they are seriously different birds with seriously different roles.

[@roscoefilms]

0:28 to 0:40 is the XF8U Super Crusader, not a Corsair.

[@fortyfour6626]

I know they call them light attack aircraft but….if you’ve ever stood close to one, it has the feel of a massive huge hunk of metal. Makes the f-16 look scrawny.

[@koachs77]

They made a afterburning version of the plane , just one

[@NIKOLASINGLESSIS]

Sluf is 00my favorite plane !!

[@gort8203]

Army A-7s? Marine A-9s? Whose teleprompter is he reading? Come on, man . . .

[@privatepilot4064]

The info on the actual A-7 Corsair begins at about the 15:00 mark.

[@SeadogCVA41hal3]

"F4U first American fighter to fly over 400 mph".. ( small little question for you but one that's very pertinent.. can you say lightning? Can you say Kelly Johnson's lightning? Can you say p38? Because the script that was wrote by a kid in high school, you're reading from, couldn't say it either.

[@Packless1]

0:32 ...the Super-Corsair...propably one of the best fighter, not to enter service...! 🙁

[@Ideo7Z]

That's the XF8U-3. Which was the Crusader III

[@randykelso4079]

The A-7 was an attack aircraft, not a fighter.

[@killingfields1424]

Funny or maybe silly as it seem. It took three platporm of jets. The Corsair, Skyhawk and the Hornet to do the job of one proven reliable highly successful A-1 Skyraider. You can ask any Navy Airforce pilots even those shot downed pilots in NAM

[@OmEGa56858]

Here in greece we retired them in late 2014

[@Boution]

Americans are God level in aviation technology.

[@rodneylwright7341]

You incorrectly said the Army flew A-7s....The US Amy does not fly attack jets. That is an US Air Force role!

[@randykelso4079]

...and a Navy role. The Navy was first to select the A-7. The Air Force came along with the "D" model.

[@benjaminmatte5225]

If you’re driving that, roll in with a grin, ask if they’re sure lol and then hope so maybe