SeaWings: A-5 Vigilante

The long-lost SeaWings episode on the A-5 Vigiliante. This is the first of ALL 11 SeaWings episodes I'll be uploading this week. This episode was originally part of the "Great Planes" series, and was re-branded into SeaWings. I'd be remiss if I didn't give a shout-out to my fellow KZbinr ‪@USNRaptor‬ for piecing together the other episodes of the series. He's a great resource for aviation docs.

[@daviddurkee1960]

I love old documentaries like this. Well produced, no filler military action shots, no fake voices. Just well researched data and great footage of *this* aircraft, not generic military shots that have nothing to do with this aircraft. This is true history and should be preserved.

[@bikerfisherman4775]

me too.

[@rbrtjbarber]

"Convair B-47..." WRONG! Boeing built the B-47. Flagrant writing/research mistakes like this were common in these shows, and lowered their quality.

[@aloysiouskatschmarek8905]

In flight school in 1976, it was time for me to select what Advanced NFO pipeline I wanted. Since I had jet grades, and had always thought the Vigilante was the most beautiful jet ever built, I told my instructor advisor that I thought I would select the RAN (Radar Attack Navigator) pipeline. He said "let's take a walk" and led me outside. He put his arm around my shoulders and said "I had six classmates that went into RA-5Cs. Know where they are today? All dead". He went on to inform me that the airplane was being phased out, so there was no real future in that community. I elected the fighter RIO community and was delighted to have done so. We did have Vigis on board Saratoga during my first Med cruise in 1978, but never thereafter. A magnificent aircraft.

[@jkoysza1]

I was at Pensacola VT-10 NFO basic school in 1972. Had to decide between going RAN in the RA-5, or RIO in the F-4. Chose the RIO pipeline mainly because I wasn't excited about going unarmed over Hanoi. Memory from a lifetime ago.

[@whateva8964]

My wife's late father was a Vigi pilot and was the XO of RVAH-6 on the Ranger in 1968 and the CO on the Enterprise in 1969. He was briefly the CO of RVAH-13 on the Forrestal. After that he was the CO of CVWR-20 for quite a few years. He loved that plane despite how tricky it was to launch and land.

[@dannymcgee8118]

I grew up in Columbus and was in kindergarten when the Vigilante first took to the skies in 1958. We all have vivid memories of that bird flying overhead from the elementary school years of the early Sixties. Sonic-booms were common, often several times a day, some off in the distance while others seemed right overhead. I guess broken windows were common too but I don't remember any, which makes me wonder if they're a bit overplayed. As kids I think we were generally pretty happy to see those warbirds coming out of our hometown. Many of the dads worked at North American Rockwell or the sub-contractors of. They have a lot to be proud of too, as this is one badass warbird. God bless America and to those who serve her.

[@bigdmac33]

It's captured presentations like this that ensures that these iconic aircraft are not forgotten. Thank you Mike Guardia.

[@higgs923]

I was in NAVAIR when the Vigi was being used for recon over Vietnam. The aircraft was a legend for it's performance, the astounding detail the cameras could capture, and the fact that it was damned difficult bird to keep up and ready. Thanks for the excellent documentary.

[@dan0alda568]

I had a boss who worked on these in nam. The recon version.

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

@@dan0alda568 I was on board USS Ranger when the last squadron of these (RVAH-7) made it's final deployment. BIG birds for carriers. I was ships company though - but an ET in UHF Comm, so I fixed the radios Ranger used to talk to them.

[@bobv5806]

They called it the Turkey; a large North American bird that rarely flew.

[@horusfalcon]

@@bobv5806 They were costly and difficult to maintain, but so beautiful in the air, and, especially in the recon configuration, did a lot for the folks on the ground.

[@horusfalcon]

@@bricefleckenstein9666 Thanks, man. Former ETR, myself, and, later, a Nuke.

[@Fathervinyard]

i love watching these old discovery wings docs the wings of the red star episodes are amazing aswell

[@himemjam]

Same here. "WeekDay Wings" was must-see-tv for me back in the 90's

[@petionville9359]

@@himemjam I agree

[@CD-ek3iq]

@@himemjam or the WINGS marathon 😍

[@himemjam]

@@CD-ek3iq Yes! That and "TANKSgiving"!

[@paxwallace8324]

Well I never saw any of them

[@shelleygallup9522]

My Dad, CDR "Pete Gallup was CO of one of the Vigilante squadrons at Albany GA, and deployed three times to Vietnam. I still have photos he brought back with him. Later he would be CO of the RAG in Key West. As I kid I would sit in the cockpit while maintenance was being done. The RAN's didn't get enough attention. In those days the NFO wings hadn't even been created. My dad went to the RA-5's from flying the A3-D "whale." I followed his footsteps, but as a Surface Warfare Officer. We served together on his last tour as a Captain at the Naval Safety Center where he was responsible for naval aviation safety. What a history. Hats off to the Vigilante crews, they were unheralded heroes. The Viggi was always my favorite, as I watched them break over my school in Albany GA. Thanks SOOOOO very much for bringing this history forward to new eyes. Shelley P. Gallup "Jr." LCDR, USN (ret.)

[@haroldhenderson1058]

I was Supply Officer on the Commander Reconnaissance Attack Wing One (CRAW-1) staff in Key West 1975-1977. The Vigi folks were great people to be around - still have great memories. Recognized Joe Dyer in the video. I think he was on the staff when I was there. The RA5Cs were dying even back then. As someone else on here said, the birds were very hard to keep flying mainly because there were few spare parts. We had sets of parts we moved from carrier to carrier, pulled parts off old birds in the desert, tracked and expedited parts going through NARF Jax, then there were always the hanger queens. We also had dedicated civilian tech-reps from Rockwell who were a tremendous asset. I still have a RA5C tie tack given to me by one of the tech reps. Y our dad's name does not sound familiar, he may have been gone from Key West by the time I arrived. I did implement a tool control program in the wing. That could have been something that came out of the Naval Safety Center when your dad led it.

[@horusfalcon]

Thanks, Commander, for sharing that with us, and thanks to both you and your father for doing your part. Bravo Zulu!

[@horusfalcon]

@@haroldhenderson1058 Anyone who had anything to do with the Vigilante is a hero in my book. Thanks for doing your part, sir.

[@channelingusllcix3512]

did your father ever tell you of accidents of Vigilante pilots as they took off from carriers? i ask for a reason

[@donaldjones3580]

I worked on the RA-5C at NARF Jax from 1970 to 1974 as an DoD civilian. As an AE we mainly rewired the Vigilante with the thin wall insulation Raytheon wire to reduce weight. These aircraft went to Key West afterwards.

[@duellingscarguevara]

Thank you. A comment, based on fact, not an opinion piece. The 24 hr news cycle, has a lot to answer for?. (Empty space, or silence, sadly has no place in our world much, anymore?. I studied some art, and learned to appreciate, negative space).

[@SliceofLife7777]

@@duellingscarguevara Turn off your gadgets. Close your eyes. The truth is sometimes just that. When silence isn't free, then they'll sell it at Amazon.

[@thedude69692009]

Dude thank you I've literally been looking for this episode of sea wings for 12 years I have found most of the others over the years but never. This one

[@1ergnas1]

I was an AMH-2 that worked on the Vigilante out of Albany GA. and on the Forrestal 1969- 1970. A beautiful plane but a nightmare for a hydraulic mechanic. Worked the night shift as a catapult checker on the Vigi! Great experience!

[@horusfalcon]

1:40 - The B-47 was a Boeing bird. Convair had nothing to do with it. The Vigilante is one of my favorite old aircraft - it did not have the long and storied career I might have wished for, but it contributed in many ways to future projects that were much more successful. Thanks for sharing this "blast from the past".

[@852urkl]

Yeah, I'm sure they meant to reference the Convair B-36, since the B-47 didn't have the range to get deep in the USSR! I always chuckle at how the older documentaries can get so much right, and then have so a big whoops on such simple things!

[@sergioleone3583]

@@852urkl That was a rough one though. The B-47 was the basic template from which Boeing developed their eventual 707, and the B-52. As well as being a great looking aircraft like the A5 in this documentary (and I don't think North American ever designed an ugly bird).

[@kennethtye3992]

Big Oops!

[@RedTail1-1]

Why can't people just get over it and let things go? Just enjoy the documentary instead of whining and being a smug know-it-all.

[@horusfalcon]

@@RedTail1-1 A.) I'm not a smug know-it-all, but I do know a bit about the B-47 and military aviation in general. The Vigilante was one of my favorite naval aircraft. B.) Why can't you _follow your own advice?_ Leave me alone, please.

[@SliceofLife7777]

The Discovery Wings documentaries are excellent. Very professional. Some of today's KZbin documentarians would be wise to see how the best documentaries are made. Interviews will always give you an unique perspective on history. Lots of research and work went into this presentation. Thanks for providing this video.

[@harleycondra291]

They might be professional;l, but sometimes incorrect, Convair DID NOT build the B-47. It was BOEING!

[@SliceofLife7777]

@@harleycondra291 So you were paying attention. I missed it. He should have said B-36. Thanks for the nudge. When studying history, multiple sources is the key. You made me feel a bit stupid, Which is a necessary step of learning. 😃

[@duellingscarguevara]

And it was a strike, by production staff, that gave birth to “infotainment” style, cheap to produce, reality tv. Miss quality programming much? (There was a lot of re-cycling, but that’s the way of the world?. Well, a lot of the world, maybe not a war economy, in full production mode, but the rest of the world, keeping f5 jets going, beating helmets into pots, and hand made colt 45’s?), you get what you pay for, they say. (Evil Dr They, will have his day in court, of course. It’s only fair?). Per adua ad astra.

[@SliceofLife7777]

@@duellingscarguevara Yes, I remember when network TV discovered that only 20% of the audience would even notice that the writers and research staff were gone. Focus on emotional content at the expense of factual content. Pocket the money saved on writing staff, and let the story tell itself. I don't watch TV much these days. And I'm not paying for TV if it has adds. As for your latin phrase at the end? I'm too lazy to look it up. 😃

[@duellingscarguevara]

@@SliceofLife7777 fk I have to look it up now?. MO?? Modus operandi (The way things are done). Per adua ad astra, is the motto of The Australian Air Force. “Through adversity, to the stars”.

[@paulward4268]

Fantastic history. Bought a model of the A5 in London 1976 - just because it looked incredible on the box. What an amazing machine and professional crews. Pilot - "You outta be quiet because you should be dead back there." RAN - "Maybe YOU should be quiet because I just saved our lives." 👍

[@RayBecker]

When I had reported to USS Independence CV-62 in 1984, we still had a few of these onboard. It was a huge plane. It was made obsolete by the A6 Intruder (loudest plane ever)

[@steveanderson9290]

I absolutely love the Vigi, one of my favorite birds. In 1970 while stationed at NATTC Memphis, we had an RA-5C stop for fuel during a cross country flight. When he left he treated us to a "dump & burn" in which the pilot dumps fuel while in full afterburner, the result being a trail of flame a hundred feet long behind the aircraft. We were very close when it occurred, out on the airfield grounds on the departure end of the runway. If that pilot is still alive, thanks so much, I still get chills remembering it!

[@frederickwise5238]

Thats how John McCain set the USS Forrestal on fire, burned and maimed all of those Sailors in Jul of 67. It wasnt an electrical fire that set off the Zuni rocket. They covered for John 'cause Dad was ship CO (& Captain) and Grampa was an Admiral.

[@ironroad18]

@@frederickwise5238 so you know about the zuni rocket theory? Which means your troll bot ass is already lying. Senator McCain's plane was armed with bombs that day not rockets. The explosion happened at an angle away from McCain's plane, exposing your second bot lie. Finally, McCain had to escape his burning parked plane after the rocket started the fire and before the bombs cooked-off by jumping away with no ladder (there is video of this). If Senator McCain started the fire, how did he start it? Show us you know more than your Russian and Chinese handlers programmed you to know.

[@frederickwise5238]

@@ironroad18 Hey dork The zuni was fired off BECAUSE JOHN SHOT THAT 100 FEET OF FLAME OUT OF HIS JET - just like the original poster stated about the "dump and burn" demonstration he witnessed. Navy Vet here; Maybe you should listen to some of the survivors who were on deck. So shove off you ignorant "troll bot ass" yourself. Why cant people READ and UNDERSTAND.? You call me names without cause and will no doubt be incensed that I told you "shove off you ignorant "troll bot ass" Hey fact checkers, did you get upset that ironroad called me names? Why insisting on censoring my post.??

[@ironroad18]

@@frederickwise5238 you simple state-sponsored troll bot. The A-4 Skyhawk had no afterburner and couldn't "dump and burn". Also, if McCain "cooked off" the zuni rocket, wouldn't it have exploded opposite of his plane spot on the deck? That's lie number 4 (四) you will not "save face" with your continued lies.

[@Cubcariboo]

It is often said about legendary warplanes that: "if it looks right it is right". The Vigilante certainly is one of those which fit this description. Right up there with other such legends as the P-51, Mosquito, Spitfire, and F-16.

[@KibuFox]

My father was a RAN on the Vig when they were first being deployed into the Navy, in the early Vietnam war. At that time, the Navy wasn't sure what to do with the Vig, and was trying all manner of things with it, including using them as high speed bombers.

[@fullerdreams]

I remember the A3J1 Vigilante being deployed at Sanford NAS during the Cuban missile crisis in 1961. My father's worked on these amazing aircraft, specializing on the hydraulic system. I recall the weapons "rail" system between the engine nacels being very unique. I also remember the airframe seemed to suffer from vibration issues.

[@dirkdiggler207]

The CONVAIR B-47? Seriously? W.O.W!! Just can't WAIT for your 'historical' profile of the LOCKHEED B-52!!

[@tootired76]

I don't remember which company made the kit but I bought and built a model of the Vigilante when I was about 10 (1970) which set me on a life long path of loving scale model building, flying models and R/C models and aviation in general. I'm still at it!!

[@jpdemer5]

Probably the same Revell kit that I built!

[@TTTT-oc4eb]

Same her. It was one of the first I built,in 1/72. I think mine was an Airfix. A beautiful plane, both as model and in RL. Strange to think this plane first time took to the air as long as 60+ years ago.

[@dcgravity7822]

Same here! It was Revell I believe--1970 for me as well. Like one of the interviewees said it looked like it was doing Mach 2 just sitting there. Only the Tomcat, which I bulit a couple years later, was sexier, esp. in the swept back position.

[@dan0alda568]

I used to work as an I&E tech at a large company I won’t mention. My boss there who I adored was part of the team that would change out the camera in the recon version of these. He showed me pictures and it was really something. It is one of my favorite planes because of that.

[@donaldvincent]

Nice A-5 mounted near my home at the Sanford-Orlando Airport just north of Orlando, FL. Such a beautiful plane. Would love to ride that afterburner!

[@warrenwarburtonesq.6884]

I was stationed at NAS Sanford for a few months during the summer of 1967 awaiting my discharge. Those RA-5Cs were beautiful. I still live in the area and have seen the Vigilante you speak of many times. I was assigned to RVAH-3

[@donaldjones3580]

I saw one at Lakehurst next too the large blimp hanger early 80's. Walking and climbing inside the hanger was fantastic

[@spamcan2551]

@@donaldjones3580 I toured one of those hangars at Tory Naval AS. Yeah, walking down it's center was a awesome experience... gave one a true feeling of the size of the airships they once sheltered. (At that time, it was a shelter for a squadron of helicopters.) At the NCO academy, I did a presentation on "The return of the Airships". The rest of the class got a kick out of it.... but, hey, they're still building 'em! Hah! So I've had the last laugh!

[@outperformancelife3145]

Amazing airframe! I feel like the Airforce was being pouts cause the Navy had a better airframe than they had at their disposal. I love the bombing techniques the A5 had, I bet it was a fun ride back in the day.

[@dkoz8321]

A note on Mig-25 Foxbat. While A-5 ws on list of potential interception targets for Mig-25, Foxbat's primary targets were B-52, unfielded XB-70, and then concept B-1A. Add to that RAF V_Bomber fleet and few French bombers. Soviets had lots of tterritory to defend from all directions. They could not effectively defend all of it at same time. So to aleviate the problem, then needed a large fast Mach 3 interceptor. After sustained Mach 2.8 or higher flight, Mig-25 needed new engines.

[@insideoutsideupsidedown2218]

I was watching a program on that. My thoughts exactly. I read that the F-15 was a direct response to the MiG-25.

[@oldgoat142]

Excellent video, Sir. Always loved Discovery Wings. Aside from the Tomcat, the Vigilante was one damn sexy jet. As for the A3-D, very little made a flight deck crew more nervous than seeing A Whale In The Break. Thank you very much for the upload.

[@stijnvandamme76]

The Vigi was one of the best looking planes ever built for the carriers, it was sleek , and looked fast standing still.

[@drewschumann1]

Famous Vig pilot saying: there are three joys in life. An orgasm, a good dump and a carrier landing. And when landing the RA5c at night, you get to do all three."

[@christhesmith]

I only recently discovered this aircraft. What a big beauty! Funny to hear the narrator pouring shade on the double tail! Thanks for posting this great movie!!

[@frederickwise5238]

Coming out of the Navy in Mar 1962, I went to work at NAA Columbus Oh on the A3J (before it became the A5C and later the RA5C). Air frames 58-62, got "an in" and went to NAFS in Heath Oh to work on the same inertial navigation computer (D-17B) in the Minuteman I and II, Oct of 62 to 66. Often I think about the crew at Columbus and wonder where they are today. After all these years now I understand why it became the RA5 and that its value in that capacity was as important as a bomber and it makes me feel good that I had a small part in all of that.. My anger subsides over our monogrammed A3J ballcaps becoming obsolete just after we got them. LOLOL

[@kennethhamilton5633]

Was ships company USS Independence 1970 had onboard the last marine fighter squadron (F-4s), the last marine light attack(A-4s), the last A-5 photo/recon unit and I think we carrier qualed the last F-8 recon unit but the 'pigalante' because of its slightly scary landing and deck handling qualities but it did more sonic boomy fly bys than the F-4s dang than thing was a beast in the high speed suite.

[@frederickwise5238]

@@kennethhamilton5633 Talk about hi speed. One of the last air frames I worked on 60 or 61 had been accepted by the Nav, painted ready to got. "Wild Bill" was to make one last flight. for ANY squawks. When he came back the paint on the fuselage and tail were burned from air friction. Didnt set well with NAA because it was gonna cost MANY THOU to repaint. Had to be a LOT MORE THAN MACH 2.

[@michaelcap9550]

Dad worked at NAFS "64-"82 as QC Tech.

[@frederickwise5238]

@@michaelcap9550then he would've known Col Lawton & Maj Knight and how they skrud up morale so bad that 90% of the people in my Dept L E F T. We referred to NAFS as MALFUNCTION JUNCTION (remembering the kids TV show.) Ive met 2 of the old crew down here in Md (who went to Martin Marietta for lower pay) Your dad probably felt the same as we all did about the Cost.Reduction.Allocation.Program. and the contest to write a slogan WITHOUT saying CRAP. LOL I worked in analysis, repair, testing of the D17B half of the Minuteman I & II guidance pkg.

[@toddwheeler1526]

My father also worked for North American in Columbus after he left the Navy in 1960. He served aboard the Intrepid, Independence and Forrestal with the Black Aces. Radar and Fire control. He was involved in numerous projects with the Vigilante including during the Cuban Missle Crisis. The Black Aces won the Top Gun competition at Point Magu in 1959. I have Dad's plaque from that win. Dad has never stopped being involved with aviation and veterans groups and still fly's today. I am so blessed and proud of pops and all the veterans and service people that allow us to live free. Thank you all.

[@plantfeeder6677]

"Looked like it was going mach 2 just sitting on the flight deck". THE baddest ride of the Navy.

[@garyspeed8961]

Build the Revell model back in 1966,, fell in love with this beautiful aircraft

[@oldfarmer4700]

I remember it was sometime in 1975 I was aboard the JFK and at sea somewhere, went on the flight deck when there wasn’t any flight ops and seen a vigilante sitting chained down. Was a sight to see. It was aboard for a small period of time. Don’t have a clue what for but was exciting to see.

[@dougc190]

What a great episode on a plane I know very little about... And damn mcnamer and Johnson for getting us into Vietnam, and then handcuffing us and what we could do

[@duellingscarguevara]

Fog of war. Is an interesting movie. Macnamara was a clever chap. The post, is another, (about the newspapers, and the pentagon papers). He commissioned the study for posterity?. One would like to think something was learned, (but, that’s not how we roll?).

[@kiwidiesel]

Let's not forget that treacherous Kissinger

[@insideoutsideupsidedown2218]

@@duellingscarguevarasaying McNamara was a clever chap is like saying Biden has been a good President.

[@duellingscarguevara]

@@insideoutsideupsidedown2218 i don't underestimate ppl, even uneducated ppl can have sh*thouse rat cunning?.

[@shainemaine1268]

That is one gorgeous aircraft. Front-end & cockpit almost looks like the TSR-2

[@Alan-in-Bama]

Thank you for uploading this episode on the Vigilante !! ...previous to this, I couldn't find anything detailed about this beautiful plane on KZbin. I've always loved the design of the Vigilante....especially the RA-5C with the fat-back fuselage .

[@zofe]

It is the aerodynamic outliner of the F-15: same wings+intakes. By removing the internal bombay, the F-15 became conductive to its sideline conformal tanks.

[@s.marcus3669]

Yes, they mention this at the very end of the video...

[@dmav522]

been looking for this episode forever, thanks for uploading Mike

[@philliplopez8745]

Best looking aircraft that I had a chance to see up close while in uniform .

[@darrenschultz3572]

A note to add to this, the U.S. Navy did not stop aerial reconnaissance after the RA-5C. There was a pod that went on a-7s, f-14s with TARPs (Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System). Now with the F-18E/F with SHARPS.

[@J.Wick.]

Yes sir..I have personally installed several TACTS, Sharps, and ATFLirs on F18s. Even saw 3 or 4 with the camera setup in place of the gun. AT 05-11. RA5C has been my favorite jet since I learned of them on my first trip to naskw. Cheers.

[@deadmeat8754]

The A-5 (A3J) Vigilante was an amazing aircraft. Originally intended to deliver atomic weapons as the USN nuclear interdiction and strike aircraft until the service adopted a policy preference for Submarine delivered SLBM. The aircraft were then reconfigured and re-designated for Reconnaissance. Throughout the Vietnam war they were employed by the USN in the post-strike reconnaissance role. Their missions were high risk and losses were commensurate. The Vigilante set a world altitude record of 27,874.2 meters (91,450.8 feet) that held for 13 years. The A-5 Vigilante was very advanced for its era and were also very expensive to maintain. As part of the post-Vietnam War spending cuts the Vigilante was retired from service.

[@s.marcus3669]

Ummmm, yes, I believe they covered all of this in the video...

[@timothyhayes9724]

Very cool to see this. My pampa worked on this and I remember my dad telling me secondhand about the development as he got it first hand from his dad. Thanks for uploading this

[@javieriniguez1444]

I've been looking for this episode for a long time. Thank you very much! The A-5 was a gorgeous Navy airplane .

[@Zhoolik]

I remember the first time I learned of the Vigilante when I got my USS Enterprise model to construct. I noticed it was the most beautiful plane on the deck. The mystery to me, a plane nut as a kid, was why you hardly ever saw anything or heard anything about such a remarkable plane. I suspected it must have been a flop like the Panther or the Voodoo. Now I see it was a victim of inter-service rivalry. I'm glad they put this together. Also, this video explains what happened to Columbus, Ohio. North American Aerospace was a major defense contractor. You can see that the city was prosperous with old high-rise buildings which means there was a lot of money back then. Apparently the city was a victim of consolidation of the military industrial complex. The city is still modestly recovering.

[@emjackson2289]

And to think, the A3 Skywarrior still operated in Desert Storm . . . .

[@46bovine]

i was stationed on the USS Independence (CVA-62) and the USS America (CVA-66) from 1966 through 1971 and the RA-5C Vigilante was my favorite aircraft.

[@spamcan2551]

1964 - My first assignment in the USAF as an "Aircraft Instrument Repairman" was on F-105s at Kadena AB, Okinawa. Watching this, I now have learned the All Attitude Reference and Bombing system, AN/AJB-7 or "Ab Jab" as we referred to it, had the same modes of bombing as the Vigilalnte in the F-105. (The F105 was built with nuclear weapons capability, too). It would carry the nuclear bomb in its bomb bay attached to a huge or air- powered cylinder, but normaly, a fuel tank was attached instead). The Ab-Jab system was a fantastic system, in my humble opinion. That same system also "migrated" to the F4 Phantom which I worked on begining in '67 at Yokota AB, outside Tokyo, Japan. Amazing! Fly-by-Wire, also? What the....! I thought the F-16s I worked on at Hill AFB were the first! USAF Ret E7.

[@Macksdamage]

The Mig25 looks pretty damn different than a Vigilante. Its like saying an old Mercedes looks like an old Cadillac. I like how this also fires shots at the dual rudders on the Mig, as if thats a Russian flaw, when so many subsequent american aircraft use a similar layout.

[@petemack1745]

Worked at NAA Columbus on A3J / R5C programs. Later flew with former Navy A3J pilots. They loved the pressurized cockpit.

[@gibbsm]

It you're more interested in service prestige, than national security, you're un-American. Inter-service rivalry like this really grinds my gears. All branches of the military fly fixed wings anyway, so what's the big deal.

[@amandastevenson4948]

I'm 55 now loved aviation from the age of four the A5 vigilante always my favorite precursor to the f-15 in style

[@Primus54]

Born in 1954, I lived underneath the downwind leg of Columbus’ runway 28 (now 28L). I have great memories of the Vigilante flying overhead, including a few sonic booms before they were restricted.

[@johnbranch8277]

Great aircraft and story. Unmentioned is the photo recon TARPS mission of the F-14 Tomcat. We took over that mission as the Viggy retired. It was not just satellites.

[@jaysonpida5379]

I believe it is still used today on the carriers. The pod was designed for the Recce version of the THEN new F-15Es (late 80s). Congress cut the number of Strike Eagles so the AF had no choice but to cancel the Recce Eagle..... but the pods were still coming from the manufacturer....so the navy said, "We'll take 'em!!"

[@bryanst.martin7134]

I looked at one in the Hangar in Rota Sp, while rebuilding engines, gearboxes, props, and APUs for P3s, C-130s, and Hawkeyes. I was TAD to AIMD bustin butt for my squadron, and the Base. It was a beautiful plane and I could look at it while performing blind Houdini safety wire tasks. Navy! Most dangerous job you will ever Love. If your mind is open, you can learn a lot.

[@brax2364]

Sanford NAS was my first USN duty station after A School and well remember these aircraft. I had no idea that they were Mach II+ capable though.

[@edwardjudge9122]

I was attached to Heavy 5 in Albany, GA. I worked on the ASB12 system. We were part of the teams flying recon over Cuba.

[@andrewmorke]

The RA-5 was a great recon aircraft that could fly at over Mach 2. SR-71: Hold my drink.

[@steveanderson9290]

Interestingly enough, I was stationed with a guy whose previous duty station was an RA-5C squadron. He said that during his tour, one of the main missions of their birds was to fly ECM cover for SR-71s overflying the USSR. The RA-5C would fly, at it's service altitude, under the SR-71, and jam. The SR-71 would fly at it's service altitude, and do it's recon mission. Their ground speeds would match. They would fly from Utapao Thailand to the UK, and then back on the next mission. I don't know if it was true, but it seems plausible for that time frame, and it's a pretty involved plot for a "Sea-Story".

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

The A-5 wasn't originally designed for recon though. It was the closest thing to a Navy version of the Hustler or a lower-end version of the XB-70 BY DESIGN.

[@TriFiveAviator]

I was a RAN in RVAH-3 and RVAH-9. Left with 1051 Vigi hrs in my logbook. Flew with some of the best. Later served as Director of the F-14 TARPS system.

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

Most interesting, informative & amazing documentary video about rarely known a strategic bomber ( A-5 Vigilante bomber) for independence naval US air forces....besides its owners tactical aircraft's...what a great quantities & qualitative capacity of US strategic & tactical defensive & offensive capabilities of USA 🇺🇸?!!!...allot thanks for ( Mike Guardia) channel for sharing this wonderful video

[@oshtoolman]

Way back when I was a young lad, I saw an RA5C at an air show at NAS Moffat Field in Mountain View, Calif. I thought "wow, what a great looking jet". Several years later I received my orders to report to RVAH-14 at NAS Albany, Georgia.!!!! I had no idea until I got there that it was same airframe from a few years earlier. Did a Med Cruise on the USS Independence in 1973 before I left for early separation (a whole whopping 3 months early out!) and then learned this was the last cruise for Hvy14 before being decommissioned.

[@pmrich7035]

RVAH-14. My father was in the same squadron,retired while stationed in KeyWest ATC Richardson

[@atbien21]

There was a Vigilante on a display pedestal at the entrance to Patuxent River Naval Air Station where I was stationed during the sixties and seventies.

[@waynee5603]

The RA-5C is such a good looking airplane...right up there with the F-106. They look like they are doing Mach 2 just sitting on the ground.

[@pershingii2424]

Nice program for an excellent aircraft.👍

[@dennythomas8887]

The one thing that stands out about the RA-5C from my NavAir days apart from it's size compared to everything else on the ramp or flight deck was how loud it was. It drowned out everything else, even a deck full of turning and burning F-4"s were no match.

[@vice88]

I like these documentaries thats aren’t over edited in typical American TV style.

[@docvega5465]

The sleek design of the Vigilante reminds me too of the Canadian Avro Arrow a super sonic cold war era interceptor of possible Russian bombers. Even today the Canadians have considered bringing the Arrow back with updated flight data of course.

[@emeraldaisle2927]

Sitting behind the pilot, the bombardier/navigator/ reconnaissance officer did not enjoy the view and space of the F-14 RIO. The back seater with his fold-down desk and full instrument panel, radar and other electronic controls was cramped with both elbows when seated touching the aircraft's skin and only had up high a 1 foot square window port and one to starboard. He had his own canopy. I read a naval crash narrative where a back seater could not see or touch the pilot. This is according to crash report submitted by a young Ensign and sole survivor of a crew ejection. The crew was trying to qualify the RA-5C for the USS Ranger and undergoing fleet carrier landing practice (FCLP). This is "...practice of crew coordination and the techniques and procedures to land the largest and heaviest carrier aircraft on a flight deck."... The plane recently completed progressive aircraft rework (PAR). During the second day of flight after (PAR) a hose clamp dislodged becoming ingested in starboard engine resulting in FOD and fire. Pilot did not survive the ejection.

[@KB4QAA]

My dad flew the A-5B and RA-5C models in VAH/RVAH-7. He and his BN used a carpenter's ruler unfolded to pass notes back and forth.

[@ruskiwaffle1991]

Glad to see you making documentary videos again, discovered this channel through your old wings of the red star videos

[@MikeGuardiaAuthor]

Glad to have you on board, brother. Thanks for being a longtime sub!

[@karlbark]

To hear that story of Open Cockpit at Mach 1.42 ❗ -That was amazing ! (In fact; amazing and a half) ! 😉 I absolutely loved this video, -thank you ! Greetings from Iceland 🇮🇸 -K

[@clarkgriswold-zr5sb]

VigilantEE.😑 A treat seeing these flying over on rare occasions living near Dallas NAS in the early 70s.

[@Bobvogel47]

1970 aboard USS Independence Vigi landed on board and tail hook broke all Vigil's where grounded. Pilot and navigator both lost.

[@williamlloyd3769]

My friend flew this bird at the end of its military service. Assume!

[@robertmayfield8746]

'Fastest open cockpit flying' 🤣🤣😂😂

[@BobBuchholz-eh2kh]

It was the Boeing B-47 and the Boeing B-52. Convair's contribution was the B-36.

[@jim-stacy]

It looks very similar to the British TS2. Which one came first? I know the TS2 programme was cancelled due to US pressure but I thought it was the F111

[@kinneticsand5787]

Thanks for the upload! I had scoured the internet for this episode a few months ago and came up with nothing.

[@rich8304]

You might want change your statement, I was a yellow shirt on the USS RANGER CV61 75/78 and spotted the vig many times.

[@isaacqueral4985]

No mention of the heated leading edges of the wings.

[@k.h.1587]

B47 was Boeing, Convair made the b36

[@dougball328]

The B-47 was also a Boeing airplane. How could you get something this simple so wrong?

[@cab6273]

One of the best looking jets ever.

[@giladog1]

I was on the USS Ranger for 3 cruises to Vietnam, 68-69, 69-70, and 70-71. I was an AQ in VF-21 working on F4 Phantoms. I was on the flight deck one day during flight ops waiting for my planes to land, and saw a very sad thing. I'm not sure which cruise it was or which A5 squadron it was, but and A5 came in for landing and the pilot missed the wires. Then instead of right away accelerating to get airborne again, for some reason he hesitated getting the power turned up. The plane rolled off the end of the angle deck and went into the sea, nose first. Both canopies were still on the plane when it hit the water. But then it bobbed to the surface, and both canopies were gone and the cockpits were empty. The crew had ejected under water and disappeared. The plane floated a few seconds and then sank as the ship passed by. The ship just kept on going to get out of the way, and the helicopter and the destroyers behind us looked around for a while, but no survivors were found.

[@darincampbell8851]

Shame the USAF could not see that having Navy planes with nuke capacity adds to the deterrent factor! All comes down to budget allocation in the end I guess

[@s.marcus3669]

In truth, the USN really didn't NEED to have planes dropping nuclear BOMBS because they already had subs with nuclear- tipped torpedoes and missiles. The Air Force was plenty fine with the navy having SHIP-borne nukes (ships & subs) but just not AIRCRAFT because that infringed on their bailiwick. The Air Force also had a problem with the Army's aerial assets and that is the subject for another video...

[@davescott7669]

It is staggering that the pilots successfully operated such a BIG aircraft from such SMALL aircraft carriers!

[@sonora108]

I don't think they mentioned it but there were Vigi's as we used to call them on the Oriskany CVA-34 when I was onboard 1970-74.

[@jpatt1000]

THANK YOU! I used to watch these when new but I have never seen this episode nor knew of its existence!

[@socaldadful]

Any idea who the narrator for this is?

[@jpatt1000]

@@socaldadful Sea Wings was narrated Edward Easton. (I like Sir Peter Ustinov's voice on the Wings of the Red Star series. Sounds completely different to the way he speaks in Logan's Run!) Will Lyman narrated the Wings Over the Gulf series. I wish Sea Wings, Wings of the Red Star, Wings of the Luftwaffe and the Great Planes series would be cleaned up and released on BluRay or DVD.

[@socaldadful]

@@jpatt1000 thanks for the info - I appreciate it! Interesting how Easton’s work changed.

[@factfilenews]

The A5 was truly revolutionary. Heads up display and ECM in the 1960s. The air intakes and the wing profile and fuselage, the placement of engines look similar to the f15's. Maybe the aerodynamic research for a high speed fighter took inspiration from a5 design.By the way, the soviet design study looks very similar to the mig25.

[@marekstanek112]

Somewhere I read the North American disclosed most of their high speed research results to other US manufacturers to ease overall speed of progress.

[@scottmurphy650]

My NavAir recruiter was a Viggie pilot. He told of a time when he got launched on my an SA-5 over Hanoi and went supersonic in the dive trying to get away from it. He said he probably broke half the windows in Hanoi.

[@НиколайЖелев-ы8ь]

Hanoi doesnt have SA-5! upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/A_vietnamese_Professor_is_pictured_with_a_group_of_handicapped_children.jpg

[@scottmurphy650]

@@НиколайЖелев-ы8ь Who are we to believe, you or the guy who was there. I bet you were not even alive back then. Go back to your video games child and let the adults talk, ok?

[@ronaryel6445]

The TARPS-equipped F-14A became a very able successor to the RA-5 Vigilante....

[@KB4QAA]

Hardly. The TARPS was a one trick pony. The RA5C was nearly a complete intellegence platform. EW, SLAR, IR line scanner, optical photo, night photo, 137 antennas on the plane. Nothing replaced the Vigi for capability.

[@pauldavies1853]

Great video! Thanks for posting. I'm sure that's Charlton Heston Narrating on this production.

[@richardfuchs5131]

I was on the Independence CVA 62 in the years 1974-77 and we had the vigi there then.

[@skiploader85]

Sorry but the B-47 was a Boeing product, not Convair.

[@garnetstewart3461]

The A-5 flew so fast that bombs were ejected out the back like eggs.

[@luvr381]

The B-47 was a Boeing product, not Convair.

[@craig4867]

The Final Countdown! Fantastic aircraft carrier jet Fighter movie! Starring Kirk Douglas!

[@SatchPersaud-sm1gc]

Miss this show, back when the discovery channel was a real educational channel

[@craigwiester9177]

Convair B-47?? It was built by Boeing.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

One problem with the bombing by the A-5 was the bomb would sometimes follow the aircraft.

[@dennisstorie4604]

Basically the same capabilities of the SR-71 or close enough and cheaper. I'm a huge fan of the Blackbird. This is first time of hearing about this version

[@micstonemic696stone]

the A-5 Vigilante is one beautiful looking plane being that large did they modify the lifts, it looks somewhat similar to our British BAC TSR-2, which was unfortunately cancelled, the A-5 had a massive vertical stabiliser, very nice.

[@Pupda]

Nope. The tail folded over, the nose cone swung up, and the wings sort of folded - just the outer 2-3 ft, enough to say it had folding wings but not enough to really save any space.

[@marekstanek112]

Is the Panther at 30:00 really launching with open cockpit?