The Great, Constantly Changing Picture Gallery

[Uncle Fester]

I don't know which SLUF that is on the line, but there was the EA-7L that the ELINT aggressors flew up 'til the early '90s. I don't know anything else about them, other than they were. Can the old guys shed some light?

 

[badger16]

^^^ That jet is awesome!! I'd love to find some more info out on it. Good find!

 

[stalk]

I don't know which SLUF that is on the line, but there was the EA-7L that the ELINT aggressors flew up 'til the early '90s. I don't know anything else about them, other than they were. Can the old guys shed some light?

The A-7 on the line does appear to be a TA-7C. From what I was told back in VA-122 those aircraft were crafted from modified A-7B/C's. They did have the TF-30 engine as opposed to the TF-41 in the A-7E. In the Corsair's waning years VA-122 was shut down leaving VA-174 as the only RAG. The surplus TA-7C's were converted into the EA-7L flown by VAQ-34. They provided west coast EW fleet support missions for ships and squadrons. It didn't take long to determine that those services were less expensive when contracted out and the squadron was deactivated in 1991. Most of our excess A-7E's were sent to the Greek airforce. I'm not sure what happened to the TA-7C and EA-7L's.

 

[Mumbles]

The first female Skipper was in VAQ-134....Rosemary Mariner. Evidently, from the stories I've heard, she was well loved:icon_wink.

 

[A4sForever]

.... Most of our excess A-7E's were sent to the Greek airforce...

I used to LOVE to hassle w/ an A-7 ... or 1000 A-7's for that matter ...

Their standard defensive maneuver was to depart the airplane ... so you'd just spiral down following him ... and wait ... and wait ... and wait ... until he recovered -- then you'd lock into his "6" (again), key the mic and call: GUNS KILL
It was so choice, so righteous, so satisfying ...

 

[stalk]

I used to LOVE to hassle w/ an A-7 ... or 1000 A-7's for that matter ...

I seem to remember skillfully maneuvering the VC-5 bogies to my six over Crow Valley. With the Corsairs thrust to weight of -5 to 1 (exaggeration) it would take almost the entire 1+45 cycle (not an exaggeration) to get an FCF (old PMCF) up to altitude to do the throttle slams.

 

[A4sForever]

I seem to remember skillfully maneuvering the VC-5 bogies to my six over Crow Valley.....

Yeah ... dogfighting in an A-7 was something akin to "smashing my groin down onto his knee ... " ... just to show 'em who's boss ...

 

[Cron]

I took these a long while back. The first set is from Grumman's museum in Long Island, the other from the National Air & Space Museum in DC.

The Tomcat is apparently the 3rd one ever built.

 

[Cron]

 

[markkyle66]

Here's some adversary scooters, what a good looking jet!

 

[stalk]

Here's some adversary scooters, what a good looking jet!

Careful now, you're going to get A-4s all worked up so early on a Saturday morning.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Since we are getting A-4's all excited, I figured I'd post some A-4's (and others) from our visit to Barber's Point. BTW, Barber's Point is a shell of its former self. The local community has really let the place go. The photos are from the Air Museum on the old Air Station.

ea6bflyr photos

-ea6bflyr

 

[A4sForever]

Since we are getting A-4's all excited, I figured I'd post some A-4's (and others) from our visit to Barber's Point. BTW, Barber's Point is a shell of its former self. The local community has really let the place go.

HEY!!! GO BLUE ALI'I!!!

These are two that "the guy" lets me SIT IT !!!

Zoom, zoom, zoom .... ratatatatatatatatata ... !!!

If these are recent pix, numba' one still needs a little "juice" in the nose strut, I see ... some things never change ... ???

Numba' two is represented in a semi-famous Barber's Point pix that has now disappeared from the internet.

The Mokes -- you know; the guys who "have so much respect for the aina":sleep_125:sleep_125:sleep_125:sleep_125 .... have totally trashed what was once the Pearl (no pun) of the Pacific, NAS base-wise. Barber's used to sport trimmed green lawns & hedges and white painted curbs -- those days are gone forever. My kid was building BRAND NEW Capehart Housing units ONE YEAR prior to BRAC nuking the base!! Millions of dollars in that contract!!! When the base was deeded over to the State of Hawaii, it was thought that it would provide more beach access (?) and parks (?) for the locals -- and the base would be maintained under caretaker status in case a "surge" was ever contemplated -- like Dan Inyoue's apparently dead plan to put a carrier group there w/ the Air Wing returning to Barber's ...

Instead: vandalism, wanton destruction, theft, and massive encroachment (or INcroach, if you prefer) outside the old perimeter fence which effectively shuts down any "real" future aviation presence there due to noise and APZ complaints and challenges from the now densly populated areas that were once the Kapolei fields. The Mokes even ripped the cash machine out of the wall @ the NEX annex and drove off w/ it w/ God, Country, and the security camera watching ...

It's a crying shame what's happened out there. The only "oasis" left is on the Coastie's side of the field.

 

[markkyle66]

Man flying those must have been tops. I wonder what the time frame on this photo was?

 

[A4sForever]

Man flying those must have been tops. I wonder what the time frame on this photo was?

Great picture!!

If it's not someone's restoration ... based on the color scheme, 4 MG's, & roundel style -- 1943 or later. Probably a -5 ...