I was at cecil field with va-174,john McCain then down the street with va-86 with virgil"action" Jackson off the uss Nimitz in '79 med cruise over to the gulf and gonzo station 444 at sea,shellback damn good times with my boys in the ordanance shop.
VA-66 Cecil Field '70 - '72....remember the Jet Inn on Normandy? I still have a button from the Juke Box there for the Beatle's song 'You Know My Name'....very little known song!
VA-86 73-78. USS America and USS Nimitz. 444 days at sea on Gonzo station. Steel beach picnics and was issued two official beers on the flight deck! 😆 IYAOYAS!
With a few upgrades, this would be the perfect aircraft for the war we're fighting right now. It makes no goddamn sense to me why we're using expensive, incredibly complex fighters that carry 2-8 bombs as light bombers when we already had an excellent light bomber in this aircraft. It could carry 32 500lb bombs, had orders of magnitude more loiter time than any of the teen series, and with avionics upgrades and a LANTIRN pod, it would still be a very effective and comparatively inexpensive strike aircraft and light bomber in the modern world. But nope, the military absolutely insists on using the most expensive option possible to drop small amounts of ordinance on some assholes in pickups. Our tax dollars at work.
No kidding, planes like this would be fine for what warfare has become. Just look at what the A 10 is doing and how an obsolete plane ready for decommissioning has become damn near indispensable overseas. Honestly we almost don't need to be so reliant on stealth as we have incredible electronic countermeasures ant render aircraft almost invisible to radar now as it is.
I agree with you. I was in VA-72 from 1987 to decommission in 1991. We and our sister squadron VA-46 were the last two A-7 squadrons in the Navy and ended the A-7 era with a bang as we deployed aboard CV-67 USS John F. Kennedy in support of Desert Shield/Storm then decommissioned upon return to Cecil Field. For the cost of an F/A-18 they could have contracted someone to build new A-7's with an updated engine and weapon system and received 2 A-7's to one F/A-18. One of the requirements of the A-7's replacement was two engines. The Navy wanted to move away from single engine aircraft. Move forward 30 years, the Hornet is aging and it will be replaced by the single engine F-35. Hopefully the Air Force wises up and keeps the A-10.
redv311 They actually had a proposed upgrade package which would give the A-7 new avionics and the engine from the F-16, which would make it capable of supersonic flight. It would still be cheaper, carry more ordinance and have a better loiter time than what we have now. The Pentagon turned it down. I can kind of understand the Pentagon's thinking, they want the highest performance aircraft possible in case of another world war. But, I really think another war between superpowers is impossible due to nuclear weapons. Anyone who has the capability to challenge our air force in the skies also has nukes, and we would never risk a war with them, nor they us. The stakes are too high. What we're left with is beating up on dipshits in pickups, who have limited AA at best. Things like the F-35 are unnecessary for that work, and they're less than ideal due to compromises in the design. A cheap light bomber would be perfect to fight the real wars we find ourselves in as opposed to the Pentagon (and Lockheed-Martin's) fantasy wars.
I believe the A-7 you refer to was the A-7F but still didn't fit the requirements of two engines. Unfortunately the needs of the Military and what would be best are rarely what drives the acquisition of new hardware be it aircraft or tanks. Its more about how much the Congressman is going to put in his pocket and political favors. In the end the military anf the American people loose. I agree with you on the F-35. It's the wrong aircraft for all the wrong reasons. Our Military has been destroyed by this administration. When you read about a Marine F/A-18 squadron that only has a few flyable aircraft because they cant get parts is outrageous. They had to cannibalize the rest of their aircraft to keep a few flying and many of their pilots don't get enough flight time to stay sharp and qualified. The navy decommissioned the A-6 and S-3 with no aircraft to replace them. Our Military, and I mean all branches, is spread so thin I don't think we wound survive if China or Russia decided to take us over. We as a country are in very sad shape. If major changes aren't made we as a sovereign Nation will no longer exists.
hulk hogan , I agree. Unfortunately lobbyists in Washington decides what our military needs.... not what the people flying combat missions feel is the best airframe. Look at the disaster of an aircraft the V-22 Osprey is. Tilt rotor helicopter/plane. What a f###ing disgrace the military purchased it.
I’m so glad I was in the Navy while these absolutely kick ass aircraft were in use.
I was with Michigan air gaurd we had 24 in our fleet. Very dependable great jet.
Atkron 87 , NAS Cecil 80-82. Best of times, great squadron
I was with the A-7E from 1975-1991 VA-87 VA-174 VA-83 AND VA-105 All At Cecil Field FL Love THE AIRCRAFT.
I was at cecil field with va-174,john McCain then down the street with va-86 with virgil"action" Jackson off the uss Nimitz in '79 med cruise over to the gulf and gonzo station 444 at sea,shellback damn good times with my boys in the ordanance shop.
VA-66 Cecil Field '70 - '72....remember the Jet Inn on Normandy? I still have a button from the Juke Box there for the Beatle's song 'You Know My Name'....very little known song!
VA-37 Schlitz Malt Liquor BULLS!! 1981-4
I was there in 73 , you were still pooping your diaper.
VA-86 73-78. USS America and USS Nimitz. 444 days at sea on Gonzo station. Steel beach picnics and was issued two official beers on the flight deck! 😆
IYAOYAS!
The A7 was a little work horse and we had this one on the Kitty Hawk in 1979 - 1981 when I was an ABHAN in V-1 division.
I was a crewchief on the A-7 with the 355th TAC in the early 70s this video brought back a lot of memories thanks for the video .
I did a Med cruise and a WestPac on the Saratoga with VA-105. 1971-72.
With a few upgrades, this would be the perfect aircraft for the war we're fighting right now.
It makes no goddamn sense to me why we're using expensive, incredibly complex fighters that carry 2-8 bombs as light bombers when we already had an excellent light bomber in this aircraft. It could carry 32 500lb bombs, had orders of magnitude more loiter time than any of the teen series, and with avionics upgrades and a LANTIRN pod, it would still be a very effective and comparatively inexpensive strike aircraft and light bomber in the modern world.
But nope, the military absolutely insists on using the most expensive option possible to drop small amounts of ordinance on some assholes in pickups.
Our tax dollars at work.
No kidding, planes like this would be fine for what warfare has become. Just look at what the A 10 is doing and how an obsolete plane ready for decommissioning has become damn near indispensable overseas. Honestly we almost don't need to be so reliant on stealth as we have incredible electronic countermeasures ant render aircraft almost invisible to radar now as it is.
I agree with you. I was in VA-72 from 1987 to decommission in 1991. We and our sister squadron VA-46 were the last two A-7 squadrons in the Navy and ended the A-7 era with a bang as we deployed aboard CV-67 USS John F. Kennedy in support of Desert Shield/Storm then decommissioned upon return to Cecil Field. For the cost of an F/A-18 they could have contracted someone to build new A-7's with an updated engine and weapon system and received 2 A-7's to one F/A-18. One of the requirements of the A-7's replacement was two engines. The Navy wanted to move away from single engine aircraft. Move forward 30 years, the Hornet is aging and it will be replaced by the single engine F-35. Hopefully the Air Force wises up and keeps the A-10.
redv311 They actually had a proposed upgrade package which would give the A-7 new avionics and the engine from the F-16, which would make it capable of supersonic flight. It would still be cheaper, carry more ordinance and have a better loiter time than what we have now.
The Pentagon turned it down.
I can kind of understand the Pentagon's thinking, they want the highest performance aircraft possible in case of another world war.
But, I really think another war between superpowers is impossible due to nuclear weapons. Anyone who has the capability to challenge our air force in the skies also has nukes, and we would never risk a war with them, nor they us. The stakes are too high.
What we're left with is beating up on dipshits in pickups, who have limited AA at best. Things like the F-35 are unnecessary for that work, and they're less than ideal due to compromises in the design.
A cheap light bomber would be perfect to fight the real wars we find ourselves in as opposed to the Pentagon (and Lockheed-Martin's) fantasy wars.
I believe the A-7 you refer to was the A-7F but still didn't fit the requirements of two engines. Unfortunately the needs of the Military and what would be best are rarely what drives the acquisition of new hardware be it aircraft or tanks. Its more about how much the Congressman is going to put in his pocket and political favors. In the end the military anf the American people loose.
I agree with you on the F-35. It's the wrong aircraft for all the wrong reasons. Our Military has been destroyed by this administration. When you read about a Marine F/A-18 squadron that only has a few flyable aircraft because they cant get parts is outrageous. They had to cannibalize the rest of their aircraft to keep a few flying and many of their pilots don't get enough flight time to stay sharp and qualified. The navy decommissioned the A-6 and S-3 with no aircraft to replace them. Our Military, and I mean all branches, is spread so thin I don't think we wound survive if China or Russia decided to take us over.
We as a country are in very sad shape. If major changes aren't made we as a sovereign Nation will no longer exists.
hulk hogan ,
I agree. Unfortunately lobbyists in Washington decides what our military needs.... not what the people flying combat missions feel is the best airframe.
Look at the disaster of an aircraft the V-22 Osprey is. Tilt rotor helicopter/plane. What a f###ing disgrace the military purchased it.
I was the first enlisted man assigned to VA-147, the first A7 squadron. Deployed Nov 67 - May 68. J C Hill was our skipper - the Argonauts !!!
VA-37.
I helped with launch and recovery as a blue shirt on the flight deck of the Independence, CV-62 from October 74 to June 78.
The A-7 is like a flying Bulldog. Ugly but tough as hell!!!
Great video man! Brings back a lot of good memories of VA-46 Clansmen in the early 1980's!
I was with Vma 142 Cecil Field 82-84. Always enjoyed watching A-7 ops.
VA-146 '76-81 USS Constellation CV-64
VA-147 '84-88 USS Kitty Hawk CV-63
AE1
Served with you Ken.. 81-86. G-4 Weapons ships company. Was honored to see these birds on the flight deck. Miss that JP5 smell. AO1 (AW/SW) USN ret.
Love the A-7! Love Deep Purple too!
Great plane. Great video. Thanks.
A-7s Forever !! VA-82, VX-5,VA-204
0:14 - 0:25 what a strange flight helmet!
Oooh ?
Love it. Art, I was next door in VA-37.
Hello Clay. I was in VA-37 too. Worked in seat shop.
@@jerrydillard2430 Hello Jerry. I was in the Line Division first, then airframes shop. I was in the squadron from Jan. 83 to Jun 86.
@@Deckrat l was there a bit earlier. 68 or 69. My memory is a bit bad now but I’ll never forget those times.
Nice editing! Thanks for posting...
Wish Vaught, Rockwell, and Grumman still made front line aircraft.
LTV at its finest I grew up next to NES Dallas where they made these birds
Gunslingers rock !
Awesome
on Rosie 71-75 Ame- seat shop va 87
On Rosie, 66-69
va-81 sunliners. 71-75 ame troubleshooter and then shop p.o. the a-7e was a great aircraft.
Right after joining 37 I figured out these Bad MF's could carry what a freakin' B-17 could, with just a pilot.
The Navy's dump-truck. Capable of dropping 36 500lb bombs at once.
VA-113 Lemoore ,70-73 USS ranger westpac
What's that Hair Force A-7 doing in there at 2:40? Must be lost.
Happy to work in them babies!1 Great planes!! War Hawks rule!!!!!
That windshield was BIG
VA-174 Hellrazors "Framp" 1981 - 1982 then to VA-46 Clansmen NAS Cecil Field FL - USS America CV-66 1982 - 1985
VA-86 Sidewinder............1967-70.............Hooyah!
VA-22 baby....Man, I feel old.
Joseph Fessenden I Was In VA-22 78-80 And 85-89!
Joseph Fessenden You Can't Beat A Redcock!
VA-27 1971-1972 Royal Maces!!!!
VA-147 Lemoore, CA
Argonauts!
I saw a VA-105 Gunslinger taking off!
A-7 Corsair 2 Navy Combat Pilots Nickname Wale 🐋Shark 🦈Because Large In take
VA22 YCBARC! VA304 1100 hours 319 traps Great jet!
Dean Koehler I Was An AO In VA-22 From 78-80 And Again From 85-89! You Can't Beat A Redcock!
My Name Is Flowers!
Dean Koehler I Remember You Mr Koehler We Served Together From 78-80 Under The Command Of Commander Don Grice! CO Grice Was A Friend Of Mine!
John Grice is still around. He was a great CO. Gave responsibility freely to JO's to either sink or swim. We swam!
I remember you AO's fondly, even the HLU-196 times...
VA-25; USS Ranger and Lemoore NAS.
👍
VA 15 Cecil field 77- 78 On the America in the Med
Music name ?
who in hell is playing that noise..?
that just eats the stratgic mood... boot..!