For 40 years my brothers and I have wanted to see this video. Our father is in it (playing the guitar, tennis, etc) and we always knew it existed but never could find it. Every few years I'd scour the internet and now it is here! It is so special seeing our dad in actual video! This is pure gold -- thank you so much for bringing it back to life! Dad went on to spend 31 years in the Navy, did two tours in Vietnam flying the A-3 off the USS Coral Sea, and retired as a Captain. Thank you for this!!!! 🙏
I was Air Intelligence Officer with VQ1 in Japan and Vietnam. We had EC121, EA3 and EP3 aircraft in the squadron. I went to OCS in Pensacola, getting commissioned in January 1967. Fifty five years ago today, April 15, one of our EC121s was shot down by North Korean MIGs. We lost 31 of our squadron’s crew. Personally, I lost three good friends. I separated to civilian life in November 1970.
My 1st squadron of 5 was Heavy 9, HHMF! Only Viggie guys know what it means. It was on our belt buckle. You needed to sack up to be a RAN with only the tiny window and a radar that rarely worked but the camera was extremely reliable. Left a good part of my hand on a smoking hot pitot tube in the hanger. Never did that again for my next 23yrs in the Navy.
The P-3 in this was still flying in '87 at Pacific Missile Test Center, Point Mugu, CA. I logged time in her as a radar and radio operator. I don't know how much longer she flew after I transferred out.
@@TropicTrdr I also flew in an ex-VP-8 bird BUNO 148888 in 1980-- Ranger 23 in VQ-2. That particular bird was a pre-production P-3A prototype. P-3's don t get much older than that.
Don't get me wrong, when I built a Vigilante model growing up I was sure it was one of the great ones. But from what I read, the Navy bought a very limited air frame in the A-5A. Recon was about all it was good for, and it was very good on task. Considering how much I dug it as a kid please correct me if I'm wrong.
@@cowboybob7093 The A-5, in addition to being sexy as hell, and a BIG airplane, was very much cutting edge technology when it was under development. Recall that it's initial mission was the nuclear strike role, as the jet was conceived in the late 1950s. Zip into Russia at the speed of heat, drop a nuke, and that was about all that was expected of the plane. A couple of things happened to make the Vigi less than successful as a nuclear strike platform. First, as cutting edge technology, some issues cropped up. It's novel nuclear delivery system, with the bombload nestled between the engines, never worked very well, for a couple of reasons. Second, it's nuclear delivery mission was made virtually obsolete by the introduction of Polaris armed Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBNs). So the Navy found itself with a very impressive aircraft that was, essentially, without a purpose. Redesigning the Vigi as a long range reconnaissance aircraft took some doing, but her large size gave her plenty of room for sensors and a huge fuel load, making her a valuable asset, even if her large size clogged flight decks and her carrier approaches scared crews half to death.
As for me being 2nd in my class of 12, in naval flight dynamics I was not angry loosing my spot to a young woman that placed 12th. She was really cute 🧚
What F-4 crews? And those are pressure suits, which most high performance her crews wore in the 1950s because they assumed they would be flying at new high altitudes routinely. If the cockpit pressurization failed they would be lost, or if they had to eject. They don't use them much now because they rarely fly at 50,000 ft today. They assumed that would be routinely flying high where performance was maximized and enemy aircraft had trouble intercepting them. They didn't go lower until they realized that SAMs could reach them to easily at high altitude.
F-111A? Fixed wing. the featured aircraft doesn't have Swept wings that is commonly known for the 'Aardvark' F-111........? the Aardvark i am used to seeing has swept wings. and on an aircraft carrier, interesting reminds me of the doolittle B-25's in a way.
@ General Dynamics: "Hello Grumman? Can you help us with the landing gear of this heavy carrier based project? Grumman: "Glad to, anything for the fleet." USN: "Too heavy" ... Grumman: "Take a look, we call it `Tomcat.`"
@@TickledFunnyBone you literally said "F-111? The F-111 I am used to seeing has fixed wings?" The purpose of the ? character is traditionally indicating a question, hence the name "question mark". So you were either asking if it was an F-111 or stating it as a fact with the wrong punctuation. Either way it is wrong, it is an A-5 Vigilante, or A3J in the old system in use when this was made. F-111 has variable geometry wings, and side-by-side seating, which this clearly doesn't have. And "fixed wing" refers to an aircraft that isn't a helicopter or rotary wing aircraft.
A guy I went to HS with became a Naval aviation officer who was killed by his pilot when he did a holiwood take off and stalled the jet. I'd rather have my life in my own hands than some connected kid's like a Bush or a McCain both of whom also killed crew members.
@@paulw176 Read a book. Bush bailed out of his Avenger when it started smoking and didn't tell the crew. Many pilots would stay at the controls till the crew got out but not Country Club Bush . O and I went to a prep school so I know the type a lot better than most.
@@gregorybrennan8539 If you have ever been an aviator on multi crewed aircraft, you would seriously question the biased garbage that you read. Crews that fly together become one in every way. Bush stayed with his Avenger after being hit and released his ordinance that day from an already smoking bird. I doubt very seriously a crew in such close quarters with each other would not realize that the guy in front of them driving the bus had just bailed out leaving them to their own devices.
Sixty eight minutes of commercials in a thirty five minute video? We have got to stop Susan Wojcicki from spamming us! Boycott RUclips premium apps and boycott RUclips advertisers.
Only had 2 NFO's as skippers in 25 years, 1st was fine the other was Joey Acoin. Couldn't believe the Navy kept promoting him from when he killed a young sailor in 98' till he killed. I think it was 7 off of Japan and they finally shitcanned him. Very insecure and you just couldn't avoid staring at his nasty hair plugs, a bigger sin than missing a previous skippers Xmas party.
For 40 years my brothers and I have wanted to see this video. Our father is in it (playing the guitar, tennis, etc) and we always knew it existed but never could find it. Every few years I'd scour the internet and now it is here! It is so special seeing our dad in actual video! This is pure gold -- thank you so much for bringing it back to life! Dad went on to spend 31 years in the Navy, did two tours in Vietnam flying the A-3 off the USS Coral Sea, and retired as a Captain. Thank you for this!!!! 🙏
Cool story.
Did your father happen to know Louis 'Seadog' Fodor? Fodor also served in A3s and later went to EA-6Bs at NAS Whidbey.
I found an original copy of this film in my garage, don’t have a way to watch it so I’m glad to see it’s up on RUclips
Let us know if you have any other U.S. Navy 16mm films ...we love digitizing them and sharing with the world.
I was Air Intelligence Officer with VQ1 in Japan and Vietnam. We had EC121, EA3 and EP3 aircraft in the squadron. I went to OCS in Pensacola, getting commissioned in January 1967. Fifty five years ago today, April 15, one of our EC121s was shot down by North Korean MIGs. We lost 31 of our squadron’s crew. Personally, I lost three good friends. I separated to civilian life in November 1970.
My 1st squadron of 5 was Heavy 9, HHMF! Only Viggie guys know what it means. It was on our belt buckle. You needed to sack up to be a RAN with only the tiny window and a radar that rarely worked but the camera was extremely reliable. Left a good part of my hand on a smoking hot pitot tube in the hanger. Never did that again for my next 23yrs in the Navy.
This channel is pure gold
Love 50s 60s and 70s Navy stuff. The Nuclear Navy cutting it's teeth into the machine it is today in 2020
Kind of funny that the one aircraft still in use from this video is the P-3 . And still one of the best.
My favorite plane!!!!! I wish this plane was more well known
The P-3 in this was still flying in '87 at Pacific Missile Test Center, Point Mugu, CA. I logged time in her as a radar and radio operator. I don't know how much longer she flew after I transferred out.
It must've been brand new in this video because VP-8 got the P-3 first in 1962.
@@TropicTrdr I also flew in an ex-VP-8 bird BUNO 148888 in 1980-- Ranger 23 in VQ-2. That particular bird was a pre-production P-3A prototype. P-3's don t get much older than that.
Gee, color is faded, can it be restored by computer programs? Make this so much better to view.
I grew up in Central Florida and recognized NAS Sanford in those photos. It looks like the Vigi is making that attack run over New Smyrna Beach,
Yes sir ! Agree - DeBary , Fl . Resident . Since early ‘60s. We got a A -5 crater over here
from the old days . Crew landed in lake Monroe -
LOL PreFlight Class 30-64 here . VAW-13 Jan66 -Jan68 2 tours Yankee Station as ECMO NFO flying EA1F's
Lived aboard NAS Jax 72-74. Spent many summer days watching P3 takeoffs and landings.
Thanks for this 👍✈️
RA 5 vigalantie! Nothing like hearing the pilots light the can on those J79's on the F4's while in Cubic Point!
Note that these were straight A-5A attack Vigis, not the later RA-5C recon version.
@@XBradTC yes that would be correct. 👍
Don't get me wrong, when I built a Vigilante model growing up I was sure it was one of the great ones. But from what I read, the Navy bought a very limited air frame in the A-5A. Recon was about all it was good for, and it was very good on task. Considering how much I dug it as a kid please correct me if I'm wrong.
@@cowboybob7093
The A-5, in addition to being sexy as hell, and a BIG airplane, was very much cutting edge technology when it was under development.
Recall that it's initial mission was the nuclear strike role, as the jet was conceived in the late 1950s. Zip into Russia at the speed of heat, drop a nuke, and that was about all that was expected of the plane.
A couple of things happened to make the Vigi less than successful as a nuclear strike platform. First, as cutting edge technology, some issues cropped up. It's novel nuclear delivery system, with the bombload nestled between the engines, never worked very well, for a couple of reasons. Second, it's nuclear delivery mission was made virtually obsolete by the introduction of Polaris armed Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBNs). So the Navy found itself with a very impressive aircraft that was, essentially, without a purpose.
Redesigning the Vigi as a long range reconnaissance aircraft took some doing, but her large size gave her plenty of room for sensors and a huge fuel load, making her a valuable asset, even if her large size clogged flight decks and her carrier approaches scared crews half to death.
@@XBradTC 👍👍
Hmm I didn't know the A5 crews wore pressure suits ...the Vigilante had a ceiling of 52,000ft, much like fighters do.
The Vigilante was known for pressurization problems. One A5 trapped and the whole forward fuselage broke off.
@@craigwall9536 WOW!! I guess they were a fairly long slender kind of bird, lots of stresses on the airframe.
As for me being 2nd in my class of 12, in naval flight dynamics I was not angry loosing my spot to a young woman that placed 12th. She was really cute 🧚
....did you nail her (or at least got shot-down trying)?
F4 Crew in Spacesuits?
What F-4 crews? And those are pressure suits, which most high performance her crews wore in the 1950s because they assumed they would be flying at new high altitudes routinely. If the cockpit pressurization failed they would be lost, or if they had to eject. They don't use them much now because they rarely fly at 50,000 ft today. They assumed that would be routinely flying high where performance was maximized and enemy aircraft had trouble intercepting them. They didn't go lower until they realized that SAMs could reach them to easily at high altitude.
The jets of these days look like Tank's compared to Today?
F-111A? Fixed wing. the featured aircraft doesn't have Swept wings that is commonly known for the 'Aardvark' F-111........? the Aardvark i am used to seeing has swept wings. and on an aircraft carrier, interesting reminds me of the doolittle B-25's in a way.
It's a North American Vigilante.
@ you see anywhere where there may have been a question asked? anywhere? anyone?
@@TickledFunnyBone
Uh, dude, there were two questions asked in this thread. One by the OP, one by the guy you replied to.
@ General Dynamics: "Hello Grumman? Can you help us with the landing gear of this heavy carrier based project?
Grumman: "Glad to, anything for the fleet."
USN: "Too heavy" ... Grumman: "Take a look, we call it `Tomcat.`"
@@TickledFunnyBone you literally said "F-111? The F-111 I am used to seeing has fixed wings?" The purpose of the ? character is traditionally indicating a question, hence the name "question mark". So you were either asking if it was an F-111 or stating it as a fact with the wrong punctuation. Either way it is wrong, it is an A-5 Vigilante, or A3J in the old system in use when this was made. F-111 has variable geometry wings, and side-by-side seating, which this clearly doesn't have. And "fixed wing" refers to an aircraft that isn't a helicopter or rotary wing aircraft.
A rear-ended career?
11:04 now they look quite groovy.
a little too groovy for their "first jet experience" maybe..
Me and the Mrs. popping down to Bermuda this winter. (Let's pretend the world is normal, and we all own jets.)
A guy I went to HS with became a Naval aviation officer who was killed by his pilot when he did a holiwood take off and stalled the jet.
I'd rather have my life in my own hands than some connected kid's like a Bush or a McCain both of whom also
killed crew members.
Neither Bush or McCain 'killed' crew members. And bud, you wouldn't quailfy to fly a muddy boot.
@@paulw176 Read a book. Bush bailed out of his Avenger when it started smoking and didn't tell the crew. Many pilots would stay at the controls till the crew got out but not Country Club Bush . O and I went to a prep school so I know the type a lot better than most.
@@gregorybrennan8539 So, Nimrod, tell us about the man/men McCain killed, as all his plane types were single seaters (ADs, A4s, A7s...) I'm waiting...
Well preppie, at least you had someone who looked like Obama and that you would call "boy" as he mowed your lawn.
@@gregorybrennan8539 If you have ever been an aviator on multi crewed aircraft, you would seriously question the biased garbage that you read. Crews that fly together become one in every way. Bush stayed with his Avenger after being hit and released his ordinance that day from an already smoking bird. I doubt very seriously a crew in such close quarters with each other would not realize that the guy in front of them driving the bus had just bailed out leaving them to their own devices.
Sixty eight minutes of commercials in a thirty five minute video?
We have got to stop Susan Wojcicki from spamming us!
Boycott RUclips premium apps and boycott RUclips advertisers.
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You need to subscribe to primiun account. 10 bucks a month. No ads
Only had 2 NFO's as skippers in 25 years, 1st was fine the other was Joey Acoin. Couldn't believe the Navy kept promoting him from when he killed a young sailor in 98' till he killed. I think it was 7 off of Japan and they finally shitcanned him. Very insecure and you just couldn't avoid staring at his nasty hair plugs, a bigger sin than missing a previous skippers Xmas party.