A-6 Intruder in Vietnam. Stan Bryant, 10PCT EP68 Part 1

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 28 янв 2025

Комментарии • 24

  • @mikeck4609
    @mikeck4609 5 дней назад +12

    Such an underrated and fascinating aircraft in regards to its capabilities and tech. So very advanced for its day. It’s a tribute that the platform lasted 30 years during THAT time period performing such a demanding role.

  • @therocinante3443
    @therocinante3443 4 дня назад +13

    I honestly don't understand how this isn't the most popular combat aviation channel. You'll have a million subs eventually.

    • @a.n.7229
      @a.n.7229 4 дня назад +5

      My theory is that the feed algorithm prioritizes people who post more regularly - or there’s some other engagement metric that 10% just isn’t triggering. Because if judged based on the quality of the interviews, I completely agree. This channel is top notch.

    • @10percenttrue
      @10percenttrue  4 дня назад +4

      Yes, I think I am not triggering the algorithm, but I don't know why. I have had a number of people say that even though they watch a lot of the channel, they have never had an episode recommended to them in their feed.

    • @10percenttrue
      @10percenttrue  4 дня назад +2

      Thank you!

    • @samiamgreeneggsandham7587
      @samiamgreeneggsandham7587 4 дня назад +5

      You might try posting more short clips of 5-10 minutes length from your long videos. That seems to be a common strategy for getting videos up more frequently to “trigger the algorithm”, and they draw people to view the longer videos.

  • @bearowen5480
    @bearowen5480 5 дней назад +25

    Drum memory computer: when I was flying Marine A-6A models in WESPAC, the reliability of our onboard navigation and attack computers, the hearts of our DIANE systems, was abyssmal, with at one time with a mean time between failure rate of somewhere around 30 minutes, if I remember correctly 47 years later. That meant that on a typical 1.5 hour sortie, on average we could expect to lose the computer before we got to coast-in or our first target. That's why in the A-6 RAG (Marines called it the "training squadron") so much of our B/N'S training time was spent on operating with a "degraded system", which meant how to navigate to and attack a target using the search radar alone. The Achilles heel of the A-6A's DIANE system was definitely the analog drum storage computer. The A-6 did not really blossom as an all weather, night attack platform until the advent of the A-6E variant which had an advanced solid state computer which was orders of magnitude more reliable than the "A" model, and much more accurate at dropping bombs on target. In the A-6E, operating with a "degraded system" pretty much became a thing of the past. Here's to the early Navy and Marine Intruder crews who braved the harrowing antiaircraft defenses of North Vietnam at night and in horrible weather. They are truly American heroes! 👍🐻🇺🇲

    • @aeroengguy448
      @aeroengguy448 19 часов назад +1

      I flew the A and the E as a B/N, and this is accurate

  • @bearowen5480
    @bearowen5480 4 дня назад +21

    Targeting: 7th Fleet or 8th Air Force? In 1972 when I was there in VMA(AW) 533, 8th Air Force was calling all the shots. We were flying out of Nam Phong, a bare bones jungle Royal Thai Air Base we called "MCAS Rosegarden". It had very limited diesel-generated electricity, and no running water, hot chow, or sewage disposal. Without reliable electrical power, we couldn't maintain the A-6 nav and attack systems, so we took the black boxes out of the airplanes and transformed ourselves into a straight old visual dive bombing squadron with twenty two 500 pounders and one 300 gallon (2,000 lb) external fuel tank as our standard ordnance load-out. Our typical missions were FAC(A) Air Force O-2, or OV-10-controlled interdiction or close air support strikes. At that time, May 1972 through January 1973, we were supporting ARVN Rangers and Marines after the North Vietnamese Easter Week conventional invasion south of the DMZ and East of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The ARVN, with our intensive US and VNAF air support, were slowly driving the NVA back northward towards the DMZ. North of Danang the antiaircraft fire from .50 cal. machine guns, 37- and 57-MM triple-A, and SA-7 Strella missiles was often intense, especially over the targets nearer to the Laotian border and the Trail. We lost an airplane and crew near Cam Lo in the early weeks of the deployment when their wing was blown off in a dive bombing run, probably by 57-MM fire. When the targets were in the Cam Lo, Khe Sanh, and Rock Pile areas, my sphincter always took a bite out of the seat cushion when I found out that was where we were headed to meet the FAC! There was even a confirmed SAM site at the old Phu Bai Marine Air Station! I never took as much AAA fire on the Trail, or over Cambodia, as I did over South Vietnam! What was currently the hottest antiaircraft defense environment varied dramatically over the duration of the war, depending on the enemy's operations or our own at the moment, constantly changing.
    The A-6 was a magnificent dive bomber. I dropped a lot of bombs from A-4s too. The A-4 had a reputation for being a superlative dive bomber, but in my opinion from having flown both, the A-6 was every bit as deadly accurate of a platform, and it could carry a lot more ordnance! LtCol "Bear" Owen (Ret) A-4, A-6, F-4, USMC and ANG 👍🐻🇺🇲

  • @bearowen5480
    @bearowen5480 5 дней назад +7

    Interesting that you interview a Navy A-6 B/N with a photo of four Marine A-6s from Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 242 in the background! 😁🐻🇺🇲

    • @10percenttrue
      @10percenttrue  5 дней назад +8

      You got me banged to rights! Will need to rectify that for part 2. Thanks for the correction.

    • @bearowen5480
      @bearowen5480 4 дня назад +5

      @@10percenttrue No problem, I just thought it was ironic. For us Marine Intruder drivers, it's usually the other way 'round! 😉🐻🇺🇲🇬🇧

  • @Rafael-nz6pp
    @Rafael-nz6pp 20 часов назад +1

    Great interview and questions. It shows the prep and research in advance of the interview.

  • @eicjc
    @eicjc День назад +1

    Another 10 percent tour de force! Looking forward to more in this series. 👍🏼

  • @sedlo
    @sedlo 4 дня назад +2

    Wow, another great interview! Admiral Bryant certainly has had an illustrious career. Can't wait for part II!

  • @cogfal78
    @cogfal78 4 дня назад +2

    Another amazing interview, great job!

  • @egonzinc
    @egonzinc 4 дня назад +2

    Outstanding!

  • @goratgo1970
    @goratgo1970 5 дней назад +5

    Any integration with the EA-6A?
    Like to hear about their effects of assisting in precision strikes.
    This is great info. being an ex A-10 crew dog, love ground work stories!

    • @10percenttrue
      @10percenttrue  5 дней назад +4

      Will ask for part 2. Thanks

    • @apparition13
      @apparition13 4 дня назад +2

      @@10percenttrue If you're taking questions, I'm curious if he has any opinion on the abortive A-6F.

  • @johnhiz6239
    @johnhiz6239 5 дней назад +5

    USMC Commando Bolt Missions via A-6

  • @johnhiz6239
    @johnhiz6239 5 дней назад +5

    A-6 School house Academy/ Gulfstream ( Grumman )

  • @aeroengguy448
    @aeroengguy448 19 часов назад

    Hi Stan - USNA '69

  • @Dan-qp1el
    @Dan-qp1el 4 дня назад +2

    Actually it is rocket science