North American RA-5C Vigilante
By the late 1950s, the US Navy had successfully made operational a carrier-based nuclear bomber, the North American AJ Savage, and were fielding supercarriers capable of carrying large numbers of nuclear-capable aircraft. As a result, North American privately suggested to the Navy a supersonic jet nuclear bomber that could be operated from Forrestal-class carriers as a Savage replacement and as a supplement to the subsonic A3D Skywarrior. The Navy liked the idea and ordered a prototype, the XA3J-1 Vigilante, in 1956, with the first aircraft coming off the line two years later.
The Vigilante was far ahead of its time. It was the first operational aircraft to use a primitive fly-by-wire microprocessor system, an all-moving tail that replaced the ailerons of more conventional aircraft, a heads-up display, inertial navigation, an undernose television camera system (TCS), bombing computer, and extensive use of titanium to lighten the weight. The bomb delivery system was also unique: a nuclear weapon would be carried in a mid-fuselage tunnel, and ejected out the back of the aircraft over the target along with used fuel cells. The first A3J-1s entered service in 1961
Because of this new technology, the Vigilante’s early years were fraught with maintenance problems, posting the worst operational capability in the Navy for its first few years in service. The nuclear delivery system never worked correctly, and operational use of spare fuel cells in the tunnel led to the loss of one aircraft and several deck fires: the shock of a catapult launch would send the cells flying out the rear of the aircraft. In any case, the Navy was moving away from dedicated nuclear bombers: nuclear weapons had gotten small enough that even diminutive aircraft like the A-4 Skyhawk could carry them, and the development of the Polaris submarine-launched ballistic missile made something like the Vigilante largely unnecessary. North American had also attempted to sell the Vigilante to the USAF as an interceptor—including one three-engined aircraft capable of Mach 3 and armed with six AIM-7 Sparrows on a rotary launcher; though the USAF used the A3J as the basis for the cancelled XF-108 Rapier, it never showed serious interest in the Vigilante.
Pilots reported the aircraft—redesignated A-5A in 1962—was difficult to bring back aboard a carrier due to its high landing speed, but that its handling was excellent, and maneuverability was also very good: Vigilantes had proven capable of maneuvering with F-8 Crusaders. As a result, the Navy decided to convert its A-5s to RA-5C fast reconnaissance aircraft. The RA-5C kept most of the advances of the A-5A (including using fuel cells in the tunnel bay, despite the possibility of fire) along with that of the prototype-stage A-5B, which added a dorsal “hump” with additional fuel. The RA-5C would have a larger wing and a slew of new electronics, including cameras, side-looking radar and infrared sensors. The first RA-5Cs entered service in 1963 with former nuclear-attack “heavy” squadrons.
The RA-5C soon found itself in action over North Vietnam, beginning in 1964. These aircraft proved invaluable: their speed made them virtually immune to MiG interceptors, and even surface-to-air missile batteries found it a tough target to bring down. Because of its speed, the normal F-4 Phantom II fighter escort left the RA-5C at the shoreline and waited for its return. However, since it operated at low level, the Vigilante was vulnerable to ground fire, and the North Vietnamese were well aware that Vigilantes would soon arrive over a target recently struck by Navy aircraft, and would set up ambushes. 18 RA-5Cs were lost in combat over North Vietnam, all but four to antiaircraft guns, and another nine in accidents; because there had not been that many Vigilantes built, North American reopened the production line to replace these losses. This was still a better loss ratio than the RF-8s that supplemented the RA-5Cs. “Vigis” would be one of the few aircraft to serve from the first day of the Vietnam War until the very end.
Following the end of the Vietnam War, the RA-5C’s sheer size and continued maintenance headaches led to it leaving carrier air groups by 1975. The development of the TARPS reconnaissance pod for the F-14 Tomcat spelled the end of the Vigilante, which was deemed no longer necessary. The last RA-5C flight took place in November 1969. Of 156 built, 13 survive today as gate guards and museum pieces.
The RA-5C Vigilante on display in the Malmstrom Museum’s model collection is an aircraft of RVAH-1 (“Smoking Tigers”), as it appeared on USS Independence during its first Vietnam war cruise in 1964-1965. It carries the standard US Navy scheme of the time of medium gray over white, with the typically high-visibility squadron markings of the era.
North American RA-5C Vigilante
By the late 1950s, the US Navy had successfully made operational a carrier-based nuclear bomber, the North American AJ Savage, and were fielding supercarriers capable of carrying large numbers of nuclear-capable aircraft. As a result, North American privately suggested to the Navy a supersonic jet nuclear bomber that could be operated from Forrestal-class carriers as a Savage replacement and as a supplement to the subsonic A3D Skywarrior. The Navy liked the idea and ordered a prototype, the XA3J-1 Vigilante, in 1956, with the first aircraft coming off the line two years later.
The Vigilante was far ahead of its time. It was the first operational aircraft to use a primitive fly-by-wire microprocessor system, an all-moving tail that replaced the ailerons of more conventional aircraft, a heads-up display, inertial navigation, an undernose television camera system (TCS), bombing computer, and extensive use of titanium to lighten the weight. The bomb delivery system was also unique: a nuclear weapon would be carried in a mid-fuselage tunnel, and ejected out the back of the aircraft over the target along with used fuel cells. The first A3J-1s entered service in 1961
Because of this new technology, the Vigilante’s early years were fraught with maintenance problems, posting the worst operational capability in the Navy for its first few years in service. The nuclear delivery system never worked correctly, and operational use of spare fuel cells in the tunnel led to the loss of one aircraft and several deck fires: the shock of a catapult launch would send the cells flying out the rear of the aircraft. In any case, the Navy was moving away from dedicated nuclear bombers: nuclear weapons had gotten small enough that even diminutive aircraft like the A-4 Skyhawk could carry them, and the development of the Polaris submarine-launched ballistic missile made something like the Vigilante largely unnecessary. North American had also attempted to sell the Vigilante to the USAF as an interceptor—including one three-engined aircraft capable of Mach 3 and armed with six AIM-7 Sparrows on a rotary launcher; though the USAF used the A3J as the basis for the cancelled XF-108 Rapier, it never showed serious interest in the Vigilante.
Pilots reported the aircraft—redesignated A-5A in 1962—was difficult to bring back aboard a carrier due to its high landing speed, but that its handling was excellent, and maneuverability was also very good: Vigilantes had proven capable of maneuvering with F-8 Crusaders. As a result, the Navy decided to convert its A-5s to RA-5C fast reconnaissance aircraft. The RA-5C kept most of the advances of the A-5A (including using fuel cells in the tunnel bay, despite the possibility of fire) along with that of the prototype-stage A-5B, which added a dorsal “hump” with additional fuel. The RA-5C would have a larger wing and a slew of new electronics, including cameras, side-looking radar and infrared sensors. The first RA-5Cs entered service in 1963 with former nuclear-attack “heavy” squadrons.
The RA-5C soon found itself in action over North Vietnam, beginning in 1964. These aircraft proved invaluable: their speed made them virtually immune to MiG interceptors, and even surface-to-air missile batteries found it a tough target to bring down. Because of its speed, the normal F-4 Phantom II fighter escort left the RA-5C at the shoreline and waited for its return. However, since it operated at low level, the Vigilante was vulnerable to ground fire, and the North Vietnamese were well aware that Vigilantes would soon arrive over a target recently struck by Navy aircraft, and would set up ambushes. 18 RA-5Cs were lost in combat over North Vietnam, all but four to antiaircraft guns, and another nine in accidents; because there had not been that many Vigilantes built, North American reopened the production line to replace these losses. This was still a better loss ratio than the RF-8s that supplemented the RA-5Cs. “Vigis” would be one of the few aircraft to serve from the first day of the Vietnam War until the very end.
Following the end of the Vietnam War, the RA-5C’s sheer size and continued maintenance headaches led to it leaving carrier air groups by 1975. The development of the TARPS reconnaissance pod for the F-14 Tomcat spelled the end of the Vigilante, which was deemed no longer necessary. The last RA-5C flight took place in November 1969. Of 156 built, 13 survive today as gate guards and museum pieces.
The RA-5C Vigilante on display in the Malmstrom Museum’s model collection is an aircraft of RVAH-1 (“Smoking Tigers”), as it appeared on USS Independence during its first Vietnam war cruise in 1964-1965. It carries the standard US Navy scheme of the time of medium gray over white, with the typically high-visibility squadron markings of the era.