Navy heavy attack
The A-3B Skywarrior, seen on the left, entered service in the fifties as a nuclear carrier-based bomber, operated by so-called heavy attack squadrons. By the early sixties, its survivability was in doubt, as new Soviet air defences were developed. It was to replaced by a new supersonic bomber, the A-5 Vigilante. When the nuclear roll was transferred to submarine-launched ballistic missiles, these jets were re-rolled as reconnaissance aircraft, known as the RA-5C, seen on the right. Both were some of the largest aircraft to serve on carriers.
The composition of air wings changes over time, but even as new aircraft are introduced, some squadron remain part of the same air wing for many years. Heavy attack units, however, tended to change wings on a regular basis. The heavy attack squadron that was part of Carrier Air Wing 8 aboard USS Forrestal in 1965, flying the A-3 represented by my model, was VAH-6 Fleurs. By coincidence, in 1978, now aboard USS Nimitz, Carrier Air Wing 8 had the same squadron assigned, now renamed RVAH-6 and flying Vigilantes including the one represented by my model.
Navy heavy attack
The A-3B Skywarrior, seen on the left, entered service in the fifties as a nuclear carrier-based bomber, operated by so-called heavy attack squadrons. By the early sixties, its survivability was in doubt, as new Soviet air defences were developed. It was to replaced by a new supersonic bomber, the A-5 Vigilante. When the nuclear roll was transferred to submarine-launched ballistic missiles, these jets were re-rolled as reconnaissance aircraft, known as the RA-5C, seen on the right. Both were some of the largest aircraft to serve on carriers.
The composition of air wings changes over time, but even as new aircraft are introduced, some squadron remain part of the same air wing for many years. Heavy attack units, however, tended to change wings on a regular basis. The heavy attack squadron that was part of Carrier Air Wing 8 aboard USS Forrestal in 1965, flying the A-3 represented by my model, was VAH-6 Fleurs. By coincidence, in 1978, now aboard USS Nimitz, Carrier Air Wing 8 had the same squadron assigned, now renamed RVAH-6 and flying Vigilantes including the one represented by my model.