A-7D

[lamebrain]

Anyone out there who worked on or flew A-7's?

 

Jim Lofton

23rd TFW

England AFB,LA

1975-1979

[rr01]

You guys had a pretty dynamic LtCol in your hierarchy during that time. I worked with him at Clark AB after his tour there but at the time, right after Vietnam he was pretty intent on improving the tactics of the A~7 guys under him instead of the old "single pass and then head to the tanker before the next pass" routine. I know I'm oversimplifying a jet you might be fond of but it seemed to be the next interim replacement between the A~1 and after the A~37 until the A~10 obtained true operational status. No, i din't fly them but I did spend some time closer to where they operated.....on the ground near a target area.

[lamebrain]

The A-7 was the best close air support A/C there ever was, until the A-10 came along. It had one of the first heads up display and computerized weapons delivery and navigation. It could put a MK-82 in your back pocket from 5000 ft.

[rr01]

The A-7 was the best close air support A/C there ever was, until the A-10 came along. It had one of the first heads up display and computerized weapons delivery and navigation. It could put a MK-82 in your back pocket from 5000 ft.

I'm certainly not disputing it's superior targeting capabilities just pointing out that it seemed to only be able to hit that target once, from any altitude and with any ordnance before having to go for fuel. As I mentioned I may be oversimplifying the situation but I'm only doing so from memories of my own experiences. This time after Vietnam was also a time of changes in tactics and exercises were and still are more conservative when it comes to rules of engagement in training vs in combat.

[hink441]

The A-7 was the best close air support A/C there ever was, until the A-10 came along. It had one of the first heads up display and computerized weapons delivery and navigation. It could put a MK-82 in your back pocket from 5000 ft.

 

I don't know about the best ever? The A-7 was a great jet, but I think the A-6 was superior to the A-7 in most ways. Two engines, two crew, and bigger payload, but no gun. Just my opinion though, I am sure others will vary.

[lamebrain]

You sound like you were in the navy! LOL! The A-6 just did not have the accuracy that the A-7 had due to the computerized weapons delivery system. No gun is a serious handicap for any CAS A/C! (I know they carried gun pods, but pods lack the ammo capacity of the M61A1 20mm. in the A-7.

[lamebrain]

I may have spoken a little hastily! The A-6 also had a computerized weapons/nav system but I think the A-7's had a more sophisticated system. Sorry! :salute:

[hink441]

I may have spoken a little hastily! The A-6 also had a computerized weapons/nav system but I think the A-7's had a more sophisticated system. Sorry! :salute:

 

Yes I worked on some A-6s in my time :thumbsup: and I hear what you are saying. I agree that no gun is a serious drawback, but the systems in the A-6 were more complex than the A-7. The A-6 was all weather night attack capable. The system was so complex it required a dedicated operator. A-6s had search radar, terrain clearance (night time low level attack), radar navigation/bombing etc. Later A-6 models had even more capabilities (smart bombs). The Navy A-7s were defininetly not all weather attack. I can't speak to the USAF A-7s.

[lamebrain]

OK! I give!!! LOL!! I know the Marines were glad to have A-6 CAS. The AF supported mostly Army. They didn't know the difference! :laughing1:

[ikar]

I picked up a copy of a publication on the SLUFF done in comic book form. It's titled The Adventres of Super Sluff. It even has the superman insignia with the "S" that natually stands for SLUFF. I found if going off base in trash truck. I grabbed it while the truck was stopped for a paperwork check and still have it.

 

I remember one page that claimed that the SLUF did a coast to coast flight in just over three minutes. On the bottom they admitted it was over the Panama Canal. Butitwas coast to coast.

[lamebrain]

I have heard of it. That's a good find. Me thinks they are rather rare!

[ikar]

Sandy Alert:

 

 

and the other guys:

 

Caught these passing through while in the middle of a paint job.

[ikar]

And just to be kind to those who aren't S.L.U.F.F.s:

 

[MIFlyer]

I worked on A-7D's and just about everything else when I was at Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker AFB, from 1974 to 1978.

 

My most memorable A-7D effort was when they called me in in October 1975 to handle a problem with the bleed air ducts getting bends in them. They sent our two, very experienced engineers to England AFB and Davis Monthan AFB, and me, the newbie, to Myrtle Beach AFB.

 

At that time at MBAFB they had 80 A-7D's and only 40 engines due to some TF-41 problems. After inspecting the ducts they were down to only two potentially flyable A-&D's and to make matters worse they decided at that time to paint their two T-33A's! We found the cause of the bends was a quick shortcut the maintenance guys had come up with to make it easier to handle the frequent engine inspections required.

 

I personally inspected the ducts and managed to find enough that I was willing to sign off on as being beyond normal T.O. limits but acceptable from the ALC engineering standpoint so that they could get those 40 airplanes flying again. Thank heavens none of them failed!