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Douglas A-3 Skywarrior

1956 COLD WAR VIETNAM WAR

History of the Douglas A-3 Skywarrior

Douglas supplied large twin-engine Skywarrior jet bombers to the US Air Force (as the B-66 destroyer) and the US Navy (as the A-3 Skywarrior). About 282 of the latter were produced, and from 1956 to 1991, these aircraft had a long service life. Although the Skywarrior was introduced as a carrier-based bomber, it eventually assumed the role of a reconnaissance, aerial tanker, and electronic warfare aircraft (EWA) before his story was written.

The design of the aircraft is attributed to Ed Heinemann, a renowned American aeronautical engineer known for his leadership role in the design of the legendary U.S. Navy A-4 Skyhawk aircraft carrier. When the U.S.

Navy acquired the Skywarrior in 1956, it became their first twin-engine nuclear bomber and the largest (and heaviest) aircraft to serve on an aircraft carrier.

The U.S. Navy has commissioned several design studies to test the viability of a carrier-based strategic bomber, focusing on operational weight and size on space-constrained aircraft carrier decks. Douglas engineers then began designing the aircraft in 1947, working largely without benefiting from all the design details the U.S.

Navy envisioned such is the secrecy surrounding any new aircraft designed to carry nuclear payloads. In January 1948, U.S. naval authorities formally issued requirements for a carrier-based bomb-carrying platform that took into account this nuclear capabilityan aircraft that should operate on the decks of existing U.S. aircraft carriers while having an inherently good range. Douglas was awarded the development contract and continued production of the "XA3D-1" prototype, which first flew on October 28, 1952.

The development phase was a lengthy process, and the aircraft that eventually became the "Sky Warrior" did not enter service until 1956. Production spanned from 1956 to 1962, and this design also became the US Air Force's B-66 "Destroyer" platform.

When finished, the Skywarrior measured 72 feet, 6 inches wingspan, 74 feet, 5 inches in length and 22 feet, 9.5 inches in height - a large aircraft indeed. Maximum takeoff weight is nearly 82,000 pounds. With its 2 Pratt & Whitney J57-P-10 turbojet engines, each delivering 10,000 pounds of thrust, the aircraft is capable of reaching speeds of 620 miles per hour (520 miles per hour) and a service ceiling of up to 40,500 feet. The engines were housed in separate nacelles under the wings, while the internal bomb bays allowed for 12,000-pound guns. The range is 2,300 miles.

A turret is attached to the tail unit for self-defense and is operated remotely from the cockpit. The third crew member of the plane.

Externally, the aircraft has a slender fuselage and an elegant spine that curves into a single vertical tail. The wings, mounted on the shoulders, are V-shaped and heavily swept back. Instead, the horizontal stabilizer is slightly cranked up and mounted in the middle of the vertical stabilizer.

Keeping the engines outside the fuselage provides the required internal volume for fuel depots, avionics and ammunition. The chassis is a tricycle arrangement with three single wheel legs.

The crew sits under a framed canopy and usually has a reasonable view of what's going on around the plane -- except for the rear. As a naval aircraft, the main wing assembly can be folded out of the engine unit.

In addition to the two XA3D-1 prototypes built, the Skywarrior production line includes a YA3D-1 development prototype (single example) and the first production-quality A3D-1s, of which 49 were delivered. The A3D-1P brand is a one-off prototype modified for photographic reconnaissance missions, and the A3D-1Q is a five modified electronic intelligence (ELINT) airframe with an additional crew. The A3D-2 became the main bomber form of the Skywarrior series, the A3D-2P as its photo reconnaissance form, and the A3D-2Q as the ELINT variant. The trainer became a dozen A3D-2T airframes, five of which were later converted into VIP transports, serving the same role alongside the two VA-3B models. KA-3B means about 85 airframes modified for the aerial tanker role from 1967.

The EKA-3B is used to cover the fuselage of the air tanker modification, and the ERA-3B is an electronic "aggressor" aircraft used for US Navy training. The NRA-3B was used to identify about six test airframes, and one NTA-3B example was used as an aerial test bed for the high-performance Hughes-branded radar system that will eventually be installed on the Grumman F-14D Tomcat carrier.

On the interceptor.

All designations were revised in 1962 under the new Inter-Services Designation Scheme. This resulted in A-3A (A3D-1), RA-3A (A3D-1P), EA-3A (A3D-1Q), A-3B (A3D-2), RA-3B (A3D-2P), EA- 3B (A3D-2Q), TA-3B (A3D-2T) are numbered sequentially.

The Skywarrior was one of many American aircraft forced into service during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). Early in their tenure, the Sky Warriors carried out their scheduled conventional bombing missions against enemy positions in northern and southern Vietnam.

The Skywarrior's intended strategic bombing role faded over time with the arrival of newer aircraft with better performance, capabilities and technology. The aircraft was again used as an aerial tanker, while other airframes were eventually equipped with specialized equipment dedicated to reconnaissance.

Additional mounts act as crew trainers.

Surprisingly, the 1950s Skywarrior in "EA-3B" form (A3D-2Q) was good enough for the 1991 Gulf War before it was officially retired.