A3J Vigilante Operations, USS Enterprise 

Wow! The Big E had Phantoms, Skyhawks, Crusaders, and Vigilantes all operating at the same time. Fantastic.

With the French Mirage IV, the Vigilante is one of the two most magnificent supersonics of the 70s. Elegant, racy, power release ... yet a splendid design by North American Aviation.

In 1962 I was on a tanker in the Cuban blockade. I recall giving "token" fuel to the "Big E." At the same time they were taking Vigilante's off the flight deck. (BTW I was running the JP5 rig.) It was quite a sight to see being beside the Enterprise; an immensely impressive ship. When we took our lines back the "Big E" churned up the waters with its 4 huge screws and was out of sight in about 15 minutes.

I worked at North American Columbus in the 60"s as a Mfg Analyst and it was always a thrill to walk down the mezzanine in the high bay area in the final assembly section and look down at the 3-4 A3J's at various stages of completion! I was there as the mission and the designation changed to RA5C. There were so many engineering changes on each one (that gave me job security)!! I lived in an apartment off the end of the runway on 5th street so even at home I could see the crazy Navy Test pilots land and take off , on occasion the sonic booms and the near vertical take offs were awesome!! The sound when they landed was an erry whine and you couldnt mistake that it was a VIGILANTE ,,Thanks for this video!! still awe struck at 80!! Rey

I spent my Navy career with the RA5C program in the 70's. First cruise with RVAH-11 out of Albany, GA. and my last cruise with RVAH-7 out of Key West. Great aircraft!

I was on the big E with VA-196 from Sep 72 - Apr 73. I flew the A6 intruder. I participated in many alpha strikes over North Vietnam. I also flew the KA6D the tanker version of the Intruder where I refueled other Navy planes including the RA5C.

I remember seeing an RA-5C Vigilante launched from the waist cat of the USS Independence (CV-62) during the mid-1970's. I was standing in the open port hanger bay door and we had just raised the anchor, so we weren't moving real fast. The Vigi was the last of an alert 25 launch to impress the Soviets, who were anchored around us off the coast of Greece. Before he started climbing, I swear it looked almost like I was looking down on him with the exhausts kicking up ocean water! That goes on record as the most impressive (and potentially dumbest) takeoff I've ever seen! As I understand it, the Heavy squadron's CO was the one flying the aircraft. While other aircraft were "flanchored," that was the slowest ship speed I ever saw a Vigi launched!

"When giants roamed the flight decks".

I was stationed at NAS Key West from 1975-77, and got to see RA-5Cs flying there regularly. I even got to fly the Vigilante simulator once. What a beautiful airplane!

The first time I ever saw the Vigilante I was about 8. Imagine the impression on someone that age. I am still fascinated by the plane and I firmly believe that no plans built since then, even the fighters and interceptors can match her beauty and clean lines. Also,let's not forget the new technology (for the time) that was incorporated into the design.

The most beautiful aircraft, imho.

I served with VAH 7 out of Sanford, went to med, cuba crisis and small cruises. I was a AQ2. Quite an adventure

My Dad served in VAH-7. His rate was AE. He use to talk about his time in the squadron and onboard the Big"E". I miss his stories. Thank you for the video footage.

In the early 70'es a Vigilante made a supersonic boom over the city of Aalborg after simulated attack on AB Aalborg. I was fortunate - and quick - enough to see it's afterburners as it sped away to it's home carrier somewhere in the North Sea! The glaziers in Aalborg were very happy the following day!

Served onboard the Big E from 72 to 76. During Nam night ops, the Vigi would open full throttle (?) just before the cat launch and concentric rings of fire emanated from her dual thrusters. The visual, the noise, the THUD when she cleared the deck, I'll never forget it!!

Saw a few Vigilantes in the 1960's landing at NAS Alameda as our house the last one they came over before landing at the base. I remember an F-3H Demon came over so low one time that the pilot waved at us !!! The sky would fill with planes every time and just before an aircraft carrier would dock. The sight and sounds of 20 AD Skyraiders in the air at once was unreal. I miss those days...

I was a plane captain with VF - 142 . Flying the F4 - J phantom . Worked nights on the BIG E . MY plane was a spare for the last launch of the day . sitting behind the Island was this vigilante running waiting to be taxied out . i was down 2 spots from him . Maintenance , Troubleshooters my line chief were waving at me and pointing that the vigilante was pulling out. I waved them off thinking I could brace myself when he turned and the exhaust would blow by easy WRONG he got hung up on the number 4 wire gave his plane a little boost to get out sent me flying down the deck took every person that took cover to stop me from rolling over the side .

The Vigilante makes the Phantom look small!

Love the Vigilante, I always thought it looked more like a spaceship than anything. Beautiful bird!

I can't imagine the skills it takes to land one of those giants on a carrier. Those planes and pilots were something special.

Beautiful plane! Thanks for sharing, and greets from the Netherlands!

We were known as Heavy Attack Seven, out of Sanford. Florida. What great memories,,1962-64. I salute all of the VAH-7 and Big "E" Vets, God Bless You, and God Bless America. Thanks for this video!!

I just finished building a 1/48 scale plastic model RA5C. Thought it was really awesome bird! Great clips here!

My Dad was an AO 2 a Red Shirt at this time on the Enterprise . 1960 - 63 .

For all you guys who 'knew' the A3/A5 I worked on airframes 58-62 at Columbus Oh. We did checkout of all the cabling once they arrived in our Dept. Installed all the "boxes'" and made sure they did what they were supposed to. Then worked out any kinks as the test pilot 'squawked' problems he found. Ive seen one come back from a test - after it had been painted Navy colors - with the paint burned on the surfaces, they were that fast. Does anyone know if they ever solved the problem of the failure to roll out after that one bomb maneuver (I forget the name). We checked every which way and found no 'electrical' prob. After I got into the Minuteman I ICBM and trained on the D17B computer, I always suspected it was a computer program failure probably caused by the shaking of takeoffs and landings. The Vig used the same D17B just in a different packaging. I still think of it very fondly as the A3J.

How many different types of fighters do you really need on a carrier? The variety of planes the US built in the 60s is astounding.

2:00 A-5, A-4, F-8 and the Phantom on the deck together: Awsome!

One of the most beutifull planes ever made.

Vigilante was beautiful.

In 1973 on the Constellation we had a Viggie that launched off a forward cat and the internal fuel tank came loose and out the back. This caused the plane to pitch down and collapse the landing gear. Before hitting the drink it rolled 90 degrees. Immediately the crew ejected and were "dapped" across the water for quite a distance, causing injuries. Meanwhile the tank erupted in fire near the end of the cat. I watched this in slack-jawed disbelief on the air ops closed circuit tv from my shop, AIMD workcenter 610 on the 02 deck just above where the forward hangar bay tapered into a passageway and ended. We could hear quite well the gear collapse and the forward fuselage jam into the flight deck.

same J79 Engines as F4 and did well in ADC fly off vs F106 very fast without tanks on 4 pylons and 10% were lost as RA5C in Vietnam in post strike recon missions

We were also in Sanford. My Dad was in (VAH-1), then R/VAH-3 - 1963-64 (RVAH-1); CVA-66 AMERICA 1968 - Shellback cruise (RVAH-13); CVA-59 FORRESTAL 1969-70 (RVAH-13).

I love the variety back in the day A-4s F-4s F-8s and vigees...❤🇺🇸💪

I’ve loved military aircraft and all aircraft in general since I was a little boy and have always thought I knew about most of the aircraft used by the US military but this is the first time I’ve ever heard of or seen this aircraft. I never knew it even existed until now.

What a beautiful aircraft.

Just re-watched Dung Tran's Video on them, and this...they are sooooo Pretty

Always admired the looks of the A5 Vigilante. When I was in "A" School for AQ [Aviation Fire Control] at NATTC MEMPHIS there was a mounted static display just outside the chow hall.

Seeing such a beast launching and landing is such a treat! Now if only there were in-cockpit footage for the Vigilante's takeoffs and traps...

Aéronef magnifique, majestueux et gracieux ! Magnificent, majestic and graceful aircraft !

I made an Airfix plastic model of the Vigilante when I was a kid, love the US Navy gray colour scheme.

My dad was NOT an attack pilot, though he flew off of cv's for 27 years. He used to say the Vigi-bird had two seats so the guy in the back could do laps around his rosary praying the guy in the front could get it back on deck! LOL

My dad was in RVAH-13 Heavy Bats and worked on Avionics on these.

Nice video! They say this was (at the time) the most expensive jet in the Navy; how much did a Vigilante cost?

JFTR: it is an A-5 Vigelante. This is the AirCraft carrier borne sister to the AF F-111 Aardvark.

A-3 was the Douglas Skywarrior. This is the A-5 Vigilante.

My father was on here at this time, the first tour of the first nuclear carrier

I worked at North American for a short time in 1961. Tested some antennas that are on this aircraft. The cockpit of this airplane looked incredibly small to me.

Awesome.. cool plane👍🇳🇿

She's gorgeous.

The f4 looked like it dropped about 10 feet below the deck before gaining some altitude. And did I se the entirety of the cortical stabilizer movingon the vigilante

This is the first aircraft I worked on out of AE “A” school.

Always think the original strike version of the Vigi was a much more elegant looking aircraft than the more familiar recce version.

Such a big aircraft!

I know about the F-4, A4, F-111, F-100 voodoo and F-105, and so on, but I just found out about this aircraft that was used in Vietnam. When you think you know it all.

My father also served on Big E, in the Token gulf, RVAH Sea Dragons I believe or maybe the Savage Sons I cant remember. back then he was known as Lt Williams, he flew with John Carter, Harry klien, George Schneider, Jomo Thomas, Doug Colman, I remember these names because I grew up with this community from Sanford to Albany Ga, then Key West.

fine fighter video......

Always thought these were a fantastic looking aircraft.

Its funny how far they have to run to get clear of an A-5 about to launch. It really is big, isnt it?

Hard to believe that this is 60 years ago.

Wow, they were some size.

Talk about Golden Age...F-4s, F-8s, A-4s, A3Js...what an aircraft complement. What were the COD and radar aircraft deployed? I am assuming this is after the S2F era.

Seeing as the A3J / A-5A is very fast at Mach 2.5, what was the job of the subsonic A-4 Skyhawks ? Were the Vigilante still in their original nuclear attack role in '61 '62 ?

I know this is an old post video but I had to ask, did the rear firing bomb/tank deployment for dropping nukes actually work? Every official account is it was a failure. Was it enough of a failure that vigilantes would never have been used in WW3 in a nuclear bombing role off carriers?

Those side deck long reclined metallic rods, are antennas,? Why so many?

Wonder where the support fleet is?

A HUGE plane!

The first Vigi's cost about 23 million. Why I remember that....... I don't remember.

When I took a photo of an a3j vigilante on the flight deck of the USS ENTERPRISE, I was promptly escorted to the marine compartment where the film was removed from my camera and destroyed

Always loved the looks of A-5. Tail too tall for hanger bay on Coral Sea were I served. Never heard them called A-3 though, that was another large plane, "Skywarrior", completely different. Can anyone explain this conflict?

Please correct me if I am wrong (and I am sure you will 😊) but the first deployment of the RA-5 was onboard Ranger way back when...and the last deployment of the RA-5 was also onboard Ranger in 1978-1979...

Pretty sure this was the first cruise for both the E, and the first deployment cruise for the Vigi

GRANDES SEMELHANÇAS DO SU-33 COM O A-5 VIGILANTE!!!!!!

I clearly see the Enterprise! So WHERE is the Vigilante??

Beautiful aircraft! Sadly no sound.

That thing would be right at home on today's supercarriers .

Love it, Thanks. Old Farts like me can never get enough.

Was the blueprint for the mig-25. Little known tidbit. Although photos of it are hard to come by, the vigilante concept had duel rudders.

People there have been two designation systems - one pre 1962 and one post. Under the pre-62 system it was the A3J post it was A-5. The Skywarrior was A3D pre and A-3 post 1962. Thank the worst SECDEF in US history McNamara for that.

Big beautiful bird met its hard time. AJ3 or A-5 was not so successful for missions it was meant to. Note also other rising planes, such as A-4 Skyhawk, F-8 Crusader and F-4 Phantom II.

Which was the largest carrier aircraft? The F-111, the A-5, or the B-66 ?

Wow...bigger than a F-14?

well that's definitely the Enterprise there's only one tower like that

It was way cooler when we could afford multiple types of fighters/bombers on carriers and much more functional. Today all we have is the super hornet which is way too limited on range, payload and speed for effective fleet defense...we would have been way better off if they would have built the new build F14 proposed in the 2000s as the ASF14

The days they used the Saddle Shoe to launch planes. Thankfully they invented the Launch Bar....

This aircraft was way ahead of its time. To me it looks very similar to an F15 or a super hornet.

Old and new Salts. Time for the truth of the designations. A-3J was the original designation of the Vigilante. DoD-Navy-Air Force- Army etal in the early 1960's redesignated all aircraft to a uniform system of types. Thus the A-3J became the A-5A, the WF-2 became the E-1B Tracer, The Phantom moved from FJ to F4, the SkyRay (nickname: Ford), Intruder, and all US military aircraft were re designated and that is still true today ( the USAF designated the A-3 Skywarrior : its version as B-66 Destroyer). CVAN-65 (Big E) when I served on her, my squadron was VA-35 out of NAS Oceana. Building 65 as she was known when docked at NAS Alameda was where we came in our air group for two very long WestPac deployments to Yankee and Zulu stations. Hope this helps.

This thing looks very much like an F111. Strange to me that the F111 was to big and heavy, according to Adm Tom Connelly but this AC was fine. Is it just a coincidence that the F14, the substitute for the F111 was named the Tom Cat.

I wonder if that A3J can outrun the F4 Phantom?

形が1950年代とは思えないほど先進的すぎる

I've walked under an F4 and its a big airplane, but compared to the A3 its a midget. Good god I bet the hanger boss cursed them for taking up so much room.

We PT'd every morning under the static display of one at NAS Cubi Point, Philippines. I was with B Co. Marine Barracks, and we lived right across the street from the park it was displayed in. Huge plane, sleek as a rocket. I saw a recent pic of that poor plane and it is defaced with graffiti of pink flowers and peace signs.

Jelly Bread "Come Together" Corvallis access media...Corvallis Oregon

Look closer and you 'll see where Russkie got the idea of the Mig-25 and then the F-15 and the canceled Fixed-wing F-14.

V2 cat spotter 1966

the vigilante was the A-5 not the A-3! the A-3 was called the whale and was bigger than the A-5 I know because I flew in the whale A-3 as a crew member.

The A-3J was the Skywarrior which the RA5C replaced. The Vigilante was not called the A-3J

Iv always thought being a navy pilot would be the closest thing to being a fighter astronaut. Because your on the mother ship for a few weeks or more going to the target country and then you fly over there land and attack. And if you go down then you are ina whole new world. And one of the biggest percs now days is on a carrier you won't get mortored in the middle of the night and you will always have hot meals. And extremely good medical services

A3 was the whale and A5 the vigilante when I was on CV64

Another Fine Design from North American Aviation

seragam semua jet nya ya . . . kalau jenis type jet para malaikat tidak diketahui jenis type nya, yang penting pas untuk yang menjadi target nya diudara, dilaut, dan didaratan dikawasan prov. sumut, mau saya seperti ini semoga dikabul kan Allah.