Very Fast, Very Heavy Reconnaissance The RA-5C began as the A3J Vigilante (redesignated A-5 in 1962), a carrier-based bomber designed to deliver a nuclear weapon and travel at twice the speed of sound. Two years after Vigilantes were fielded, however, submarines began assuming the strategic nuclear attack mission. As a result, Vigilantes in the fleet and in production were converted to reconnaissance aircraft. Only the U.S. Navy operated the Vigilante, with eight RA-5C squadrons serving in Southeast Asia from August 1964 through 1975. The aircraft's graceful lines, along with its amazing speed and huge size (among the heaviest carrier-capable aircraft ever), make the Vigilante one of the most unique aircraft in Naval Aviation history. The last RA-5C flight was in November 1979.
Our Display Aircraft Bureau Number 156643 was the last production RA-5C. It was accepted by the Navy on 30 October 1970 and served with a number of different fleet squadrons. Although a fleet aircraft, our Vigilante was often flown by Naval Air Test Center crews to support periodic Automatic Carrier Landing System certifications. IT was retired in June 1979 and transferred to PRNAM after logging 3334.7 flight hours, 637 catapult launches, 635 arrested landings, and 3664 total landings.
· Primary
Mission: Long-range reconnaissance
· Crew: One Pilot, one Reconnaissance Attack Navigator
· U.S. Service Timeline (A-5 Series): 1961 - 1979
· Max. Gross Weight: 80,000 lb
· Dimensions: 76.6 ft length, 53.0 ft wing span
· Propulsion: Two General Electric J79-GE-10 turbojets
· Max. Operating Speed: 719 MPH (sea level); Mach 2.0 at altitude
· Armament/Payload: Free-fall nuclear weapon (A-5A); Side-looking radar, cameras (vertical, oblique, split-image), and passive electronic warfare sensors (RA-5C)
This aircraft is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida
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