A 6 intruder cockpit1/31/2024 Yet just two decades after World War II the A-6 Intruder demonstrated that strategic bombing could now be accomplished using fewer bombs and fewer aircraft-so differently the term surgical strike became the new descriptor. The B-52 (still quite capable) was born of World War II heavy bomber experience and extremely large as well as weighty nuclear weapons. This extremely damaging raid was accomplished by just two aircraft in the dark of night and cloaked by storms when their 26 Mark 82 (500 pound) bombs devastated the complex so throughly it was originally thought to have been a USAF B-52 raid. Voght □Ī pair of A-6 Intruders demonstrated a new era in air attack when a power station in what was then North Vietnam was bombed. Mike Vogt (USN, ret.) of The Intruder Association who stated this tiny curiosity-it was used during night time aerial refueling as it would be used to illuminate the tip of the refueling drogue and receiver basket. Now…about that small and curiously positioned red light on the blackout panel in front of the pilot with its petite glare shield? What is its purpose? Thanks to Capt. The Intruder would go on to be active for 34 years and solely by the USN as well as the USMC. Aerodynamic and turbulence concerns has these nozzles deflected 7º downward-dive brakes were relocated from the conventional fuselage positioning to the distinctive spilt wing tip locations. Another novel feature in the design was swiveling jet exhaust nozzles for shorter take off runs but these proved unsatisfactory. The cockpit of these two unsung and aircraft are highly similar, as a matter of note.The Corps desired an STOL attack aircraft replacement for the venerated but aged Douglas A-1 Skyraider. Like Grumman’s OV-1 Mohawk the Intruder originated from a U.S. Not that you will see Willem DaFoe correctly positioned in the film Flight of the Intruder (an excellent movie from the novel by Stephen Coontz)-such is Hollywood. Grumman designers also thought to place the BN slightly lower and a bit aft of the pilot to avoid restricting vision to starboard. The Intruder’s radar required a large dish and Grumman designers cleverly saw they could use that advantageously as the seating arrangement allowed for quicker non-verbal crew communication. Why side-by-side in the jet age where modern combat aircraft were as streamlined as possible? That is where the airframe-weapon system integration comes into play. Yes, the outside world represented virtually in the side-by-side cockpit- sans GPS and night vision. In turn the BN fed cues from his systems to the pilot who would be using his VDI (Vertical Display Indicator). How could this be done? Too oversimplify, and for a bit of clarity, the radar systems fed into an internal navigation system-which all in turn processed these inputs into DIANE (Digital Integrated Attack Navigation Equipment) used by the BN (Bomber/Navigator) which electronically represented target information and geographic features during good or bad weather. There was no USN ordinance it could not deliver and deliver accurately, day or night, fair weather or foul. Perhaps a warhorse disguised as a draft horse the Intruder could carry a large load very far while at high subsonic speeds. A fearful package of this twin turbojet engine (Pratt & Whitney J52 non-afterburning turbojets) two man aircraft (pilot and BN). It was the first truly all weather bomber as well as the first aircraft with an integrated airframe and weapon system. Intruder crews could, and did, this either singly or as part of a strike package. Its mission was to attack in any weather and at any time to precisely hit specific targets. Grumman’s A-6 Intruder design was revolutionary in its day and tremendous a leap forward in naval aviation-actually in aviation warfare. Grumman A-6A Intruder displayed at the Camp Blanding Museum in a rapidly lifting fog.
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