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Grumman A-6 Intruder
One of the finest all-weather attack
planes of the US Navy, the Grumman A-6 Intruder is still in front line
service, in increasingly up-to-date versions, particularly as regards
electronics and armament. In 1957 the Grumman emerged as the winner in
competition with eleven other rival designs entered by eight companies.
The first prototype flew on April 19, 1960, and the first A-6A of the
series went into service on February 1, 1963; 488 of them were built by
the end of 1969. The second basic version was designed exclusively for
electronic warfare. Named EA-6B (and stemming from an initial sub-series
of 27 models), the prototype appeared on May 25, 1968; the fuselage and
cabin were modified to accommodate four crew members as well as a highly
sophisticated electronics system, so that it was soon recognized as the
best carrier-based aircraft for this type of warfare. The final variant of
the Intruder was the A-6E, dating from February 1970, even further
improved and more powerful.
When it first went into action in
Southeast Asia, the Grumman A-6A Intruder was the most modern and
sophisticated warplane then operating from the US fleet's aircraft
carriers. Thanks to its advanced electronic equipment, it was a plane
capable of spotting and attacking an objective, even one as small as a
truck or a tank, if necessary in poor light or even at night. As the war
spread, Intruders were used in ever greater numbers, often as escorts to
A-4 Skyhawks, homing in on the target with greater effectiveness. Other
variants of the Grumman A-6 went into production, notably the one
specialized in electronic warfare. This type of plane suffered relatively
heavy losses, 51 machines being shot down by enemy fighters or
anti-aircraft, and eleven as a result of operational accidents. The
intruder is still one of the best all-weather attack aircraft in the US
Navy.
Technical Specifications
Aircraft:
Grumman A-6A
Year: 1960
Type: attack
Manufacturer: Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp.
Engine: 2 x Pratt & Whitney J52P-8A
Power: 9,300 lb (4,218 kg)
Wingspan: 53ft (16.15m)
Length: 54ft 7in (16.64m)
Height: 15ft 7in (4.75m)
Wing area: 529sq ft (49.15mē)
Max take-off weight: 60,626 lb (27,500 kg)
Empty weight: 25,684 lb (11,650 kg)
Max speed at sea level: 685mph (1, 102km/h)
Service ceiling: 41,660ft (12,700m)
Range: 1,920mi (3,090km)
Crew: 2
Load-armament: 15,000 lb (6,804 kg)
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