Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>RA-5C>HA4705

General Background

The North American A3J Vigilante first flew on August 31, 1958 and was in service until November 1979. Originally designed as a Mach 2 all-weather bomber; the aircraft eventually had a new role of high-speed reconnaissance. In 1962 the Vigilante received new designators, the original A3J-1 became the A-5A, A3J-2 became A-5B while the reconnaissance version A3J-3P became the RA-5C and first flew June 30, 1962. The Vigilante was the largest and fastest aircraft to operate from an aircraft carrier. The RA-5C was heavily used in the Vietnam War.

The Aircraft

North American RA-5C 156624 was accepted by the USN in January 1970 and assigned to Reconnaissance Attack Squadron 6 (RVAH-6) “Fleurs” for 1970 and 1971 on a cruise aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). Over the next 7 years the aircraft moved to RVAH-5 “Savage Sons”, RVAH-9 “Hoot Owls”, RVAH-12 “Speartips” before returning to RVAH-6 as AJ602. RA-5C 156624 made its final flight in mid-1978 and now displayed at the National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola, Florida wearing AJ-601 from its last cruise aboard the USS Nimitz.

Specifications :

Crew :	2 / tandem twin cockpits x Pilot in front cockpit, Reconnaissance Attack Navigator in the rear
Number of Aircraft :	91 new built, converted aircraft 43 A-5A and the first 6 A-5B = 140
Performance:
Engines :	2 x General Electric J79-GE-10 turbojets with each engine producing 17,859 lbs of thrust.
Maximum speed :	1,320 mph (2,125 km/h)
Range :	2,050 miles (3,300 km)
Service Ceiling :	52,100 ft (15,900 m)
Dimensions :
Length :	76 ft 7 in (23.3 m)
Wingspan :	53 ft 2in (16.2 m)
Height :	119 ft 5 in (5.9 m)
Weights :
Empty:	37,500 lb (17,000 kg)
Maximum:	79,600 lb (36,100 kg)
Avionics:	AN/ASB-12 Bombing & Navigation Radar
	Westinghouse AN/APD-7 SLAR
	Sanders AN/ALQ-100 E/F/G/H-Band Radar Jammer
	Sanders AN/ALQ-41 X-Band Radar Jammer
	AIL AN/ALQ-61 Radio/Radar/IR ECM Receiver
	Litton ALR-45 "COMPASS TIE" 2-18 GHz Radar Warning Receiver
	Magnavox AN/APR-27 SAM Radar Warning Receiver
	Itek AN/APR-25 S/X/C-Band Radar Detection and Homing Set
	Motorola AN/APR-18 Electronic Reconnaissance System
	AN/AAS-21 IR Reconnaissance Camera