A-6 Intruder - Walk Around No. 2

ISBN: 0897473272

Author: Drendel, Lou

Condition: New

The Grumman A-6 Intruder was a twin jet-engine, mid-wing attack aircraft built in the US by Grumman Aerospace. In service with the Navy and Marine Corps between 1963 and 1997, the Intruder was designed as an all-weather replacement for the piston-engined A-1 Skyraider medium attack aircraft. A specialized electronic warfare derivative, the EA-6B Prowler, remains in service as of 2010.The Intruder was developed in response to a United States Navy specification for an all-weather carrier-based attack aircraft to serve as a replacement for the piston-powered, World War II-era A-1 Skyraider. Grumman was awarded the contract in 1957, and the resulting A2F-1 made its first flight on 19 April 1960. The jet nozzles were originally designed to swivel downwards for shorter takeoffs and landings, but this feature was never incorporated in prototype or production aircraft. The cockpit uses an unusual double pane windscreen and side-by-side seating arrangement in which the pilot sits in the left seat, while the bombardier/ navigator sits to the right and below. The incorporation of an additional crew member with separate responsibilities along with a unique CRT that gives a synthetic display of terrain ahead, enabled low-level attack in all weather conditions. The wing is very efficient at subsonic speeds compared to supersonic fighters such as the F-4 Phantom II, which are also limited to subsonic speeds when carrying a payload of bombs. A very similar wing would be put on pivots on Grumman's later supersonic swing-wing F-14 Tomcat, as well as similar landing gear. The Intruder was also equipped with the "Deceleron", a type of air brake on the wings with two panels that open in opposite directions; in this case, one panel goes up, while another goes down. The Intruder received a new standardized DOD designation of A-6A in the fall of 1962, and entered squadron service in February 1963. The Intruder received a new standardized DOD designation of A-6A in the fall of 1962