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| The largest and heaviest aircraft designed for operation from an aircraft-carrier when the Douglas El Segundo division's project design was completed in 1949, the Douglas A3D Skywarrior originated from a US Navy requirement of 1947. An attack bomber with strategic strike capability was envisaged, tailored to the giant new aircraft-carriers that were ultimately (after prolonged opposition from the USAF) to materialise as the 'Forrestal' class of four ships, as it was believed that the moment had come to exploit the potential of the rapidly-developing gas turbine engine.
The Douglas design was a high-wing monoplane, with retractable tricycle landing gear, two podded turbojets beneath the wing, and a large internal weapons bay to accommodate up to 5443kg of varied weapons. The wings were swept back 36° and had high-aspect ratio for long range, all tail surfaces were swept, and the outer wing panels and vertical tail folded.
The first of two prototypes made its maiden flight on 28 October 1952, powered by 3175kg Westinghouse XJ40-WET3 engines, but the failure of this engine programme meant that the 4400kg thrust Pratt & Whitney J57-P-6 powered the production A3D-1. The first of these A3D-1s flew on 16 September 1953, and deliveries to the US Navy's VAH-1 attack squadron began on 31 March 1956.
In 1962 the designation was changed to A-3, the initial three-seat production version becoming A-3A. Five of these were modified subsequently for ECM missions under the designation EA-3A. The A-3B (previously A3D-2) which entered service in 1957 had more powerful J57-P-10 engines and an inflight-refuelling probe. A reconnaissance variant with cameras in the weapons bay was designated RA-3B (A3D-2P), and EA-3B (A3D-2Q) identified ECM aircraft with a four-man crew in the weapons bay. Other designations include 12 TA-3B (A3D-2T) trainers for radar operators, one VA-3B (A3D-2Z) executive transport, and the final variants in front-line US Navy service were KA-3B inflight-refuelling tankers and 30 EKA-3B tanker/counter-measures/strike aircraft. Skywarrior variants still in service include TA-3B crew trainers, EKA-3B early-warning 'aggressor' trainers, and KA-3B tankers with Squadrons VAQ-33 at Key West and VAQ-34 at NAS Point Mugu, together with an NA-3B test aircraft operated by the Naval Weapons Test Center and NRA-3Bs with the Pacific Missile Test Center.
| MODEL | A-3B |
| ENGINE | 2 x Pratt & Whitney J57-P-10 turbojets, 4763kg each |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 37195 kg | 82001 lb |
| Empty weight | 17876 kg | 39410 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 22.10 m | 73 ft 6 in |
| Length | 23.27 m | 76 ft 4 in |
| Height | 6.95 m | 23 ft 10 in |
| Wing area | 75.43 m2 | 811.92 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 982 km/h | 610 mph |
| Cruise speed | 837 km/h | 520 mph |
| Ceiling | 12495 m | 41000 ft |
| Range | 1690 km | 1050 miles |
| ARMAMENT | 2 x 20mm rear-firing cannon, 5500kg of bombs |
 | A three-view drawing of TA-3B Skywarrior (1000 x 555) |
| pat minahan, e-mail, 07.03.2010 01:15 plane captain vap-62 1965-1969 was a great time!!!!!! reply | | Mike Starke, e-mail, 13.02.2010 05:53 I was just going through my late father's papers this evening and found a flight manual for the A3D 2 T and decided to look up the aircraft on the Web. All the posts here from those who served as pilots and crew members on the Skywarrior have been very interesting.
My dad worked at Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach, California and must have aquired the manual there. reply | | John (Ed) Edwards YN3, e-mail, 05.02.2010 18:23 Was in Heavy 9 Hoot Owls at Sanford, Fl and aboard the Sara from 59 thru 61, bummed several rides with LT Tracy, LT Cooke, Dave Roach (3 /C) and was thrilled at take-off, scared to hell at landing. Witnessed one of our whales go into barricade and stop 14 ft from going over -- it was at night and pouring down rain, LCDR John Ralston was the pilot, and Paradis was 3 /c, forget who the B /N was. What a thrill for a pilot wannabe. Best time I had in my 15 years in the Navy... Love the Navy!!! GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY....HAHA reply |
| Ted Cunningham CDR. ret, e-mail, 01.02.2010 22:05 On 7 July 1961, 50 miles SW on Naha AFB, Philiphines, we had a dual engine failure at 5000'. Tried two relights, no luck. Told the crew to standby to bail out. I pulled D-handle and ended up with the d-handle and about 2' of cable. Told the crew to bail out out the upper ditching hatch. A great crew, we all got out, slid dowm the top, through the tail, and clear.. No injuries and I got out at 1100'. We were back flying in 72 hours.. A3D-2 138924... reply | |
| | Darrell Troutman, Capt USN(RET, e-mail, 01.02.2010 21:54 I have over 1000 hours in the EA-3B (A3D-2Q)with VQ-1 from 1960-63. Flew it all over the United States and the Pacific and Far East. Fellow pilots included Stan Eldredge, Charlie Chute, Gerry Hesse, Bill Mayo, and Ashley Hodges. Thanks to Stan, I think that I was the most junior officer ever designated aircraft commander. Beautiful aircraft in flight and great performance. It would have been a much safer aircraft with ejection seats. I'm living proof that you really needed the drag chute and hytrol breaking system on anything less than an 8000 foot runway, especially a wet one. reply | | Ben Austro, AMS3, e-mail, 01.02.2010 09:14 I was plane captain of 142246 with VAH-8 during '59-'60 Far East Deployment on USS Midway, CVA-41. I also had the good fortune to make 6 cat shots and landings as fourth crewman, WOW! (And they rave about rollercoasters) reply | | Al Murray AFCM Retired, e-mail, 16.01.2010 04:51 Started my 28 year Navy career with VQ 2 in Rota, Spain. Time frame 1965- 1967. Worked my way up from mees cook to EA 3B Plane Captain. Flew with great pilots such as Cdr Ed Laney,Bob Arn, Daum,Ad Burkett Jack Taylorand Lcdr Lilliboe. ^41 hours in 19 months and 58 missions over N Vietnam. Then with VAQ 33 as FRAMP instructor, 1978-1981. Love the Whale. reply | | Guinn Clark, e-mail, 06.01.2010 19:16 It's hard to match the trill of cats & traps in an EKA-3D on a 27C class carrier. reply | | Chris Overton, e-mail, 05.01.2010 05:27 Photo /Nav VAP-61 Guam '68 to '70. Jumped out of 144826 over Laos in Aug '69 with CDR Jim Berry, an E3 maintenance tech and our CAI camera tech rep. All safe and sound in the end. Flew carto flight lines to one-half degree with Ray Thompson over Thailand. Beautiful and forgiving aircraft. Transitioned to the workhorse of VN A-6s but have the fondest memories of the RA-3B and flying photo recon out of Da Nang and carto throughout the South Pacific, Asia and Australia. reply | | Larry Wiggin AO2(AC), e-mail, 05.01.2010 04:55 Served with VAH-4 as a Nuclear Weapons Loading Crew Chief 1960-1964. Heavy four pilots were the best as they had to land that beast on the 27C class carriers (small Attack carriers). Uss Oriskany, Hancock, Bonnie Dick,Ticonderoga, that was a tough job in heavy seas and during night ops. Got to ride the jump seat some, what a blast !!!!!! reply |
| Frank Fink Jr. AE2, e-mail, 02.01.2010 23:20 1957 Med Cruise VAH 1, 1957 N. Atlantic VAH 1. on USS Forrestal out of Jax Fl. Got to fly as 4th crew a few times. That was something in "57". Still proud to have been U.S. Navy. God Bless America. reply | | Jim English, e-mail, 09.11.2009 20:48 VAH 11 Det 8 - "eightballers" best time in my life. Lost my flight jacket w /patch. Anyone know where I can find one for VAH 11 Det * ??? reply | | J.L. Fant, e-mail, 06.10.2009 21:21 I was an RM2 and August to November 1964 flew with VAH-11 Det 8 off USS Independence in North Atlantic and Med developing Leapfrog comms. Was time of my life thanks to PO2 Richard Marklin (3 /C), Lt. Field (B /N) and Lt. D.E. Nichols (pilot) reply | | Kip Wylie, e-mail, 27.09.2009 19:03 Silver, I was probably one of the jumpers you dumped out over El Centro (1969). As I recall you were "supposed" to stay under speed for my exit... and you jacked it up a bit. WOW, going out of that "whale" in free fall you get to know what a blown leaf feels like in a category 5 hurricane. reply | |
| | RON JORDAN, e-mail, 03.09.2009 06:30 I was an A3 Plane Captain for just over a year and one cruise on the "Bonnie Dick" 1964. Spent most of the cruise in the PI. Nothing I did before and nothing I have done since was as exciting as catshots and traps in the A3. Been many times I wish I had stayed in the NAVY. I am a Tailhook member. VAH4 reply | | A.W.Pierce, e-mail, 28.07.2009 23:43 I was in VAH 10 And was plane captain on A /C 204 (138944)on board USS Constellation CVA 64 in 1964 when we got orders to welcome the PT Boats into the war.The very A3D now sets on the USS Lexington at Corpus Christi Texas as museum display. reply | | Ken Fox ADJ2 (AC), e-mail, 28.07.2009 22:36 Served in VAH-5 out of Sanford, FL and abord USS Forrestal, then in VAH-11 during the transition to vigilante's 1961-64, went to "B" school the back to VAP-62, 1964-66. Then to shore duty at NAS China Lake,CA, assigned to flight line and flight crew on the only A3, which crashed on March 15,1967 Great aircraft !!! reply | | Ralph Whistler, e-mail, 25.05.2009 06:27 Our Mugu A3D disappeared on fligt from NMTC in 1959 and was never found to my knowledge. Anyone know what happened to the plane and 3 flyers? reply | | leo rudnicki, e-mail, 26.04.2009 15:02 Missing from this fine site is the littlest A-plane, the Skooter, the A-4(D) Skyhawk. I saw one at the side of the road in Texas, on a stick. Beneath it, in it's shadow, was a thousand sparrows, not one outside the shadow. Little birds worshipping the big God Skyhawk, very Twilight Zone. reply | | jim velde, e-mail, 22.04.2009 00:42 scrolled right by the B-66 entry
i'm an idiot reply |
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John (Ed) Edwards YN3
Hello Ed,
This is Sam Clegg. I am married to Marta Ralston, daughter of Ltcdr John Ralston. We were discussing the A3D incident this morning. We sure would like to know more about what you might recall about this event.
Thank You,
Sam Clegg
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