wow. i was asking more in general terms but that has to be rough.
-
Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?
Go here:
Edit Account Details and Profile
The interesting world of VQ
- Thread starter Deepsea 31
- Start date
Wow, there were 9 guys on an A-3??? Sad story no doubt.
VQ Squadron losses
Since the thread has turned a bit...
Attached is a list of VQ squadron aircraft mishaps/combat losses...along with the human toll. This is by no means official, but what I've gathered from some research.
If anyone sees any mistakes...knows of any additions...let me know.
Since the thread has turned a bit...
Attached is a list of VQ squadron aircraft mishaps/combat losses...along with the human toll. This is by no means official, but what I've gathered from some research.
If anyone sees any mistakes...knows of any additions...let me know.
Malo83
Keep the Faith
TA-3B had seats in the old bomb bay for Pax, not like the EA-3B, used to fly between Guam and Cubi Pt. on the TA's.
There were different crew compositions and sizes for the different kinds of A-3's, the EA-3B crammed as many in as possible for the mission. The original A-3's that did the attack mission had three crew, one pilot, one bombadier/navigator and aircrew. Because of the lack of ejection seats, due to the designer's (Ed Heinemann of A-4 fame) concern about weight, the wry joke was that the original designation under the old Navy system, A3D, meant 'All Three Die/Dead'.
Over the years, due to its size and utility, it was modified into several versions to include the RA-3, EKA-3, KA-3 and the VA-3. They had various crew sizes.
Flash, which one of these was known as the "Black Whale" (IR)? On RANGER '66, we'd get a small Det. (2-3), for a few days eacn line period (very hush hush). Each mission consisted of 1 Whale (lead), 2 A-4 (1 flares/1 bombs, port/stbd trail). All lights out...hairier than a "downtown thump"! Diving into a black hole, close to rock clouds....sudden exploding brilliance of flickering flares...VERTIGO, lucky to get feet wet in one piece. Not the most volunteered for missions on the flight sked. Hardly a "milk run" for the huge unarmed whale, either!
BzB
Flash, which one of these was known as the "Black Whale" (IR)? On RANGER '66, we'd get a small Det. (2-3), for a few days eacn line period (very hush hush). Each mission consisted of 1 Whale (lead), 2 A-4 (1 flares/1 bombs, port/stbd trail). All lights out...hairier than a "downtown thump"! Diving into a black hole, close to rock clouds....sudden exploding brilliance of flickering flares...VERTIGO, lucky to get feet wet in one piece. Not the most volunteered for missions on the flight sked. Hardly a "milk run" for the huge unarmed whale, either!
BzBView attachment 10314
Maybe an RA-3B? The recce birds carried 'flash bombs' to take pics at night, could have been taking pics over the 'wrong' line in the jungle like your patch suggests (since we weren't bombing Laos.....of course!
).
The black whales were RA-3Bs. When VQ-1 moved to Guam (Guam is good - - By order of the commanding officer) The VAP squadron and the typhoon hunters were combined with us. On all of the mission that I ever flew, it was a seven man crew: pilot, nav, spook officer and four spook techs. As for the EA-3 being heavy, our max landing weight was 50,000, empty weight was 45,000. The low fuel warning light came on at 5,000 lb. My navs called it "The OK to land light." During my time in VQ-1, we had a permanent det at DaNang; 3EA-3s, one EP-3 and one connie. If we had a 24 hour period without a mission they used to make us EWACs fly in one of the many motors, "to see how the other half lived"
What with Veterans Day 2011 approaching, thought I'd drop this in...many thanks to Sky-Pig (and others) for the research available on several sites.
P4M-1Q BUNO 124365 JQ-16
01/19/1960
CREWNAMES: KILLED: (16) LCDR Franklin B. Moore, Pilot. LCDR Warren J. Hampton, Pilot. LT Thomas H. Edgerton, Nav. LTJG Donald C. Mcintyre, Eval. LTJG Robert E. Ogden, Eval. AD1 Joseph A. Cote, P/C. AN Billy C. Sullivan, 2nd Mech. AT1 Marvin A. Radtke, Radio Op. ATC John M. Boling, Radar Op. AE1 Murphy J. Martinez Jr. F/E. AM3 Rex H. Gregory, Flight Structural Mech. AO2 Richard C. Nuzum, Flight Ord. AT2 John M. Criswell, ECM Op. AT3 Francis E. Tomkowski, ECM Op. AQ2 Richard D. Crittenden, ECM Op, AT2 Harold L. Berg, ECM Op.
Boling was electronics shop chief...I worked closely with Crittenden (fellow AQ, radar operator)...I'd flown with Cdr Moore...was a FNG in squadron, only recently on flight skins, etc.
***********************************************************************
WV-2Q BUNO 131390 JQ-15
05/22/1962
NAVY CREWNAMES: KILLED: (22) LCDR Conner M. Petrie JR. Pilot. LT Jack L. Duvall, Pilot. LTJG Marvin R. Armstrong, NAV. LCDR Charles A. Patschke, Eval. LTJG Robert Poole, Eval. ADRCA Eugeno George, F/E. ADR2 Michael Kostiuk, 2ND F/E. ATCA Jared M. Rose, ECM Op. ATCA Thomas E. Young, ECM Op. AT1 Gene P. Bartram, ECM Op. AM1 Martin J. Brennan, ECM Op. AMH1 Gerhard K. Heimerl, Flight Stuctural. AT2 Donald R. Ballard, ECM Op. AT2 Gerald R. Carlton, ECM Op. AT2 Jamos W. Tyler, ECM Op. AT2 Ronald P. Wajda, ECM Op. ATR3 Edward N. Hawkins, ECM Op. ATS3 Orville R. Malone, ECM Op. AE3 Timothy D. Steward, ECM Op. ATN3 Lee P. Strong, ECM Op. ATR3 Joseph H. Watkins, ECM Op. ATRAN Gilbert J. Austin, ECM Op.
ARMY CREWNAMES: KILLED (4) SP5 F.L. Breshears, Intel Op. SP5 R.J. Hoos, Intel Op. SP4 E.M. Mcgreal, Intel Op. SP4 R.A. Lewis, Intel Op.
Was on Cdr Petrie's crew...had I not PCS'ed to P'cola for flight training...???
During the Cuban Missile crisis, late 1962, I was just beginning the Spad RAG (VA-45) at JAX. Drove into work one cold morning, wearing the bag, flight jacket, and khaki "pisscutter". Swung into the parking lot, and lo and behold!!...one of VQ-2's Connies parked on the ramp adjacent to the hanger.Through the fence onto the ramp, and began to "close" on the Connie. Most of the crew was aboard...excitedly hollering and waving me off...until I got "close in", and some old fellow crewmembers recognized the new Ensign...LOL!! Late for muster that morning.
P4M-1Q BUNO 124365 JQ-16
01/19/1960
CREWNAMES: KILLED: (16) LCDR Franklin B. Moore, Pilot. LCDR Warren J. Hampton, Pilot. LT Thomas H. Edgerton, Nav. LTJG Donald C. Mcintyre, Eval. LTJG Robert E. Ogden, Eval. AD1 Joseph A. Cote, P/C. AN Billy C. Sullivan, 2nd Mech. AT1 Marvin A. Radtke, Radio Op. ATC John M. Boling, Radar Op. AE1 Murphy J. Martinez Jr. F/E. AM3 Rex H. Gregory, Flight Structural Mech. AO2 Richard C. Nuzum, Flight Ord. AT2 John M. Criswell, ECM Op. AT3 Francis E. Tomkowski, ECM Op. AQ2 Richard D. Crittenden, ECM Op, AT2 Harold L. Berg, ECM Op.
Boling was electronics shop chief...I worked closely with Crittenden (fellow AQ, radar operator)...I'd flown with Cdr Moore...was a FNG in squadron, only recently on flight skins, etc.
***********************************************************************
WV-2Q BUNO 131390 JQ-15
05/22/1962
NAVY CREWNAMES: KILLED: (22) LCDR Conner M. Petrie JR. Pilot. LT Jack L. Duvall, Pilot. LTJG Marvin R. Armstrong, NAV. LCDR Charles A. Patschke, Eval. LTJG Robert Poole, Eval. ADRCA Eugeno George, F/E. ADR2 Michael Kostiuk, 2ND F/E. ATCA Jared M. Rose, ECM Op. ATCA Thomas E. Young, ECM Op. AT1 Gene P. Bartram, ECM Op. AM1 Martin J. Brennan, ECM Op. AMH1 Gerhard K. Heimerl, Flight Stuctural. AT2 Donald R. Ballard, ECM Op. AT2 Gerald R. Carlton, ECM Op. AT2 Jamos W. Tyler, ECM Op. AT2 Ronald P. Wajda, ECM Op. ATR3 Edward N. Hawkins, ECM Op. ATS3 Orville R. Malone, ECM Op. AE3 Timothy D. Steward, ECM Op. ATN3 Lee P. Strong, ECM Op. ATR3 Joseph H. Watkins, ECM Op. ATRAN Gilbert J. Austin, ECM Op.
ARMY CREWNAMES: KILLED (4) SP5 F.L. Breshears, Intel Op. SP5 R.J. Hoos, Intel Op. SP4 E.M. Mcgreal, Intel Op. SP4 R.A. Lewis, Intel Op.
Was on Cdr Petrie's crew...had I not PCS'ed to P'cola for flight training...???
During the Cuban Missile crisis, late 1962, I was just beginning the Spad RAG (VA-45) at JAX. Drove into work one cold morning, wearing the bag, flight jacket, and khaki "pisscutter". Swung into the parking lot, and lo and behold!!...one of VQ-2's Connies parked on the ramp adjacent to the hanger.Through the fence onto the ramp, and began to "close" on the Connie. Most of the crew was aboard...excitedly hollering and waving me off...until I got "close in", and some old fellow crewmembers recognized the new Ensign...LOL!! Late for muster that morning.
What's happening with the -2 wardroom? Are they moving over en masse? I'm curious to see how this is going to unfold. I'm assuming the wing owns all the aircraft, so essentially the pool opens up for -1's flight ops, and the N3 is going to get a lot busier. Also wondering how morale is in both wardrooms.
Ok...so, here's what I know from my connections still there and my time in the Q/CPRW-10...
1) Yes, Q-2 is now Q-1. With very few exceptions, the personnel wearing the Sandeman will put on a bat and show up for work here in the next week.
2) The Wing does not own the aircraft...per se...VQ-1 does. They had been evenly divided between the squadrons since I showed up in 08...all the mission birds now belong to the Q-1. (Unless something has changed since I was there.)
3) As to N-3 getting busier? Not really...the process of melding flights both CONUS and OCONUS has been going on for some time now...read detachment site turnovers etc...as for home cycle ops, there really is not a lot of additionally flying. Both squadrons have been flying roughly 2 (4 total) pilot training flights using their P-3 "bounce" birds for quite some time...those have really always been up for grabs by both squadrons...ie...If Q-2 has a guy who needs night landing and Q-1 is flying at night...he goes on their flight schedule. The bounce assets have always been shared as needed amongst the WING.
4) Obviously, I wasn't a Q-2 guy, but, I'll say that the last 6 or so months I was at the Wing...you could tell that Q-2 was going away from conversations/attitudes etc...I wouldn't say that nobody "gave a shit"...but...you could tell. Morale had taken a hit at -2. -1 generally was happy because we were starting to absorb some of -2's det sites, which have always been better. I'm sure there will be continued growing pains for a while, but they'll be fine...In a round of people (check-ins/check-outs...) you won't know the difference. I think the people taking it the hardest are the JO's who'd cut there teeth and qualified (2 years or so in the squadron) and then are now being asked to go to -1. The pain won't last long. They've operated pretty jointly for quite a while.
1) Yes, Q-2 is now Q-1. With very few exceptions, the personnel wearing the Sandeman will put on a bat and show up for work here in the next week.
2) The Wing does not own the aircraft...per se...VQ-1 does. They had been evenly divided between the squadrons since I showed up in 08...all the mission birds now belong to the Q-1. (Unless something has changed since I was there.)
3) As to N-3 getting busier? Not really...the process of melding flights both CONUS and OCONUS has been going on for some time now...read detachment site turnovers etc...as for home cycle ops, there really is not a lot of additionally flying. Both squadrons have been flying roughly 2 (4 total) pilot training flights using their P-3 "bounce" birds for quite some time...those have really always been up for grabs by both squadrons...ie...If Q-2 has a guy who needs night landing and Q-1 is flying at night...he goes on their flight schedule. The bounce assets have always been shared as needed amongst the WING.
4) Obviously, I wasn't a Q-2 guy, but, I'll say that the last 6 or so months I was at the Wing...you could tell that Q-2 was going away from conversations/attitudes etc...I wouldn't say that nobody "gave a shit"...but...you could tell. Morale had taken a hit at -2. -1 generally was happy because we were starting to absorb some of -2's det sites, which have always been better. I'm sure there will be continued growing pains for a while, but they'll be fine...In a round of people (check-ins/check-outs...) you won't know the difference. I think the people taking it the hardest are the JO's who'd cut there teeth and qualified (2 years or so in the squadron) and then are now being asked to go to -1. The pain won't last long. They've operated pretty jointly for quite a while.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
Are they going to have to "re upgrade" or is Q-1 going to take their quals wholesale?
Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk 2
Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk 2