A-6 Intruder

[cman]

Is it just me or does anyone else wish the A-6 was still around?
There was a pretty good special on Discovery Wings the other night detailing the A-6. Must have been made a few years ago because the Intruder was still in service and there was some mention of its "eventual" retirement. To bad, looks like a great platform from a NFOs perspective. I'm sure air to air combat has it's thrills, but to me, the role of close air support seems pretty satisfying as well. I know that the navy needs platforms like the Hornet that are versatile due to budget restrictions, but it seems like there would still be a role for the Intruder.

C

 

[Hudson]

The A-6 was an awsome plane. If you want to read a book about them based in Vietnam read Flight of The Intruders. Can't remember the name of the writer. Also if you are wondering why they were removed from the inventory read Clancy's book called Carriers. It is a good book for any one wanting to know more about the history of the Navy and why things are the way that they are now. For a while there was some bad leadership at the top. I'll let the book tell you though it is more acurate than I can be sitting in my office

 

[psrogers]

Tom Clancy (the immortal), right? How old is the book? Is it a novel like most of his books or is it a nonfiction history? Thanks

 

[tali264]

isn't that a movie??

 

[Hudson]

psrogers:
It's a paper back I picked up in Barns and Noble. It is not a novel it is kind of like a text book.
tali:
They made the Book Flight of the Intruders into a movie but it doesn't give the book justice. The author I think is named Steven Coonts. He wrote a ton of other novles about the intruder and other navy planes. There is a sequal to Flight of the Intruders called just Intruders. The Hero of the first book is assigned to teach Marine Intruder crews how to opperate off of carriers. Good books. His descripions of flight are really cool. Just what I imagine it to be like. Hopefully I will find out first hand soon.

 

[cman]

Thanks for the info on the books Hudson. I'll head down to B&N Thursday to look for them.

C

 

[Vic]

Try angles of attack. It's a book written by an intruder pilot during the gulf war.


Don't sweat the small stuff!

 

[psrogers]

Thanks for the info about 'Carriers'. I'll pick that one up for sure.

 

[Frumby]

I would give anything to have that ugly, bulbus nosed beauty back in the inventory. Speaking as an aviator AND as a guy who calls in air from the ground, there is nothing better then the A-6. Here is something to think about, of all the gray jets in the US military inventory, the A-6 and the EA-6 have never been sold to a foreign country because their capabilities are so lethal. Semper, Frumby

Attack Pilot
Major USMC

 

[marti]

not that anyone really cares but I was on the GW at the time that 'carrier' was written. It is really neat to be able to read about everything you never knew you did.

Frumby, Are you from Friendswood, or just there for some strange reason? Just wondering because I am from Spring/Klien/Woodlands area and it was just weird to see friendswood on your bio.

 

[Frumby]

Marti,
I just moved to Friendswood about a year and a half ago. I work for Southwest so Friendswood is easy access to Hobby. I am also the Air Officer for 1st BN 23rd Marines here in Houston. The Reserve center off of Old Spanish Trail. Friendswood is a great town, especially for Marines. (Of course I didn't know that until I moved here) The Chief of police is my old Battalion XO from Camp Lejeune and quite a few of the Marine Star Jockies live here as well. Pretty neat little area. Frumby

Attack Pilot
Major USMC