Looking for Info VA-85, USS America 1968

[Julien (UK)]

Can anyone help,

looking for images of markings on A-6 aircraft of VA-85 on USS America 1968, any images welcome, A-6B especially so.

Cheers,

Julien

[A6BSTARM]

Here are a couple from a Japanese Fence Checker by the Name of Masaaki Hayakawa

[Julien (UK)]

Cheers,

I had already found these on the net, but good to see someone reads my posts.

Do I gather from your avtar that you know something of A-6B's??

I intend to do my Monogram A-6 as a B model, specifically the one lost on 29th August 63 by VA-85 in which Lt's Duncan and Ashall were posted MIA; as I came accross their story while reasearching the B model.

I did see somewhere that the aircraft from VA-85 had a black bat on a yellow circle but did not know if this was on these aircraft, in addition as B models were passed from one sqn to another if this aircraft even had VA-85 marks on it.

Any info etc you could let me have would be great.

Thanks,

Julien

Edited September 26, 2005 by Julien (UK)

[A6BSTARM]

VA-85 usually had a Black Bird inside a black circle. The aircraft that you want to model was assigned BuNo 151561 and was lost on 28th of August 1968. Beyond that I really don't have that much more info. I know there use to be a display at NAS Oceana's Officer Club with a picture of the Aircrew and a small display of some of thier personal objects. However, I don't now if that is still standing inside.

Here is a shot of a CAG painted A model belonging to VA-85 at the time.

I know a little about the B. The biggest differences between the A and the B was that the B had some boxes in the cockpit on the B/N's side that all belonged to presentation and firing of the Shrike and Standard ARM (or STARM). There really isn't a way to tell the difference between the A model and the B model unless you got into the cockpit and looked or looked in the nose and knew which electronic boxes you were looking at. There were a few external clues. After 1970 a few of the aircraft were equipped with something called the TIAS mod or Target Identification Acquisition System. This had put a bunch of button antenna on the nose of the aircraft and were designed to help the aircraft interpet where the signal was, what type of signal it was, and approximate signal strength. This was to help them more accturatly shoot both the Shrike and STARM.

There were total about 19 actual B's built and only 14 survived the war only to be converted at the end of the 70's and into the 80's into E's. That was part of the US DOD's Converstion in Leiu of Production ideas. Save $$ by rebuilding older airframes into newer ones.

The B's were passed from squadron to squadron. However, most of the people that I talk to can't remember at what point this was done in the cruise. The two thoughts that I got was that aircraft were either transfered at NAS Cubi Point at the end of the cruise to the oncoming squadron. Which would mean that most often or the aircraft would get a partial paint job during the transfer period and the line period. In that the squadron transfering the bird would sand off all of thier old markings except for the BuNo, Star and Bar, modex and the rest of the paint job. Then the squadron picking up the bird would add thier Ship, CAG, Squadron, Tail code, and squadron logo on the birds along with what ever else they wanted.

The other thought was that the squadrons would wait till the got back to home base (either NAS Whidbey Island or NAS Oceana) and then do the transfer there. The biggest difference between the two would be how much work there would of been in repairing the aircrafts problems.

I hope that this helps.

[Andre]

I've always wanted to to a 'B. Does anyone have a good shot of the button antennae on the TIAS-equipped aircraft..?

Cheers,

Andre

[Stephen]

Julian,

can you PM me your e-mail address.

Stephen

[Stephen]

I've always wanted to to a 'B. Does anyone have a good shot of the button antennae on the TIAS-equipped aircraft..?

Cheers,

Andre

PM Sent

Stephen

[Howard of Effingham]

umm! i am not sure if it is still available but a californian company by the name

of obscureco did a 1/72 resin set for the A-6B 'iron hand'. it has the extra parts

for the cockpit [control panel and console] and the nose radome as well. the

instruction sheet has full details [side drawing and the like] as well as a listing of

all A-6's known to have been converted to A-6B config'. designed for use with

the 1/72 fuijimi A-6A kit.

bought my copy at SMW2003 at telford and not seen anywhere else since.

htht,

t.

[Finn]

Here is some A-6B info i gathered from the net:

http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/navyserials.html

and various A-6 books. Feel free to add any other info or corrections.

Jari

A-6B Mods

Mod 0 - couple of antennas on nose

Mod 1 - multiple antennas on nose and tail

PAT/ARM - no external antennas

BuNo Mod Status

149944 - Mod 1 to AMARC Aug 29,1995

149949 - Mod 0 converted to A-6E status unk

149955 - Mod 1 to AMARC Nov 21, 1996

149957 - Mod 0 sunk for use as artificial reef

151558 - Mod 0 sunk for use as artificial reef

151559 - Mod 0 * ???

151560 - Mod 0 crashed after launch 20 Aug 1968 2 Ok VA-196

151561 - Mod 0 combat loss 28 Aug 1968 2 KIA VA-85

151562 - Mod 0 sunk for use as artificial reef

151563 - Mod 0 * ???

151564 - Mod 0 (A-6E) to AMARC Jul 6, 1995

151565 - Mod 0 sunk for use as artificial reef

151591 - Mod 1 (A-6E) to AMARC Jul 9, 1996

151820 - Mod 1 (A-6B) sunk for use as artificial reef

152616 - Mod 1 lost in Mediterranean VA-35 ???

152617 - Mod 1 (A-6E) to AMARC Jun 2, 1994

155628 - PAT/ARM * ???

155629 - PAT/ARM (A-6E) at Quonset Air Museum, Kingston, RI.

155630 - PAT/ARM (A-6E) to AMARC Oct 30, 1995

* - 2 A-6Bs, both Mod 0, were lost, one in Oct 1971 and another July 1972, neither in SEA according to the Warbird Tech A-6 book which leaves one A-6B, a PAT/ARM airframe, unaccounted for.

[Julien (UK)]

Guys,

thanks for all your help, knew the ARC regulars would if they could!

A6BSTRAM, thanks for the long reply at least knowing the buttons came in in 1970 means I dont have to add them to my aircraft.

Cheers,

Julien