A-7 Corsair II
The A-7 Corsair II was a light bomber and attack aircraft used primarily by the Navy. It was intended as a complement and eventually a replacement for the A-4 Skyhawk.
Design
The Navy wanted an aircraft with increased range and payload to replace the A-4. Several companies, including Grumman, Douglas, and North American tried for the contract, but eventually it was Vought who received the contract.
Vought built the aircraft in a remarkably short time, mostly because it was basically the same design as the F-8 Crusader. The first test aircraft (named after the World War II fighter) were delivered in 1964.
After a period of onshore testing, the A-7 was delivered to VA-147 on the USS ''Ranger'' in 1966. The Air Force also bought a more highly powered version for light ground support.
Service
The A-7s combat debut came in Vietnam, where it was effective in attacks on North Vietnamese MiG bases and on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. One shining star on the career of the airplane came when six A-7s with Mark 55 mines, supported only by several F-4s and two EA-6 Prowlers, mined Haiphong Harbor in 1972. Despite doubts by some military leaders, the aircraft held its own against supersonic jets.
Versions
A-7B
The A-7Bs had the more powerful Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-8 engine, which provided 12,200 pounds of thrust. These airplanes were the primary A-7 version in Vietnam.
A-7C
The A-7Cs were modified to carry the 13,400 pounds of thrust Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-408 engine.
A-7D
The A-7Ds were the first to carry the M61A-1 Vulcan cannon in the fuselage. They also were equipped with laser-guided bombs.
A-7E
The A-7Es had an Allison/Rolls-Royce engine which provided 15,000 pounds of thrust. It also was equipped with forward looking infrared (FLIR) equipment which enabled it to fly at night.
Later service
Navy A-7s were still effective in the first Gulf War, using Walleye TV guided bombs, HARMs, and laser bombs to attack Iraqi targets. Tanker A-7s also performed well.
By the second Gulf War, the A-7s had been retired. The last mission of A-7s in active duty was the testing of anti-radar equipment for the F-117. The plane has been replaced in the Navy by the F-18 Hornet and in the Air Force, the A-10.