SLUF: The A-7 Corsair II at War

[Matt Wiser]

SLUF.. The A-7's war service:


The A-7 Corsair II in World War III


The LTV A-7 Corsair II was the U.S. Navy's main light attack aircraft of the Third World War, and though it had been retired from active USAF service with the arrival of the A-10, it was a mainstay of Air National Guard squadrons assigned to the Close Air Support mission. The aircraft was out of production when the war began, and though evacuation of the LTV plant in Dallas, TX was not possible, due to the need to relocate both the General Dynamics F-16 plant as well as Bell Helicopter, the plans for the production tools and jigs, along with the work force, were successfully evacuated, and the plant disabled before the evacuation of Dallas. Production was restarted at the Martin Marietta facility in Baltimore beginning in late 1986, and production of the A-7D, E, and A-7K continued until 1989, for both the USAF and the USN. In addition, A-7A, B, and C versions stored at AMARC were issued to both USAF and USN squadrons suffering from attrition. Though in the early stages of being replaced by the F/A-18A Hornet at the outbreak of war, the aircraft performed well, and is still fondly remembered as the SLUF, or “Short Little Ugly 'Fella'” (the polite term). This work covers A-7 variants that saw wartime service.

A-7A: Initial USN version. In storage at AMARC, but issued to fill attrition in both the USAF and USN. Armed with two 20-mm Mark 12 cannon, equipped with AN/APN-153 Nav radar, AN/APQ-115 TFR, and AN/APQ-99 attack radar.

A-7B: Uprated A-7A with TF-30-P408 engine and APQ-116 TFR. Also in storage at AMARC when war began.

A-7C: First production A-7E with TF-30-P408 engine, though with A-7E avionics and M-61 cannon

A-7D: USAF version with boom receptacle instead of USN inflight refueling probe, though production aircraft had the probe installed or retrofitted.. Armament changed to one M-61A1 Vulcan cannon instead of twin 20-mm. Engine upgraded to Allison TF-41A-1 turbofan. AN/APN-185 nav radar, and AN/APQ-126 TFR. AGM-65 Maverick missile capability added.

A-7E. USN version of D with TF-41A-2 engine. M-61 Vulcan cannon, and provision for AGM-65, AGM-62 Walleye, AGM-45 Shrike, and AGM-88 HARM. AN/APN-190 nav radar and AN/APQ-128 TFR.

TA-7C: two-seat training version of A-7C. A-7E engine and avionics later retrofitted.

YA-7F: Single-seat, stretched, supersonic version with F110 engine and optimized for interdiction/strike mission. Two built before cancellation of program.

A-7G: Proposed version for Switzerland: not built.

A-7H: A-7E version for Greece without air refueling capability.

TA-7H: Training version of A-7H.

EA-7L: TA-7Cs modified for electronic aggressor role for VAQ-34. Refitted with A-7E engine and avionics.

A-7K: Two-seat training version for Air National Guard; production restarted during war for FAC mission.

A-7M: Modfied E version for USMC; AGM-65 and Pave Spike pod capability added for CAS mission and for use of LGBs.

A-7P: A-7As rebuilt from AMARC storage with A-7E avionics and TF-30P-408 engine for Portugal.

TA-7P: Six A-7As converted to training version of A-7P. Final LTV prewar contract.

[jemhouston]

Still one of my favorite aircraft

[Wolfman]

CVWR-20 was using the A-7B in 1985…

[Poohbah]

Responsible for placement of many warheads on foreheads.

[Wolfman]

Did A-7 production other than the A-7K restart?

[Poohbah]

Did A-7 production other than the A-7K restart?

The A-7M ended up being all new build and started arriving in late 1987 to replace the Skyhawks that had been pulled out of the boneyard to replace the Harriers, which had proved disappointing at best during the first month of the war.

Yeah, a tad confusing, but the Harrier was a hot mess.

[jemhouston]

Did A-7 production other than the A-7K restart?

The A-7M ended up being all new build and started arriving in late 1987 to replace the Skyhawks that had been pulled out of the boneyard to replace the Harriers, which had proved disappointing at best during the first month of the war.

Yeah, a tad confusing, but the Harrier was a hot mess.

Wrong plane for the war.

[Wolfman]

Did A-7 production other than the A-7K restart?

The A-7M ended up being all new build and started arriving in late 1987 to replace the Skyhawks that had been pulled out of the boneyard to replace the Harriers, which had proved disappointing at best during the first month of the war.

Yeah, a tad confusing, but the Harrier was a hot mess.

The A-4E did reasonably well in the war.

[Poohbah]

Did A-7 production other than the A-7K restart?

The A-7M ended up being all new build and started arriving in late 1987 to replace the Skyhawks that had been pulled out of the boneyard to replace the Harriers, which had proved disappointing at best during the first month of the war.

Yeah, a tad confusing, but the Harrier was a hot mess.

The A-4E did reasonably well in the war.

Did hella better than the Harrier, for sure.

[Poohbah]

Did A-7 production other than the A-7K restart?

The A-7M ended up being all new build and started arriving in late 1987 to replace the Skyhawks that had been pulled out of the boneyard to replace the Harriers, which had proved disappointing at best during the first month of the war.

Yeah, a tad confusing, but the Harrier was a hot mess.

Wrong plane for the war.

The VSTOL weebs will tell you that it was the wrong war for the plane. Their argument is undermined by the fact that nobody has managed to identify the right war yet.

[Wolfman]

The Harrier’s task, IMVHO, is supporting amphibious landings when big deck carriers are elsewhere.

[Poohbah]

The Harrier’s task, IMVHO, is supporting amphibious landings when big deck carriers are elsewhere.

If we're throwing troops ashore without a couple CVNs in direct support, maybe we're doing it wrong.

Then again, I'm the guy at 20AF who wants to develop a CONPLAN for shore bombardment in support of amphibious landings. Boss-ma'am appreciated the spirit, but pointed out that using 20AF assets would make the actual landings rather pointless.

[jemhouston]

The Harrier’s task, IMVHO, is supporting amphibious landings when big deck carriers are elsewhere.

If we're throwing troops ashore without a couple CVNs in direct support, maybe we're doing it wrong.

Then again, I'm the guy at 20AF who wants to develop a CONPLAN for shore bombardment in support of amphibious landings. Boss-ma'am appreciated the spirit, but pointed out that using 20AF assets would make the actual landings rather pointless.

You used ARC-Heavy? I see Boss-ma'am's point, all you would deal with are cockroaches and politicians after that.

[Poohbah]

The Harrier’s task, IMVHO, is supporting amphibious landings when big deck carriers are elsewhere.

If we're throwing troops ashore without a couple CVNs in direct support, maybe we're doing it wrong.

Then again, I'm the guy at 20AF who wants to develop a CONPLAN for shore bombardment in support of amphibious landings. Boss-ma'am appreciated the spirit, but pointed out that using 20AF assets would make the actual landings rather pointless.

You used ARC-Heavy? I see Boss-ma'am's point, all you would deal with are cockroaches and politicians after that.

20AF is strategic missiles. Well beyond ARC-heavy.

My immediate boss (MGEN Michelle Taldren) pointed out that the Navy would insist that it's THEIR job, and demand to use a boomer.

[jemhouston]

If we're throwing troops ashore without a couple CVNs in direct support, maybe we're doing it wrong.

Then again, I'm the guy at 20AF who wants to develop a CONPLAN for shore bombardment in support of amphibious landings. Boss-ma'am appreciated the spirit, but pointed out that using 20AF assets would make the actual landings rather pointless.

You used ARC-Heavy? I see Boss-ma'am's point, all you would deal with are cockroaches and politicians after that.

20AF is strategic missiles. Well beyond ARC-heavy.

My immediate boss (MGEN Michelle Taldren) pointed out that the Navy would insist that it's THEIR job, and demand to use a boomer.

She does make a valid point.

[James1978]

The A-7 Corsair II in World War III
. . .
and though evacuation of the LTV plant in Dallas, TX was not possible, due to the need to relocate both the General Dynamics F-16 plant as well as Bell Helicopter, the plans for the production tools and jigs, along with the work force, were successfully evacuated, and the plant disabled before the evacuation of Dallas.
. . .

OOC: That's . . . a problem. LTV built the Aft Intermediate Fuselage and Aft Fuselage for the B-1B at their Dallas and Grand Prairie facilities.

[Matt Wiser]

OOC: I"ll take care of that in the B-1 fact file: the B-1 had higher priority.

[Kendog52361]

The A-7 Corsair II in World War III
. . .
and though evacuation of the LTV plant in Dallas, TX was not possible, due to the need to relocate both the General Dynamics F-16 plant as well as Bell Helicopter, the plans for the production tools and jigs, along with the work force, were successfully evacuated, and the plant disabled before the evacuation of Dallas.
. . .

OOC: That's . . . a problem. LTV built the Aft Intermediate Fuselage and Aft Fuselage for the B-1B at their Dallas and Grand Prairie facilities.

While I doubt they were expecting an invasion from the South, one idea could be that as tensions heated up, heavily, and Mexico and other South American countries fell to Communism, one of the things DOD did was mandate the relocation of "Strategic Material Manufacturing", such as the parts for the B-1B, out of Texas to a more Northern City/Area.

Presumably the other, more tactical systems, like the F-16 manufacturing, and other service branch manufacturing would have been moved in a later Congressional Bill, maybe that bill was "scheduled" for 1986, but WW3 erupted before that happened.