Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Vought A-7 Corsair II: The Short, Little, Ugly Fella” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/vought-a-7-corsair-ii/.
Vought A-7 Corsair II: The Short, Little, Ugly Fella
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
HayesGreener
Ronin
I was at Korat Thailand in 1973 when the USAF was using A7's as Sandy Alert missions, in support of rescue operations. I went out on a couple crash sites where returning A7 pilots ejected and ditched due to battle damage. It was a pretty robust aircraft
Talyn
SAINT
Good article, but should have mentioned the A-7F as a finisher.
www.thedrive.com
jalopnik.com
Veteran Flight Tester On How The YA-7F Strikefighter Was Really A Jet Recycling Program
The YA-7F program aimed to field a new battlefield interdiction jet for pennies on the dollar by using spare engines and airframes. And it worked.
www.thedrive.com
Can We Learn Something From The Defunct A-7F "Strikefighter?"
The A-7 Corsair II, known also as the SLUF, as in "Short Little Ugly ****er," was a conservative balance of economy, persistence, payload, and technology, and its final design evolution, the A-7F, could have been the right fighter for the wars to come in the new millennium.
jalopnik.com
Last edited:
Talyn
SAINT
The A-7F Strikefighter
The A-7F Strikefighter was a transonic ground-attack aircraft developed from the highly successful Vietnam-era A-7 Corsair II. It resembles the F-8 Crusader from which the A-7 was originally derived, and was powered by the F-16's engine. Never went into production due to the F-16 being available by then, only proceeding as far as two prototypes.
The YA-7F is essentially a pissed-off Corsair II with a different engine + afterburner, supersonic capabilities, stronger wings the same loadout options for the A-7D already in-game, a fancier HUD, fancier radars and avionics, and being more of a fighter-bomber than the purely attack-focused A-7D.
HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION
During the 1980s, the A-10 Thunderbolt was already in service with the USAF. Unfortunately, they were concerned as the A-10 wasn't fast enough for interdiction strikes and thus requested a proposal for a fast attack plane powered with either the Pratt-Whitney F100-PW-220 or General Electric F110-GE-100 engine (used on the F-15 and F-16 of the time). Vought responded with this plane, installing an F100-PW-220 engine into the Vietnam War-era Corsair II attack plane. Reportedly, they wanted to keep the Allison TF41 turbofan and just stick the F100-PW-220's afterburner on it (since this combo generated much higher thrust at 26000 lbf than the 23770 lbf of the F100-PW-220 (both engines at afterburner thrust), while also retaining the excellent fuel economy of the TF41), but this would be a violation of the requirements set forth so it didn't go anywhere.
Visually, the YA-7F had a longer fuselage than the A-7 (1.22m/4ft longer), new fuselage sections inserted fore and aft their wings to help with engine length/aerodynamic/weight distribution problems as well as giving more space for fuel or other items, a strengthened wing (with new augmented flaps, leading-edge extensions and automatic maneuvering flaps), a (25cm/10") taller vertical stabilizer, flatter control surfaces, and an anhedral horizontal tail (the original Corsair II had a dihedral tail).
The new plane also received advanced, up-to-date avionics, life support and electronic systems to pair with its brand new engine; the end result resembled an F-8 Crusader (the original plane from which the A-7 and in turn the YA-7F was derived from).
Two A-7D Corsair IIs were converted to the YA-7F standard, with the first prototype flying in November 1989; the second prototype flew on April 1990. The new plane was pretty hot stuff. Despite being an affordable upgrade to an old Vietnam era jet (and not even a new plane at that, they can just convert old A-7D stocks to this standard to get them), the plane was capable of flying in virtually any weather, slinging plenty of bombs (since it could carry pretty much the types and amount of ordnance an ordinary A-7D or A-7E can carry) or other ordnance at ground targets, and can keep flying over long distances or long periods of time.
Unfortunately for the YA-7F's career, the weakening and collapse of the USSR meant that military spending was suddenly less important, and the trend was for (allegedly) procuring only one airframe that can do both fighter and ground-attack roles to save on costs- the F-16 which already did this. Despite the great practical value and potential of the YA-7F, the Air Force never warmed up to it and thus the two prototype conversions were doomed to be the only ones of their kind.
Fortunately for both YA-7Fs converted, both still survive to this day. One is located at the Hill Aerospace Museum in Utah, USA while the other A-7F is retired at the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum in California, USA.
The A-7F Strikefighter was a transonic ground-attack aircraft developed from the highly successful Vietnam-era A-7 Corsair II. It resembles the F-8 Crusader from which the A-7 was originally derived, and was powered by the F-16's engine. Never went into production due to the F-16 being available by then, only proceeding as far as two prototypes.
The YA-7F is essentially a pissed-off Corsair II with a different engine + afterburner, supersonic capabilities, stronger wings the same loadout options for the A-7D already in-game, a fancier HUD, fancier radars and avionics, and being more of a fighter-bomber than the purely attack-focused A-7D.
HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION
During the 1980s, the A-10 Thunderbolt was already in service with the USAF. Unfortunately, they were concerned as the A-10 wasn't fast enough for interdiction strikes and thus requested a proposal for a fast attack plane powered with either the Pratt-Whitney F100-PW-220 or General Electric F110-GE-100 engine (used on the F-15 and F-16 of the time). Vought responded with this plane, installing an F100-PW-220 engine into the Vietnam War-era Corsair II attack plane. Reportedly, they wanted to keep the Allison TF41 turbofan and just stick the F100-PW-220's afterburner on it (since this combo generated much higher thrust at 26000 lbf than the 23770 lbf of the F100-PW-220 (both engines at afterburner thrust), while also retaining the excellent fuel economy of the TF41), but this would be a violation of the requirements set forth so it didn't go anywhere.
Visually, the YA-7F had a longer fuselage than the A-7 (1.22m/4ft longer), new fuselage sections inserted fore and aft their wings to help with engine length/aerodynamic/weight distribution problems as well as giving more space for fuel or other items, a strengthened wing (with new augmented flaps, leading-edge extensions and automatic maneuvering flaps), a (25cm/10") taller vertical stabilizer, flatter control surfaces, and an anhedral horizontal tail (the original Corsair II had a dihedral tail).
The new plane also received advanced, up-to-date avionics, life support and electronic systems to pair with its brand new engine; the end result resembled an F-8 Crusader (the original plane from which the A-7 and in turn the YA-7F was derived from).
Two A-7D Corsair IIs were converted to the YA-7F standard, with the first prototype flying in November 1989; the second prototype flew on April 1990. The new plane was pretty hot stuff. Despite being an affordable upgrade to an old Vietnam era jet (and not even a new plane at that, they can just convert old A-7D stocks to this standard to get them), the plane was capable of flying in virtually any weather, slinging plenty of bombs (since it could carry pretty much the types and amount of ordnance an ordinary A-7D or A-7E can carry) or other ordnance at ground targets, and can keep flying over long distances or long periods of time.
Unfortunately for the YA-7F's career, the weakening and collapse of the USSR meant that military spending was suddenly less important, and the trend was for (allegedly) procuring only one airframe that can do both fighter and ground-attack roles to save on costs- the F-16 which already did this. Despite the great practical value and potential of the YA-7F, the Air Force never warmed up to it and thus the two prototype conversions were doomed to be the only ones of their kind.
Fortunately for both YA-7Fs converted, both still survive to this day. One is located at the Hill Aerospace Museum in Utah, USA while the other A-7F is retired at the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum in California, USA.
powerboatr
Professional
we had them on my 2 cruises on america. LOUD and i recall banging my head once or twice in hangar bay on the dam wing pylons .
and end of horizontal stabilizer
and end of horizontal stabilizer
Talyn
SAINT
I love the F-8 Crusader, last of the gunfighters, as they said about it.
I was a AQ in the Navy 81-85 & with VA-192 82-85. I really enjoyed troubleshooting the electronics & checking the Weapons systems before the Ordys loaded the weapons. It was a reliable & deadly accurate light bomber. On board the USS Ranger (CV-61) in 83-84 our Corsairs spent more time as the alert fighter than the F-14s did. It seems the Tomcats had a problem keeping both of their computers running.
I really enjoyed this article. Kevin
I really enjoyed this article. Kevin
My Dad was on the Ranger from ‘58 to ‘62 with a stint on the Ticonderoga and Was the first crew aboard the Ranger when it arrived in San Diego after sea trials. He has old film of F8s taking off and landing. He couldn’t believe how fast they were. He passed away in 2014.
He was on the Ranger when I was born. It was supposed to go to Dry dock before I was on it. There was always a Catapult or engine breaking down. I think it was Decommissioned in the 90s ?
DrGRobertWeedon
Alpha
I really enjoyed this article, but I’m curious; in the thirteenth image of the article, it shows A-7 Corsairs on the deck of the USS Oriskany. However, the aircraft in that picture appear to have pivoted variable-incidence wings, which is characteristic of the F-8 Crusader, and not the A-7 Corsair. While it is difficult to be sure, and I was unable to enlarge the picture, it sure does appear that the planes in the picture have high-mounted variable-incidence wings.
bandaidman
Operator
We went to Pittsburg to visit my in-laws and one of their good friends was the XO of PANG. He got permission for me to come visit and let me into the cockpit. He told me they deployed to the Med tanking I think 16 or so times. That seat was not comfortable at all. He told me they had a way to fold their G-suit just right so they could inflate it to give their butt a rest. The cockpit was a tight fit can't imagine flying that long in it.
Second story. A dear friend just lost his dad from a heart attack. He was tasked to teach the Greeks how to fly the D model. My friend graduated high school in Greece as the whole family went.
Second story. A dear friend just lost his dad from a heart attack. He was tasked to teach the Greeks how to fly the D model. My friend graduated high school in Greece as the whole family went.
Longstryder
Alpha
My father-in-law served during the Vietnam War on several carriers, Enterprise and Ranger are two. He was a aviation electronics technician . They flew inland to perform maintenance then back to sea, up the coast and replete. He said the Intruders, Corsairs and this aircraft were tough , hardy aircraft.Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Vought A-7 Corsair II: The Short, Little, Ugly Fella” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/vought-a-7-corsair-ii/.
Whenever he pulled out his old Navy books you could see that look of pride on his face.
Hat’s off to all who served and welcome home.
Talyn
SAINT
Yea, Some of these authors really don't know their material.
Lots of errors in some of these articles.