North American A-5a/Ra-5c Vigilante

By Steve Ginter

This aircraft was to replace the AJ-1/2 and the A3D as a nuclear attack bomber. This twin engine bomber carried the Linear Bomb (nuclear weapon) between the two J78-GE-8. The bomb was dropped/ejected horizontally out the rear of the fuselage. The aircraft was also used as a tanker, a Photo Recon and ECM.

This was the second heaviest aircraft accepted by the Navy the first being the A-3. The first prototype flew August 31,1958 and deliveries started in 1960 to VAH-7.

The new USS Enterprise was the first ship to deploy the A-5.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0999388428
• ISBN13: 9780999388426
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Specialty Press
• Length: 172 Pages
• Weight: 0.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.5" x 11.0"