A piece of aviation history comes up for sale: an ex-US Navy Vought A-7 Corsair II, with a price tag of USD 50,000. This airplane was first delivered to the US Navy in the 1960s. It flew with Attack Squadron 46 off USS John F. Kennedy during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990-1991. Restored to static display condition, it still sports its famous colors from its operational squadron, awaiting a new home in Addison, Texas.
The A-7 Corsair II was initiated by the need found in the early 1960s for a replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. The A-7 Corsair II was created to provide the Navy with a more efficient light attack plane. Tailored for subsonic light attack missions, the A-7 was developed from the successful Vought F-8 Crusader, given a shorter wing redesign and a fuselage that was much more streamlined.
Powered by a single Pratt & Whitney TF30 turbofan engine, the A-7 had a top speed of about 690 mph and a range of around 2,280 miles. That power plant gave an aircraft like that the capability of toting a sizeable weapons payload while still retaining some agility for close air support operations. Distinctive features of the A-7 included its advanced avionics package, which comprised a digital navigation system, a heads-up display, and a multi-mode radar. These advances made the A-7 one of the first aircraft with an efficient capability for precision-guided munitions.
First seeing combat in the Vietnam War, the A-7 Corsair II developed a reputation for its accuracy and effectiveness in delivering ordnance. It went on to serve in various other conflicts, such as the 1986 bombing of Libya and the Gulf War. It was retired by the U.S. Navy in 1991 but continued service in the Air National Guard until 1993.
The pilots and ground crews lovingly dubbed the A-7 “SLUF,” short for Short, Little, Ugly, F#$K. Outside, it may have been comically awkward in shape, but inside its flesh and blood was a dependable workhorse. Among other things, the A-7 could rightly be called an all-purpose aircraft, gaining quite a reputation in such contexts.
The contribution of the A-7 Corsair II did not end with its active service years. So many of the design principles, avionics systems, and operational doctrines associated with the A-7 became standard in subsequent aircraft designs. Its emphasis on pilot situational awareness, precision strike capability, and operational efficiency set a benchmark for future generations of aircraft.
This is an A-7E type, one of hundreds that served with the US Navy from the 1960s through the 1990s. Now, it’s restored in its Attack Squadron 46 colors to static condition and will be sold for USD 50,000. The new owner can either keep it the way it was or restore it to flying condition.
In related news, NASW Aviation Museum has received an A-7 Corsair II Cockpit Trainer from The National Museum of the United States Navy. This further strengthens the museum’s commitment to preserving naval aviation history and enables an immersive educational experience for visitors. Visitors get inside the cockpit trainer and feel the environment of this historic aircraft which played a huge role in the United States Navy aviation history.
Developed in the 1960s by Ling-Temco-Vought, Aeronautics Division, Inc. (LTV) to replace the A-4 Skyhawk, the A-7 Corsair II has seen a good deal of combat service in the Vietnam War and many other conflicts that followed, most notably the Gulf War. The aircraft was treasured for its huge payload-carrying capacity, durability, and suitability for sea-based operations.
According to Chet Rietheimer, NASW Curator, the new exhibit gives a tangible connection with the brave men and women who served in naval aviation. In the A-7 Corsair II Cockpit Trainer, visitors to the museum will get a close-up view of the advanced avionics, controls, and instruments that make up the operational success of the aircraft.
This aircraft has continued to enjoy a legacy as a sturdy and efficient platform for ground-attack missions, celebrated in private collections and public exhibits, ensuring that this contribution to military aviation never becomes forgotten.