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Description
| Manufacturer: | Douglas |
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| Base model: | F-6 | ||
| Designation: | F-6 | ||
| Version: | A | ||
| Nickname: | Skyray | ||
| Designation System: | U.S. Tri-Service | ||
| Designation Period: | 1962-Present | ||
| Basic role: | Fighter | ||
Specifications
| Not Yet Available |
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Fred E. Weisbrod Museum / International B-24 Museum | Pueblo | Colorado |
| Patuxent River Naval Air Museum | Patuxent River | Maryland |
F-6A on display
Recent comments by our visitors
| jim slusser Shinnston, WV | I was in the maintenace department at U.S Naval Test Pilot School, Pax River, Md. I arrived there in Feb. 1969 thru July 1972. We had three F-A'S, ev entually one went to Pennsacola, one to Norfolk and the tird is still at Pax River. I have uploaded a pic when it was red & black. Wish all the best. 11/22/2011 @ 20:04 [ref: 50450] |
| Kevin aka Skalla Penn Valley, CA | Good Day, thank you for your site, easy to get lost for hours!
My father was (then) CDR John "Tex" O'Neill, who was commander of VFAW-3 in 1959. I have placed many of my fathers papers on my website (an electronic museum of sorts) and it includes an article about VFAW-3 from the NAVY Times dated Sept. of 59. I cordially invite anyone with interest to view it. The site is "dubdubdub oneillselectronicmuseum dot com". On the lower end of the menu is "fighter pilot biography". In the bottom quarter of the page under NORAD is the link to the article. The "amusing anecdote" in the next paragraph is from his time as commander of VFAW-3. Cheers 09/08/2011 @ 14:47 [ref: 48798] |
| Waymon J. Brewster Sr. Comanche, TX | I was in VFAW-3 6-59 to 7-61, right out of Boot Camp. I stared in the ALERT GALLEY,serving the Alert Crews, then went to the flight line as a plane captain and then to the ALERT CENTER, striking to become an Air Traffic controller. I LOVED every minute in the Squadron. I never met anyone in the squadron that was not nice to me. An Ensign was my mentor.He changed my whole life. My job in the Alert Center lead me to me my wife at Norton AFB. She was a communictions specialist in the Air Force. On march 2nd this year we celebrate 50 years. I spent 12 years in the Navy and 27 years in the FAA as an Air Traffic Controller. So as you can see, the Navy AND VFAW-3 made me who I am!!!! 01/23/2011 @ 10:32 [ref: 35857] |
| James R.(Ronnie) Davis Laurens, SC | I served from 1-61 to approximately 4-63 in the radar shop, both in San Diego and Key West. Served with all of the guys names that I can remember listed below.
Donald Hanson AQ1 Gerry George AQ1 Larry Bonar AQ2 Richard Poirier AQ2 George Raninsperger AQ1 (sp) Dennis Ferguson AQ3 Chief LaConte Peter Vortec AQ2 Roy Owenby AQ2 Patrick Casey ADJ2 I also remember two exciting moments in Key West. One was when the duty pilots scrambled on a Piper Cub, (I think it was Wolf and Daniels). This was at night and the Piper Cub pilot about had a heart attack. The other one was when one of the pilots was towing a tow target and the pilot could not get the target retrived or cut the tow wire. He tried to break the wire by flying low over the gulf waters and hoping it would catch a wave and break. That did not work so he landed. He about wiped out the enlisted men's swimming pool with the steel wire. I really liked the time I served in VF(AW)3. 10/03/2010 @ 13:55 [ref: 31096] |
| Robert K. Cocking Allen, TX | I was looking at old photo from ny day at North Island NAS. from VFAW-3. Came across the one from when we were in Florida from Calif. they make us take it down. But I got a photo 1st. 07/10/2009 @ 21:19 [ref: 24290] |
| Chuck Van Winkle , AZ | VFAW-3 Reunion scheduled for Sept 24th - 27 Sept 2009 in San Diego. Contact Sid Graham at vfaw3@flash.net for information 12/16/2008 @ 11:51 [ref: 23256] |
| harry Jensen La Center, WA | I was with VFAW 3 from early 61 to Oct 62 I was in charge of the tire and brake shop.Darryl Rassmussen, Bill Stewart,(line crew),and CPO Dan Hayes and i remember Caslin (who has a
message on the board) also our D.O.was a cwo3or4 Honcharik or some thing close to that. I was an AMH2 while at VFAW3.I was out 11 years,was asked to returned to service in 1973, as an AS1 and retired as a ASC in 1990. 11/23/2008 @ 20:23 [ref: 23132] |
| KEN GRIGGS NORWALK, CA | SERVED 2 YEARS 7/59 TO 8-61 IN THE SQUADRON.
ALL ON THE FLIGHT LINE AS A PLANE CAPT. WENT TO YUMA IN 1960 FOR THE WEPONS MEET IT WAS SO HOT WE FLOW A NIGHT. I REMEMBER ORI'S,ABC DRILLS,AND ABOVE ALL THE SCRAMBLES WITH THAT SCRAMBLE HORN. IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST TIMES OF MY NAVY TOUR SPENT THE REST OF MY TOUR IN VFP63 AT MIRAMAR NAS. MADE 1 WEST PAC TOUR ON USS BON HOMME RICHARD 09/25/2008 @ 16:18 [ref: 22740] |
| Roy Owenby Franklin, NC | I served with VFAW-3 from June 1959 to June 1962. I was an AQF2 in the radar shop. I served with the detachments to Key West, FL and Yuma, AZ. I really enjoyed serving with my peers, all the other shops and the pilots. We did win a lot of awards, see a lot of celebrities and did a good job of serving our country all because of all the excellent and skilled people who watched the skies 24/7. I was and still am proud of my squadron. I wish someone would send me information about the upcoming reunion in June, 08.
Roy Owenby 04/03/2008 @ 04:44 [ref: 20325] |
| Chuck Van Winkle, USN Ret. Congress, AZ | HISTORY OF VF(AW)-3
Decommissioning 1 April 1963 Eight years ago in 1955 All Weather Fighter Squadron THREE (then Fleet All-Weather Training Unit, Pacific) based at NAS, North Island, San Diego, California, assumed the responsibly it of air defense for the southwestern section of the United States under the Continental Air Defense Command. The aircraft employed were Douglas F3D Skyknights, brandishing 20MMcannons. These planes were later replaced for air defense duty in 1958 by the Douglas Skyrays and equipped with the Sidewinder missile. !n 1959, VF(AW)-3 was awarded its first Air Defense prize, the Western Air Defense Force "A" for Achievement. The award was won again in 1960. The squadron won the highest award in "Operation TOP GUN", the Navy Weapons Meet in 1959, taking the James Forrestal Memorial Trophy. The Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award was earned by the squadron for the years 1960 and 1961. In 1961, VF(AW)-3won the highest award in the Continental Air Defense Command, the ADC"A". During the 1962 Hughes Night Fighter Association competition VF(AW)-3 completed the greatest number of high speed, high altitude intercepts of any squadron in the world. Military preparedness dictated that VF(AW)-3should extend its protection of the skies to the southeastern shore of the nation. Accordingly, in July 1961, Detachment ECHO was formed and deployed to the southeastern tip of the United States. VF(AW)-3was spread across a continent at battle stations, in the fog of North Island and the tropical heat .of Key West, alert and ready to protect our country against the threat of enemy air attack. This expanded alert posture was maintained continuously for eighteen months through calm and crisis, during which time a total of 551 active scrambles were flown under every conceivable condition. It is with pride that we point to the record of Detachment ECHO during the Cubancrisis. For 27 days, with an average availability of six aircraft, a total of 36 sorties and 600 flight hours were accomplished with a perfect safety record. April 1963 will bring to a close the brilliant career of All Weather Fighter Squadron THREE with its distinctively marked aircraft, excellent radar, and expert pilots and ground crews. It stands now at the top of the heap, a standard for other units to follow. Wherever we go, whatever we shall face, out motto is ever this, "With a steady hand, a stout heart and God's help we shall always be on alert, ready to race to the challenge whenever destiny sounds a horn for us." Chuck Van Winkle - 1962 - 1963 10/28/2007 @ 14:21 [ref: 18330] |
Recent photos uploaded by our visitors
