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Description
| Notes: A-3B modified as tanker. | ||
| Manufacturer: | Douglas | |
| Base model: | A-3 | |
| Designation: | KA-3 | |
| Version: | B | |
| Nickname: | Skywarrior | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Tri-Service | |
| Designation Period: | 1962-Present | |
| Basic role: | Attack | |
| Modified Mission: | Tanker | |
| See Also: | ||
Specifications
Propulsion
Performance
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| USS Lexington Museum On The Bay | Corpus Christi | Texas |
| Western Aerospace Museum | Oakland | California |
KA-3B on display
USS Lexington Museum On The Bay | Western Aerospace Museum |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Raymond F. Murphy Vancouver, BC | I remember the crash that Mr. Meyers mentioned. I was siting in the 3rd seat of another KA-3B at the Hold Short position off the active runway. I noticed that the A-3 approaching the runway seemed to have only one smoke trail behind it and mentioned it to my pilot. He mentioned it to the Tower and they told him the A-3 was on a "practice single engine approach". We sat there and watched as he came in and then waved off too low and too late. He turned over on his starboard side ane went right over the top of our aircraft and empacted the ground just off the taxiway. We watched as the plane came completely apart and water, grass and mud flew all over the place. After a moment or so the Tower called us and told us our flight plan was cancelled and to return to our flight line (VAH-10). Surprisingly they pulled all of the crew out of the aircraft alive. However the CPO who had been in the 3rd seat getting in his monthly flight time died enrout to the hospital of a heart attack. The accident investigation board concluded that the aircraft had had a failure of one of it's control surfaces. 07/17/2008 @ 12:51 [ref: 22161] |
| Richard W. Myers Burton, MI | I was in HATRON TEN from fall 68 un til March 3 1970. It was an experience.The KA-3B was an interesting plane. I remember watching them doing touch and goes on Whidby. The pilot was practicing a single engine approach he got the wave off. He then went to turn around and try again but he turned into the dead engine and nose dived straight into the beach. As I remember nobody died but they went to the hospital. Then there was the story of plastic dip stick which everyone was afraid of because it might static spark and blow up the plane and the user. Our skipper flew to Norfolk to fly over and visit one of our dets on a Med cruise. He found out the plane had a plastic stick. We had to ready another plane just to fly a wood dipstick to them. Hopefully it wasn't one of those $400 dipsticks. It was a waste of gas and time... Well See Ya.. 08/07/2006 @ 19:27 [ref: 13823] |
| Lewis Atteberry , WA | I remember this aircraft from our squadron Hatron Two stationed at Whidbey Island by between 64 to 66. I think I even worked on this a/p being a jet mech in those days. Sorry can't remember any more infor at the present time. 03/07/2006 @ 20:39 [ref: 12723] |
| BB McGee Long Beach, CA | Bu.No. 147666 was based at NAS Alameda, CA from perhaps as early as the mid '70's to 1988 when the squadron and aircraft were retired.I logged quite a few hours in her in the Navigator (right seat) position. During those years the aircraft was part of Aerial Refueling Squadron (AirRefRon) 308.....Naval Air Reserve. Our missions, in addition to servicing our own airwing, included integration into many of the active duty Navy, Marine and Air Force operations. We often provided "pathfinding" and refueling for tactical aircraft to either Europe or Asia. We had the HF radios and navigation capability at the time that the tactical squadrons (F4, F14,F18,F15, F5, A6, etc.) lacked and were essential to oceanic flights. We participated in some Air Force "Red Flags" and operated with the Canadian F5 and F18 squadrons primarily at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta. Every other year we flew Orange (Bad guy) missle and bomber profiles for RIMPAC exercises which involved the navies of many of our Pacific Allies.
I was an A-6 Bombardier-Navigator in my active duty days so I can't provide info about the aircraft's early incarnation prior to the Reserves. If you really want to get the dope from old A3 guys, however, go to A3skywarrior.com and try to locate a book by Rene Francillon (Amazon.com) which gives the history and disposition of every A3 built including 147666. Cheers. BB McGee, CDR, USNR, RET. 07/26/2002 @ 15:42 [ref: 5375] |
| Greg Ely Fremont, CA | Does anyone out there know of any of the history of KA-3B Bu#147666 on display at the Western Aerospace Museum....We have a group to sponser the aircraft, and any info on the plane would help a bunch.....she's in pretty good shape except for a bath and some sheetmetal repair....
Anyone know about this plane? Let us know... Greg Ely Worker - Western Aerospace Museum Oakland North Field Oakland Ca. 05/03/2002 @ 01:25 [ref: 4851] |
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