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Description
| Manufacturer: | North American |
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| Base model: | AJ | ||
| Designation: | AJ | ||
| Version: | -2 | ||
| Nickname: | Savage | ||
| Designation System: | U.S. Navy / Marines | ||
| Designation Period: | 1946-1962 | ||
| Basic role: | Attack | ||
| See Also: |
Specifications
| Not Yet Available |
Known serial numbers
Recent comments by our visitors
| PJ Imhof Pensacola, FL | AJ-2 BUNO 134052 was the a/c that I flew in , while in VAH-15. The Plane Captain was Dean, ADR1.
There is a picture of this a/c below. The one with the dayglo tip tanks and rudder. The squadron side No was 5. Good flying plane. The ONLY AJ that is still is in existance is at the National Naval Air Museum, here in good old Pensacola. C'mon down and bring back memories !! 09/15/2009 @ 16:47 [ref: 25129] |
| PJ Imhof Pensacola, FL | I was an AM groundpounder in VAP-62, then a 3rd crewman in VAH-15.
In one of the squadrons, I remember a sea story someone,that I think had been VAH-7 on a cruise, told. These two sailors were goofing off and found a nice hiding spot behind the bombay in the AJ. They felt some movement of the a/cb but stayed put, so they wouldn't get in trouble. While waiting for a little while after the a/c had stopped moving, they assumed that it was OK to leave their hiding spot. To their surprise, there was nothing but water when they looked out the bobbay doors. The tail of the AJ was positioned way past the catwalk. After a while, they signamed, somehow , were seen and the flight ops had to be suspended, so that the AJ could be moved to get the sailors out of their hiding place. I imagine that the Flight Deck Boss chewed their butts out, so as nothing was left for their CO and their CPO !! If I remember correctly, the name colpepper Watkins comes to mind. I'm sure that he can tell the story a lot better than the hand-me-down version that I tried to give. Thanks for listening. 09/15/2009 @ 16:41 [ref: 25128] |
| Floyd Williamson Gainesville, GA | I was 3rd crewman, in VAH 7 in Sanford, Florida from August 1954 to March 1958. I was in the aircraft that J.Culpepper Watkins (comment above) speaks of that landed on the USS Forrestal CVA 59, with the nose gear in the trail position. After several Decelaration manuevers the gear still would not extend or retract. I was directed to "chop" out the steps with the crash ax and see if I could push it in place with the Fuel Dip stick, which was impossible!! We were ordered to land at Beirut, Lebanon, but did not have enough fuel and was ordered back to the Forrestall. We landed, nose high and the force of the arresting gear helped to snap the gear down and locked, with out it collapsing. The decelaration manuevers damaged the "stringers" in the nose well and aircraft had to be sent to O&R in Norfolk for repairs. 03/26/2009 @ 09:58 [ref: 24023] |
| Stan Shapiro AO2 ocean, NJ | I volunteered and transfred to VC-6 1953 and sent to China Lake and was schooled on the bombsight.Was in Atsugi Japan and was the shop expeditor and do remember playing Santa Claus at an orphanage in 1995. 09/06/2008 @ 17:53 [ref: 22621] |
| Tom Stein , ID | I'm looking for photo's or memories of the AJ's out of Van Nuys that were used as Air Tankers back in the 60's. This is for airframe research and any help will be appreciated.
Thanks 08/16/2008 @ 08:57 [ref: 22470] |
| Ed Mueller Mahomet, IL | I was assigned to VAH-6 in the airframes shop about March 1957. We were deployed aboard the USS Hornet Jan. 2, 1958 on a Far East cruise. On Jan 15th our parent squadron was transfered to Widbey Island, Wa. and we became part of the newly commisioned Vah-16 which was primarily an inflight refueling squadron. After returning from the cruise to North Island I was part of a detachment deployed to Barbers Point, Hawaii for about a month practicing in flight refueling. A few months later as I recall the squadron was dibanded and the A J's were sent to Lichfied Park, Az. I was then reassigned to a VF squadron Miramar NAS. Although I was not in the flight crew of the A J's I did get to make a couple of flights including Catapulting off the Hornet in the Sea of Japan for a flight to Atsugi NAS. The AJ's have always stuck in my memory as the highlight of my 4 years. 02/15/2008 @ 12:38 [ref: 19685] |
| Jon Gudmunds Santa Maria, CA | I was in VC-6, later known as VAH-6, stationed at North Island, CA from January 1955 to August 1958. I came straight from flight school as an Ensign (1315) and spent my first year as a Bombardier and then graduated to pilot as more "Flight Officers" (1355's) became available. I spent two six month deployments (1955 and 1957) at Atsugi, Japan. For most of my tour I was the squadron Navigation Officer and, as a LTjg, became the OinC of the Atsugi Detachment on my second deployment as the squadron was vacating Atsugi.
I, too, am looking for some AJ-2 photos, since the three that I had were stolen from me a long time ago. Why anyone thought those pictures were so valuable as to steal them is beyond me. Anyway, those pictures had our tail design on them. I'd especially enjoy getting pictures with that tail design, if anyone has some to spare. I have thought of attempting to request some pictures from the Library of Congress or the Navy Historical Archives, but haven't got "around to it!" I remained in the reserves flying P2V's (SP2H's) at Los Alamitos and later at Point Magu, CA. I flew the last 'active' SP2H in the Navy to Pensacola, FL to be placed in the flight museum there. There is an AJ-2 on the museum's flight line along with the SP2H. Also on the museum flight line is the P2V called the "The Truculant Turtle," which flew non-stop from Perth, Austraila to Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio, an over 8,000 mile trip, back in the '40's or '50's, if I remember correctly. The reason the P2V is important to us in the AJ world is that the P2V-3B was the squadron's bombardier training platform and also served as the radio and navigation escort for AJ's when TransPacing AJ's. Flight time to Hawaii was between 11 and 13 hours depending on conditions. From there to Guam and from Guam to Atsugi, over flying Iwo Jima, made it a three day trip when "pushing it," and and a five to six day trip when allowing for 'adequate R&R' along the way! Enjoyed the pictures and the comments submitted. I wish I had pictures to contribute and I hope to see pictures of VC-6's planes, especially one's taken of the four plane formation flights we did one day for some kind of a fly-over for some reason, which escapes me now. Jon Gudmunds jongud@yahoo.com 805-598-0565 05/28/2007 @ 07:53 [ref: 16641] |
| Philip Utter Clarence, NY | I was a 3rd crewman, AT1, on the AJ-2 in VC-6 on North Island, San Diego, Cal in 1954 --1955. I am trying to find photos of the AJ-2. We were assigned to Atsugi, Japan over Christmas 1954 for several months. If any of the squadron mates are still alive....please email me.
02/11/2007 @ 12:50 [ref: 15482] |
| Steven L Brittian Olongapo, OTH | Seeking information/identification on a AJ-2 Savage that plunged into the South China Sea off Coast of Luzon, Philippines, not far from shore. Suspect she was flown by VAH-6, BuNo 134060, bearing side number \"5\". She currently lies in 72 msw/236 fsw, any insight would be helpfull. 11/19/2006 @ 17:06 [ref: 14783] |
| Frank Houle Orange Park, FL | I was 3rd crewman in VC-6 from 53-56. Am looking for a wooden model of an AJ-2. Did IFR ops and other tasks.
Please reply as to how I can submit pictures of diferent AJ's during flight ops from the Oriskany, Hancock, and Bennington 02/18/2006 @ 09:58 [ref: 12538] |
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