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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
| 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] |
| J Watkins , FL | This out of sequence but ran out of space.The AJ having
been trapped in box canyon was climbing max power when we hit something we could not see in the soup.On top at about 17k and could see stb wing sheared off just outboard wing flold.Thanks to flying skill of Lt Ken Enney we made to Istanbul.In contact with another AJ to meet us there but they got lost Bulgaria and got to Istanbul after us but they came close to being shot down cold war etc. Thanks to Ken Enney having contacts in high places we spent the next few weeks in the presidental suite at the Hilton.I have the front page of the Istanbul newspaper showing several photos of AJ 2 134043 with wing off. 06/29/2005 @ 01:03 [ref: 10616] |
| J Watkins , FL | Hello
I Flew with the fire bombers at Van Nuys a few times before # 77 crashed.I got to know those guys and would fly a cesna 150 over from Santa Monica to vist.Late 60's and I have photos. Also I was in VAH7 1955 to Dec 1958 and logged many hours in AJ 2's.We had many interesting events.Once we landed at Barcelona with hose extended left one engine turning got out put the hose back and took off back to ship.Many people were watching and amazed by the event. I have many photos that where taken from the AJ in flight. Most of these are kodacrome and have held very well.One sequence was of another AJ with nose gear up as we flew along side as it landed on the CVA 59. On CVA 42 during 1956.Med cruise CVA 39 1957. One event that stands out in 1957 we were trapped in a box canyon on a low level mission over Turkey. This was to stay below radar.Rain storms and very low ceiling.The only way out was 180 degree turn but not enought room so at about 90 degrees max climb and lighting the J 33 and max power into the soup right away. I guess this all the room for this msg. will send more. 06/29/2005 @ 00:08 [ref: 10615] |
| PJ Imhof Pensacola, FL | The AJ-2 withn the day-glo orange on the picture below was the A/C that I was assigned to,while being attached to VAH-15. The BUNO was 134052.
Dean ADR1 was the Plane Capt. and I was the third crewman. The Pilot was usually LCDR Dunton, but also did a lot of flyng with Lt. Baxter and LTjg Mc Clure. Moral was extremely high in VAH-15.This squadron made all it's assigned missions. The squadron was blessed by having two of the best Tech Reps. in the business. Mr. Dick Wells, North American rep. and Mr. Fred Burton, Flight Refueling Rep. These gentlemen trained me, along with our other crewmen and assisted mantenance personnel with solving problems. All Tech Reps should be as energetic about their jobs as these two experts were. Great site !! PJ Imhof 01/01/2005 @ 00:46 [ref: 9024] |
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