Vought A-7 Corsair II

The A-7 Corsair II is a plane of attack embarked on board Porte-avions, built by the the United States in the middle of the years 1960 and derived from the F-8 Crusader. Largely used during the War of Vietnam, it proved to be robust, reliable, with operating and a very interesting capacity range of carrying.

History

In May 1963, the American Marine emits an invitation to tender for a plane of attack intended to replace the A-4 Skyhawk. It requires that the new apparatus be of a limited cost and can be brought into service at the latest in 1967. The company Vought proposes a derivative of the F-8 Crusader equipped with an engine without Post-combustion and the wing with variable incidence, but with a reinforced structure allowing to carry more than 4 tons of load on 6 pylons ailaires. Two guns of 20mm are also installed.

This project is accepted in February 1964, and the first prototype makes its inaugural flight on September 27th, 1965. The 6 planes of tests do not reveal any problem, which makes it possible to equip the first units as of the second half-year 1966. One year later, the plane is operational and carries out its first missions with the Vietnam. In parallel, a version intended for the US Air Force is developed as from 1965. It is equipped with a more powerful engine 20%, of an improved electronics of edge and only one gun instead of two. The first flight with the new engine takes place in September 1968. The US Navy claims at once the same modifications and this improved version (A-7D for the US Air Force and A-7E for the US Navy) is brought into service in 1970 in the two weapons.

The A-7 Corsair II remained in service in the American navy until 1991, the last 2 squadrons of A-7E taking part in the operation Tempête of the desert in Iraq. A-7D of the US Air Force started to be replaced in the units of first line as of the years 1980, but remained in service a few years more in the units of reserve. A-7 was also used by the Greece (as from 1975, still in service), the Portugal (of 1982 to 1999) and the Thailand (18 déstockés planes delivered in 1995). Approximately 1500 specimens were built on the whole.

Versions

A-7A - initial Version (193 specimens)
A-7B - more powerful Engine (196 specimens)
A-7C - Equipment of a-7E but without the new engine (67 specimens)
TA-7C - two-seater Version of drive (60 modified A-7B/C)
A-7D - Version improved for the US Air Force (459 specimens)
A-7E - Version improved for the US Navy (535 specimens)
YA-7F (called A-7 More, Strikefighter or Corsair III by the manufacturer): prototype of a supersonic version intended to replace the Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II in the middle of the Eighties; abandoned project
A-7H/TA-7H - Version intended for the Greece (65 specimens)
A-7K - two-seater Version of drive of a-7D (30 specimens)
A-7P - Version intended for the Portugal (44 modified A-7A)
TA-7P - two-seater Version of drive intended for the Portugal (6 modified A-7A)

See too

the card of A-7 Corsair II on the FAQ of fr.rec.aviation
LTV A-7 Corsair II

Simple: A-7 Corsair II

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