Difference between revisions of "A-5 Vigilante"
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(New page: The '''A-5 Vigilante''' was a carrier-based long-range strike bomber. It was designed to replace the A-3 Skywarrior in the Navy [[nuclear de...) |
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| − | The '''A-5 Vigilante''' was a [[aircraft carrier|carrier]]-based long-range strike bomber. It was designed to replace the [[A-3 Skywarrior]] in the [[United States Navy|Navy]] [[nuclear deterrent | + | The '''A-5 Vigilante''' was a [[aircraft carrier|carrier]]-based long-range strike bomber. It was designed to replace the [[A-3 Skywarrior]] in the [[United States Navy|Navy]] [[nuclear deterrence|nuclear deterrent]] role. |
==Design== | ==Design== | ||
Revision as of 18:15, August 27, 2008
The A-5 Vigilante was a carrier-based long-range strike bomber. It was designed to replace the A-3 Skywarrior in the Navy nuclear deterrent role.
Design
In 1953, North American Aviation began plans for a supersonic carrier-based bomber which could deliver nuclear weapons at long range. The United States Navy, in need of an aircraft to replace the A-3 Skywarrior, contracted the company to build it in 1956; the first prototype was two years and two days later in 1958. Although a large, unwieldy aircraft, it was surprisingly fast and maneuverable. It also featured a 'linear bomb bay', where the bomb was ejected back from the bomb bay at the same speed of the aircraft. This obliviated the need for forward-looking bombsights.