A-7 Corsair II - From The Vought F-8 Crusader To The LTV A-7 | Aviation History

The LTV A-7 Corsair II (Ling-Temco-Vought), a United States Attack Aircraft, and its evolution from Vought F-8 Crusader.
The evolution from the Vought F-8 Crusader to the LTV A-7 Corsair II marked a significant transition in the realm of carrier-based naval aviation, reflecting the changing requirements and technological advancements of the mid-20th century.

The Vought F-8 Crusader, first introduced in the late 1950s, was a supersonic, single-seat fighter aircraft designed for the United States Navy. Renowned for its exceptional speed and climb rate, the F-8 earned the nickname "The Last of the Gunfighters" due to its combination of advanced radar and cannon armament. The F-8 was a crucial component of naval air power during its time, serving as both an interceptor and a reconnaissance platform. Its unique feature, the variable-incidence wing, allowed for exceptional high-speed performance and effective takeoffs and landings from aircraft carriers.

As the needs of naval aviation evolved, there arose a demand for a more versatile aircraft that could fulfill a variety of roles, including ground-attack missions. This led to the development of the LTV A-7 Corsair II, which was intended as a multi-role aircraft capable of delivering precision strikes against ground targets. The A-7 retained some design elements from its predecessor, such as the delta wing configuration, but incorporated several new features to enhance its ground-attack capabilities.

Introduced in the late 1960s, the A-7 Corsair II featured a robust airframe, modern avionics, and the capacity for carrying a significant payload of bombs and missiles. Its design prioritized ease of maintenance and operational flexibility, making it well-suited for the demands of carrier-based operations. The A-7's sophisticated avionics included a computerized navigation and weapons delivery system, which significantly improved accuracy in strike missions.

The evolution from the F-8 Crusader to the A-7 Corsair II showcased a shift in focus from air superiority to multi-role capabilities, reflecting the changing nature of military conflicts and the need for adaptable aircraft. The A-7 Corsair II became a workhorse for the U.S. Navy and Air Force, demonstrating its effectiveness in various conflicts, including the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. Its legacy endured for decades, highlighting the success of the evolutionary process that transformed naval aviation from a dedicated fighter platform to a versatile multi-role aircraft.

General characteristics (A-7)

Crew: 1
Length: 46 ft 2 in (14.06 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 9 in (11.8 m)
Width: 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) wings folded
Height: 16 ft 1 in (4.9 m)
Wing area: 374.9 sq ft (34.83 m2)
Airfoil: NACA 65A007 root and tip
Empty weight: 19,127 lb (8,676 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 41,998 lb (19,050 kg) overload condition.
Fuel capacity: 1,338 US gal (5,060 L; 1,114 imp gal) (10,200 lb (4,600 kg)) internal
Powerplant: 1 × Allison TF41-A-2 non-afterburning turbofan engine, 15,000 lbf (66.7 kN) thrust
Performance

Maximum speed: 600 kn (690 mph, 1,100 km/h) at sea level
562 kn (1,041 km/h; 647 mph) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m) with 12x Mk82 bombs
595 kn (1,102 km/h; 685 mph) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m) after dropping bombs
Range: 1,070 nmi (1,231 mi, 1,981 km) maximum internal fuel
Ferry range: 1,342 nmi (1,544 mi, 2,485 km) with maximum internal and external fuel
Service ceiling: 42,000 ft (13,000 m)
Rate of climb: 15,000 ft/min (76.2 m/s)
Wing loading: 77.4 lb/sq ft (378 kg/m2)
Thrust/weight: 0.50 (full internal fuel, no stores)
Sustained maneuvering performance: 5,300 ft (1,600 m) turning radius at 4.3g and 500 kn (930 km/h; 580 mph) at an All Up Weight (AUW) of 28,765 lb (13,048 kg)
Take-off run: 1,705 m (5,594 ft) at 42,000 lb (19,000 kg)
Armament
Guns: 1× M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm (0.79 in) rotary cannon with 1,030 rounds
Hardpoints: 6× under-wing and 2× fuselage pylon stations (for mounting AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs only) with a capacity of 15,000 lb (6,800 kg) total capacity, with provisions to carry combinations of:
Rockets: 4× LAU-10 rocket pods (each with 4× 127 mm (5.00 in) Zuni rockets)
Missiles:
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile
2× AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile
2× AGM-62 Walleye TV-guided glide bomb
2× AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile
2× AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile
2× GBU-8 HOBOS electro-optically guided glide bomb

#aircraft #A7Corsair #aviation

[tedd]

Cool video. I worked on the A-7D when I was stationed at Korat, Thailand. We were part of Operation Linebacker II during Christmas of 1972. We worked around the clocked to keep those pilots flying during that time.

[majkizbajjki]

Fantastic A plane and an interesting movie. Merry Christmas ☃️⛄🧑🏾‍🎄🎄🎄 and greetings from Poland ✌🏾👍🏾

[Sydney]

Thank you Dronescape!
Thats my most favorite aircraft of all time !

[manricobianchini]

One of the great fighters of all time. The last of the gunfighters. The WW2 F4u- Corsair is my favorite of all time.

[joemoore]

Great work DroneScapes as always ! Be safe in the New Year to all your team ! I was a crew member of the VA-146 " Blue Diamonds " flying the A-E's Corsair 2 off the USS Constellation and later on as a civilian building the F14 Tomcats, A6E Intruders, EA6B Prowlers and EF-111 Aardvarks for Grumman Aerospace Corp. on Long Island, New York for 16+ years. The A7-E is still my favorite, built like a tank and never failed in it's mission !

[rocketman]

This video is extremely well produced. Thanks for posting

[TheGravitywerks]

When I was in college, I used to sit at the park at the south end of the runway in Grand Prairie (NAS Dallas)...the Vought factory is there....saw many of these..very cool! Thanks for the video!

[MeLancer]

After returning home from the Navy I worked at LTV Aerospace on Avionics upgrades to the F-8 Crusader. This was early on in the production of A7s. They were outfitted and tested in the same hangers we used.
In addition, while I was growing up Vought also produced the F4U Corsair.

[causewaykayak]

Always a superb presentation from this channel. Happy Christmas to the Dronescape team.

[ottovonnekpunch]

In my eyes, the LTV A-7E is still a beautiful aircraft! 👍

[causewaykayak]

How did they get Attenborough to do the voice for this ?😂

[davidbaldwin]

My father in law was a mechanic on the climate control of the A-7, as part of VA Air Nat. Guard near RIC. Thanks for the stories, James

[fourfortyroadrunner]

USN, 68-74, ETR-2, NAS Miramar, 70-74, I maintained GCA RADAR and TACAN. Got to see LOTS of these girls. One jock even got one off the ground briefly with the wings folded.

[stevetripp]

In my opinion the a7 is one of the best looking aircraft is all time

[jackryan]

The upscaling software you use in some scenes is substandard and distracting. Good content, some inaccuracies but overall a great effort.

[chrisexplore]

Great vid any idea on the music 27:51 sounds epic with the shots of the A7

[ChasBeau-fznj]

My best friend ever and I attended high school and jr. college together ... he graduated valedictorian of our HS class. We both got into naval aviation and he ended up assigned to a carrier A-7 squadron that deployed to Vietnam. We were in touch and he informed me that the Navy had rushed the A-7 into full service before it had been thoroughly tested and he had encountered some issues. His squadron was assigned to attack a N. Vietnam supply station in Laos and as they approached the target, he radioed his wingmen that problems were popping up. Quickly after that, his aircraft suddenly burst into flames and blew up before he could eject. His remains have never been recovered.

[dmo]

A cool attack aircraft, a competitor to the Su-25. 💪👍

[Sacto]

Interestingly, we almost didn't get the A-7 Corsair II. Grumman had floated a proposal of essentially a "shrunken" A-6 Intruder that could have met the same role.

[syedimranshah]

what is the name of the weapon system being unloaded at 20:14?