Whidbey Fly-In
144825 Arrives at NAS Whidbey Island, April 29, 2011.

Flight to Whidbey

Announcements

BE THERE!

Rollout of RA-3B 144843 is now May 8th, 2013, Dedication is still slated for May 26th during Castle Air Museum open cockpit day.  http://www.castleairmuseum.org/


The A-3 Association has been working with Castle Air Museum for the last three years and we raised $9,300 to move and restore 144843.  The RA-3B will be displayed as a VAP-61 bird in honor of that squadron which suffered the highest A-3 combat losses due to enemy fire.  On May 26th 2013 the Castle Air Museum is having an open cockpit day and will be dedicating the 56th bird on display at Castle, the A-3 Skywarrior.



RSVP

What a great time it will be to be at the reunion. As a plank owner in VAH-1, and over a year stationed at Ault Field during WW !!, it would be especially joyful for me to join you there. However, at age 94 and taking care of a 92 year old wife  with Alzheimers, (we've been married for over 72years) I regret I will not be there.

 But during those days you are at the reunion, I will think of all the A3ers at Whidbey and hoist a special martini to them and in remembrance of my time as an A3D driver.

Lynn J Cornie, CDR USN retired.



                          NEW

If you haven't see the fall 2012 issue of Tailhook magazine, you need to see this article. It was written and compiled by our own Gary Meyers, the A-3 Assoc. museum officer. It is a great article!

click to read
A-3 Skywarrior: From The First Flight To The Last 


Memorial Service

 

On Wed. 10 Oct., 2012, four of us from our former Navy Squadron (VAQ-33) conducted a Memorial Service to remember three of our aircrew that were killed in the crash of their A-3B Skywarrior 40 years ago. The mishap occurred in the Holland section of Suffolk, VA.

Mike Diaz, Stan Ellefson, Rich Lantz and I (Dave McKinney) were able to get assistance from Rev. Tim Webb of the Colosse Baptist Church and the Suffolk VA Fire Dept. Honor Guard to participate. Approx. 20 people attended.

Frank Hasty is the Scout Leader of  Troop 37 that has been maintaining the crash site. He is pictured with Jarvis Howell (breaded) an adjacent land owner.

Captain Johnson and the crew of Engine 7 of the Suffolk Fire-Rescue attended the service.

Battalion Chief Andre Durham of the Suffolk Fire-Rescue co-ordinated the Honor Guard.

The aircraft was VAQ-33 A-3B (GD-2) BuNo 138968.

 The crew was :
Pilot - LTJG David Grant USNR
Navigator -  LTJG Ronald Ritchie USNR
EWO - LTJG Jeffery Haushalter USN

Dave McKinney


Attention Whalers

Well, you missed it. Last night, Sept. 29, 2011 the A-3 Skywarrior Assn. was on the radio. But we have a copy. See below and click on the play button to listen to the complete hour long show and hear interviews from Mark, Gary, and Mike. Several of our members even called in too. Enjoy.

Permission granted by Warbird Radio 


 

AUG. 8-11, 2013

FULL REUNION INFORMATION
AND DETAILS ARE NOW AVAILABLE.

SEE BELOW
 

Click on the below link to go to the reunion web site for registration, general information, and full details of all activities and tours as well as an attendance roster and other information.

2013 A-3 Skywarrior reunion

 

COWTOWN EA-3B



  

EA-3B 146453
 Formerly located in AMARC at Davis Monthan AFB, is now located at the Vintage Flying Museum, Meacham Field, Fort Worth, TX. Safe and sound from destruction by the chipper/shredder crews.

For a report of daily activities and photos of the dis-assembly process by the now-named crew "Ranger 15 Det Tuscon" at AMARC, go to the Cowtown rescue menu link or click here

 




Below is a link to a pdf presentation
of the project objectives and goals
as put together by Bill Mego, the
executive director of the Fort Worth project.

click to see
presentation

Visit the Cowtown A-3 web site coordinated
by John Herndon with donation updates.
click here

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Donate today and help "save a whale".

 

Mail in donation form
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THE LAST A-3 WESTPAC

Dateline 7 February, 2012

TA-3B, 144867, began an historic journey today. As pictured, it was transferred to a crane barge from a pier at Naval Air Station North Island, CA. Due to high winds, loading aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) was postponed till the 8th. It is then scheduled for departure to Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, HI. on monday the 13th where is will be restored and put on display at the Pacific Aviation Museum. Our own plane captain, AFCM, Ret, Mike Glenn will be accompanying her to insure a safe arrival.

Stay tuned for updates


SAN DIEGO (Feb. 8, 2012) A barge crane lifts a Navy A3 to the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) at Naval Base San Diego.  The aircraft will be transported to the Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor. (U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Joe Kane/Released)




Dateline Feb. 23, 2012

As the crew man the rails while the Bonnie Dick (LHD 6) passes by the USS Arizona Memorial, 144867 arrives at Pearl Harbor on Tues. Feb. 21, 2012. It was off loaded the following day. Mike Glenn and company will begin some preliminary restoration work while they are there to help some of the Pacific Aviation Museum crews get up to speed.

 

Edwards Project

 


 

 

Linked below are some first person comments by an early Douglas employee and his experiences with the first A3-D Skywarriors. Thank you Phillip Purpura.
CLICK HERE

 

 


 

MUST READ

From Eyesore to Airport Pride
by AOC Delbert Mitchel, USN (Ret.)

CLICK HERE

For dedication photos

CLICK HERE