Old Viper Tester Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 (edited) Some variations on the A-3 Skywarrior... KA-3B, BuNo 142664, Modex ND632, on the Nellis AFB transient ramp in May 1981. Scars on the fuselage sides indicate a previous life as an EKA-3B electronic warrior, before ending up with this reserve unit. A rather rare one, a UA-3B, 144857, in the VIP parking spot outside the Nellis transient terminal in September 1980. This is the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) personal transport, witnessed by the CNO pennant flying above the cockpit. Looks like the crew is anxiously waiting for the admiral. Below, they are joined by the Tactical Fighter Weapons Center protocol officer. I apologize for the images below. They show what may happen if slides are not properly stored. In this case, inadvertently left in the back of a garage in the Mojave Desert for several years... A couple of VAQ-33 EKA-3s on the Wright-Patterson AFB transient ramp in September 1979. Thanks for looking, Sven Edited March 30, 2018 by Old Viper Tester typo 21 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latinbear Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 To think aircraft of this size flew from a carrier.....! Are the ram air turbines to power the electronics in the EKA3s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 (edited) Ah, very nice. I remember seeing 144857 when she stayed over at Gatwick. I have some ramp shots somewhere. Martin Edited March 31, 2018 by RidgeRunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 (edited) Great photos Sven, I'm really enjoying them, even the faded ones have great interest. One things that puzzles me is the CNOs machine, 144857 & the next two in the series 858 & 859 in your faded photos all have a pointed nose, but other photos on the net show 857 with a sliced off nose, which I'm guessing is a later modification? I'm no whale expert as you can tell. Steve. Edited March 30, 2018 by stevehnz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixII Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 Steve, it's simple! pointy nose, just sharpened, blunty nose, used, and in need of sharpening!! Sven, great photo's, thanks for sharing, please excuse the added lunacy! Paul 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Viper Tester Posted March 30, 2018 Author Share Posted March 30, 2018 9 hours ago, stevehnz said: I'm guessing is a later modification? The flat nose is a later radome configuration, but I have yet to find a rhyme or reason for the change or why some airframes seem to go back and forth between pointed and flat. 11 minutes ago, PhoenixII said: excuse the added lunacy! I'm prone to bouts of lunacy myself. Often my wife says I'm not quite "right". No pardon required. Sven 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 On 30 March 2018 at 8:18 AM, stevehnz said: Great photos Sven, I'm really enjoying them, even the faded ones have great interest. One things that puzzles me is the CNOs machine, 144857 & the next two in the series 858 & 859 in your faded photos all have a pointed nose, but other photos on the net show 857 with a sliced off nose, which I'm guessing is a later modification? I'm no whale expert as you can tell. Steve. Hi Terry, 144857, at least, was a TA-3, hence no flat nose Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Thanks Martin, I think I'm getting the hang (a little bit) of these things. I'm guessing that the next two aircraft in the serial sequence as shown in Sven's faded shots are also TA-3Bs. I do quite like the pointy nose, now I need me a Hasegawa A-3 kit of some persuasion. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Dot Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Thanks for posting your pictures. I have no real interest in making models of them, but the photos are simply fascinating as an insight into your day job! What an opportunity to record them and thank goodness you took it and are willing to share the images. great stuff as ever andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 (edited) 13 hours ago, stevehnz said: Thanks Martin, I think I'm getting the hang (a little bit) of these things. I'm guessing that the next two aircraft in the serial sequence as shown in Sven's faded shots are also TA-3Bs. I do quite like the pointy nose, now I need me a Hasegawa A-3 kit of some persuasion. Steve. Yes, Steve. You can just make out the "TA-3B" in one of the images (144859/GD 24) Martin Edited March 31, 2018 by RidgeRunner 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Hi Sven et al, 144857 taken at Gatwick. Foolishly I used Ektachrome that day :(. Martin 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Love the Whale, very nice to see these shots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Viper Tester Posted April 8, 2018 Author Share Posted April 8, 2018 8 hours ago, RidgeRunner said: Foolishly I used Ektachrome that day :(. Sometimes ya gotta go with what ya got. I've been stuck with Ektachrome a few times when the Edwards base exchange would be out of Kodachrome and this young captain couldn't afford to stock up then they did. Something about the nearest "real" store being an hour away and kids at home. Priorities! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Very true, mate. Back to my image, I have no idea why this machine visited Gatwick, a U.K. Airport with no military associations. Rarely do any "combat" types land here. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Nice photo that Martin, shows the nice clean finish on this aircraft. If I might display my ignorance, what colour would that be finished in? Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Hi Steve, to be honest I'm not a USN expert. I'll defer to the forum for guidance. Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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