Grumman A-6E Intruder - info please

[Mark]

Morning all!

 

I've recently purchased the Trumpeter 1/32 A-6E/TRAM Intruder. I have no idea why, but the Intruder along with a few other U.S. aircraft, sits firmly amongst my favourite aircraft types.

 

Information regarding weapon loads is fairly difficult to find, along with good photographs, so I thought I would ask here what is a good and accurate load involving preferably some Mk.20 Rockeyes and maybe AGM-88 or AGM-84E missiles? I wanted to avoid using any "Green" bombs as I'm rather bored of Mk.82s!

 

Any suggestions considered along with ideas on schemes, with decals if available. There does seem to be a shortage of decent schemes available in 1/32, the 1/48 kits have loads available!

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Mark

[Giorgio N]

The load on an A-&E would depend a lot on the timeframe as this type has served for quite a few years.

As you mention Mk.20s, these were heavily used in Desert Storm and there are some typicall loads with pictures on the Desert Storm website

 

http://dstorm.eu/pages/loadout/a-6e.html

 

Notice that the designation Mk.20 is not used in the page above, instead they use Mk.7 as this is the designation of the dispenser.

The same page shows a few loads including the AGM-88 and other less common weapons, like the AGM-123.

 

Cluster bombs were also used during operations against Libya in 1986. During these missions initially the Intruders had either Rockeyes on MERs or Harpoons but at some point they started using mixed loads. A common load would have been having MERs on the inner pylons, each with a MER carrying 2 Rockeyes, an empty MER on the outer right pylon, a Sidewinder on the outer left and a tank on the centreline (I'm using the term Rockeye loosely here, what is visible from the outside is the dispenser only)

Later one of the MER was replaced with a Harpoon, like in this picture:

 

http://www.usscoralsea.net/images/DN-SC-87-00480.jpeg

 

A different mixed configuration, likely from around the same timeframe is this:

 

http://www.oocities.org/pentagon/bunker/7316/ordnance.jpg

 

Not sure how common this was however, as seems a bit too mixed to me, but you never know...

 

Another configuration was 4 LGBs on the wing pylons, with or without a tank on the central pylon.

 

With all this in mind, I'd say that ideally you should first decide on a decal sheet (on which I can't help, sorry) and a timeframe, and from there find a suitable load for that era.

[Wafu]

I agree with Giorgio, choose your decals/airframe first then research the squadron load outs in the era your modelling. My first port of call is always Hannants, I've just typed in 1/32 Intruder to the search engine and found 7 decal sheets. 

 

Also so the guys on ARC are really good for info, they helped me with my 1/32 Tamiya Phanton load out. Just post in the Jet section and I'm sure they will be very helpful to you, you may even get a few guys who worked on them or flew them in the era you're going to model.

 

Regards the Woo.

[Mark]

Wow! Great info and so quickly too! I did check Hannants for the decals and I really would prefer a late A-6E TRAM scheme, so these are limited.

 

 

Image is copyright AOA Decals from their site and I apologise for 'nicking' it. But the scheme that I have in mind is AJ-500 (16175) as it breaks up the greys with a bit of colour. But I guess with everything 'dropped' on the model, there are plenty of red areas exposed that would look attractive 

 

Now I've seen the photos, thanks to Giorgio, I really like this load:

 

 

And thanks also, Mr. Woo! WAFU? If that is what I think that is, my Son has just started with the RN as an AT!

[Giorgio N]

Mark,

I checked the Osprey book on the A-6 units in combat and they have some info on the load carried by VA-65 during Desert Storm. The unit initially carried out anti-shipping operations in the Gulf and for this they started with a load of Rockeyes and AGM-123s. When a number of AGM-123s suffered from malfunctions they replaced them with 500 Lbs LGBs or Zuni rocket launchers.

As these missions not always resulted in finding any enemy ship, the load was kept light to allow recovery on the carrier without having to jettison anything, so a typical configuration was MERs on the outer pylons, with one single rockeye (the picture shows the lower rear position) and other armaments on one of the inner pylons. An ALQ-167 pod was carried on the other inner pylon, at least early in the war. A fuel tank was carried on the underfuselage pylon. The Harpoon was specifically not used because its radar system could not discriminate friend from foe.

Later in the war VA-65 moved to attack targets over Iraq and pictures show a "less exciting" load of 12 Mk.82s on MERs on the outer pylons. A picture of 161675 is also included in the book with this load.

Now of course the ones mentioned were typical loads during DS, in the months before and after the war any other A-6 load could have been carried for one reason or the other

 

Edited: also checked the D&S book on US aircrafts and armaments in DS and they mention a slightly different load for antishipping operations: 2 rockeyes on front and rear lower of MERs on outer pylons, one AGM-123 on one inner pylon and a fuel tank on the other inner. No picture is however included of this configuration.

The same book mentiones other configurations, if you're interested I can list them all

Edited May 16, 2018 by Giorgio N

[whiskey]

You can also look up A-6E loadouts in Operation Praying Mantis which was against Iran in the late 80’s as well.

[Mark]

Thanks Giorgio! Just what I am looking for! I think, then, I will go with the photo of the one above, but with 4 x Mk.20 Rockeyes.

 

Outer left pylon - 1 x Fuel Tank

 

Inner left pylon - 1 x AGM-84E

 

Inner right pylon - 4 x Mk.20 Rockeye (2 on lower and 2 on outer racks)

 

Outer right pylon - 1 x GBU-10

[Wafu]

And thanks also, Mr. Woo! WAFU? If that is what I think that is, my Son has just started with the RN as an AT!

 

Good for him Mark, good luck to him. I wouldn’t change a thing if I had the choice, it set me with a great career in aviation.