A-6A of the Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility pays a call at NAS Whidbey Island in the 1970’s.  This would not be its last visit to the island, in fact, it is ongoing: 149482 is now on permanent display outside Whidbey’s gate.

9482 is a real oldie. Delivered in 1962, it was the 16th Intruder, the first eight of those were built as the A2F. In ’62 of course, the services restructured their aircraft designations. There was already an A-2, 3, 4, & 5, so next up: A-6.

Showing its stuff during a 1970’s airshow at the home drome, 159180 saw many years of service with the navy and marines before calling it quits in 1996.

Based at NAS Glenview, she pays a visit to NAS Seattle in 1961. This aircraft (133295) was later sold on the civilian market.

Judging by the fresh tail code on 128370, I would say this aircraft was a new arrival to that air station.

Used to be that if you landed on the wrong carrier, you were in for some “special” treatment. This AD Skyraider which mistakenly landed on USS Boxer was no exception.  Check out the whitewall tires.

This aircraft was re-designated a P-2H by the time it was with NAS Whidbey Island’s VP-2 as seen here in 1963. Despite the date, it still has its overall navy blue paint scheme.

Taken at the McChord AFB open house.  I can ballpark the date of the photo by the pilot’s name on the canopy – “Bob Aumack.” His bio says he was Op’s O with 191 from 61-63.

Parked on its home turf in the 1960’s, this aircraft was later transferred to the USAF and was shot down over Vietnam in 1966.  In way of contrast, the P-3A behind it (152158) of VP-31, had a long life ahead of it.

On a side note, one of the reasons NAS Seattle closed can be seen looming in the background: that hill is not navy property, it is a suburb of Seattle covered with homes. The base was nestled between suburbia and a very large lake; it simply could not expand.  Now, I’m from Seattle, my grandfather worked at the air station as a civilian, and visiting the base was always a treat.  But boy, was it small and crowded!

To be precise, 139143 had been redesignated as an F-6A by the time this photo was taken in the mid-60’s.

Comparing the display aircraft (top) with those on the flightline, one can see that the sailors had to do some scrubbing to rid the aircraft of at least most of its exhaust stains.

Assigned to Heavy Attack 10 (VAH-10), it is seen here at the Paine AFB open house in the early 60’s.

Behind the A3D, an RCAF Avro CF-100 of the 409th All Weather Fighter Interceptor Squadron, RCAF Comox, keeps an eye on things.

NAS Whidbey open house in the early 60’s. This aircraft (145913) served with VP-1 from ’59-63, went to VP-2, and was written off in a crash on Kodiak Island in ’64.  Check out the Pepsi-Cola truck on the right.

From 1957-1969, the Grumman F11F was the mainstay of the Blue Angels. Here at NAS Whidbey Island’s Ault Field in the early 60’s, they are ready to wow the crowd once again.

 

S-Two-F gives us “Stoof”, and it was a name that stuck forever. When a huge radome was slapped on its top, it was then a “Stoof with a roof”. The ability to come up with such adjectives is surely a sign of the ingenuity inherent to naval aviators.

151823 of VA-196, AKA “The Main Battery” (Great name) basks in the typical non-breezy sunshine of NAS Whidbey Island. Sarcasm about the weather aside (it’s usually the opposite), Whidbey was A-6 central from the 1960’s until the Intruder was retired in the 1990’s.

Photographed at NAS Seattle in the early 1960’s.

NAS Whidbey open house in the early 1980’s. The aircraft (147666) was one of the last Skywarriors built, and was based out of NAS Alameda. Note the crewman atop the aircraft who has found refuge from the maddening crowd.