Grumman A-6 Intruder
by Phil Novak; photos by Mike Bobe
The A-6 was developed by Grumman to meet the needs of a fast attack aircraft that could be launched from an aircraft carrier. Used extensively by the US Navy and Marine Corps in Vietnam, the A-6 was capable of carrying a large ordinance load.
Common munitions included Snakeye bombs, Napalm, Cluster Bombs, Zuni Rockets, and Anti Radiation missiles. It carried a crew of two, the pilot and Bombardier/Navigator, and operated in VA (attack) squadrons.
The A6 remained in service until after the Gulf War where the F/A-18 took over its duties. Its brother, the EA-6B Prowler, a radar jamming airplane, is still in use by the Navy and Marines.
These shots show details of the area under the cockpit and areas around the left engine. Of note is the area around the TRAM ball, underneath the nose. This device contained a laser designator, forward-looking infrared as well as other systems used for target acquisition.
These pictures are of the A-6 Intruder in the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida.
Photos by Mike Bobe