U.S. Navy Attack Aircraft from the Skyraider to the Super Hornet 1948-Present
Author: Tommy H. Thomason
Publisher: Specialty Press
ISBN: 978-1-58007-132-1
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 228
While fighter aviation tends to get the lion's share of coverage in literature, some of the most interesting aircraft have been those developed for the attack role. Indeed, those specifically designed for carrier-borne naval attack rank near the top of that list, as those aircraft not only have to handle the attack role but also have to be able to operate within the confines of an aircraft carrier. This book from Specialty Press details the post-WW2 developments in US Navy strike aircraft, from the final days of piston-engined aircraft to supersonic all-weather jet aircraft.
While the book covers the individual aircraft in some detail, this is really more about the mission of attack for the US Navy and how it has changed over the decades. The strategic attack mission has fallen to the wayside and the primary mission for Navy attack is in a ground support role. During the Cold War, though, that strategic mission remained a strong part of the carrier aircraft fleet, resulting in the development of aircraft such as the A-3 and A-5. It was this push to deploy nuclear strategic weaponry that really kept the carrier fleet alive during the early years of the Cold War, with its true value as a rapid response mobile air base only coming to light during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.
Following introductory chapters that cover that in more detail, the book jumps into the first Navy attack aircraft, the Douglas AD Skyraider. Developed at the end of the Second World War, the Skyraider was the last piston-engined combat aircraft of the Navy, having flown in both the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. While capable in the attack role, it was not quite a strategic bomber, which led to the North American AJ Savage. This aircraft, while having its problems, became the Navy's first carrier-borne nuclear bomber.
The transition from propeller aircraft to jet aircraft was eventful, and many different concepts were explored. The AJ Savage was a dual-power platform, with both piston engines and a jet engine. But it was not until the Douglas A3D Skywarrior that the Navy received a full blown strategic bomber. The chapter on this aircraft is a fascinating one, although I am biased as I have always liked this aircraft.
Following the Skywarrior, the book details the development of the light atomic bombers, those fighter aircraft that could carry nuclear weapons on what would most likely be a one-way trip. These aircraft include the Skyhawk, Demon, and Fury. There is even a photo of a Banshee carrying a nuclear shape. While these aircraft were capable of carrying nuclear weapons, the Fury and especially the Skyhawk proved themselves to be highly capable attack aircraft in the conventional role.
Operating alongside the A3D and A4D were the supersonic strike aircraft, namely the F-4 Phantom and A-5 Vigilante. The section on these supersonic strike aircraft is dominated by the Vigilante, which is really no problem given how amply the Phantom is covered in the existing literature. At the same time that supersonic strike was coming online, the Navy was also developing all-weather strike, and this leads into the next section, detailing the A-6 Intruder. From the skies over Vietnam to those over the Middle East, the A-6 performed its strike mission like no other USN aircraft before or since.
The remainder of the book covers the light strike aircraft, from the A-7 Corsair II to the F-18 Hornet and Super Hornet, with a short mention of the Bombcat, the F-14 reconfigured to handle air-to-ground ordnance. Both the F-14 and F-18 were not in the same league as the A-6, which was retired in 1996, leaving the Navy without an effective replacement. However, the changing mission of the carrier, plus advances in ship systems and the Tomahawk missile, suggests that a direct replacement is not needed. As for the future, the F-35 and potential pilotless aircraft could become the norm on the decks of carriers as the 21st century progresses.
In addition to the excellent text in this book, there are many outstanding photos interspersed throughout the pages. Many of these are in color and show the aircraft in operational environs, making it a great reference for the modeler as well as the aviation historian. For anyone interested in post-WW2 Naval aviation, this a book well worth having. My thanks to Specialty Press for the review copy.