Posted on 07/09/2021 1:34:22 PM PDT by Jacquerie
NASA is retiring the last Lockheed S-3B Viking still flying today, marking the end of a nearly fifty-year career for the iconic aircraft. While NASA’s Viking was used as a research aircraft, the U.S. Navy’s S-3s saw widespread use throughout the Cold War as anti-submarine warfare aircraft and even as a Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) aircraft, before moving on to serve in other roles, including as aerial refueling tankers and for electronic intelligence gathering.
In Navy service, the S-3B may have never gotten the attention that more photogenic fighter aircraft tend to receive, but the Viking nevertheless boasted impressive capabilities including 10-hour endurance, excellent fuel efficiency, and ample room for avionics, weapons, and sensors, as well as four crewmen. In addition to specialized anti-submarine warfare gear, the long-range, tactical-sized jet also sported an internal weapons bay, a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor system, an impressive radar, was later wired for a targeting pod, and could act as a tanker.
It even had enough internal volume to allow it to operate as a cargo-carrying plane and passenger transport, in its short-lived US-3A configuration. It’s a literal workhorse of an aircraft that the Navy never fully utilized to its potential.
As such, prior to the Navy's retirement of the type from active duty in 2009, the S-3 Viking had a long and storied career in anti-submarine operations and other roles,
(Excerpt) Read more at thedrive.com ...
What were you riding them for?
Those big side-saddle water / fire retardant tanks are something.
I didn’t now about the lack of LE slat.
North Island to Cecil was a one-legger.
Cecil to North Island . . . stop overnight at Sheppard AFB. Hit it on the right Friday night, and join partying nurse graduates at the O’Club.
>>They had such a unique sound for a jet aircraft.<<
That was the spool up of those high bypass turbofan engines. How the S-3 got its “Hoover” nickname.
The carrier flight deck directors, handler, and air boss routinely use/used aircraft nicknames in their communications: Hoover (S-3), Turkey (F-14), Lawn Dart (F/A-18), Hummer (E-2), Double Ugly (EA-6B), Whale (A-3).
Haha, exactly!
I was F-14s, so it usually was two legs going East and three legs coming back West. We couldn’t match the Hoovers!
I have a buddy I went to A&P school together that works for Neptune. When I went to visit him one winter while working in the area they were in the process of converting their second BaE146. The amount of cable that those planes has. Weeks upon weeks of recabling and tensioning.
F-4s were the fighters on my first two cruises. Brave guys with brass balls landed those beasts, especially at night.
On my catapult officer and last two flying cruises we shipped F-14s. Beautiful aircraft. As with the War Hoover, form followed function in the F-14.
Your post made me feel old.
I served in Catapults on CVA-42. The only aircraft, of the group you mentioned, that was deployed on my ship was the A-3D Sky Warrior. That was in 1961-62 during the Cold War years.
Good friend from my NAR VP squadron was also onboard as a plane captain of an A-3. Those big birds flew night and day and every one had nukes and designated targets (just in case).
During launches, I was the below deck console operator for the #1 cat. When an A-3 came up, I had to double the steam pressure from what was normally used to launch other aircraft.
I entered the fleet as the F-14 was replacing the F-4. When I went through Topgun, our assigned wingman was a Marine F-4 crew, both with Vietnam experience. Mixed section made for interesting tactics and ACM results.
I was V-1/flight deck officer on the Ranger as a ship’s company tour. By that time, the RF-8, A-7, and A-3 COD were gone. Air wing comprised F-14, F/A-18, A-6, EA-6, S-3, E-2, C-2, SH-3. SH-60 & US-3 were about to come in, and A-6 soon was on the way out.
A lot of changes since then, mostly for the good. Still worry about the medium range attack mission that was gapped when the A-6 was retired, including at low level & at night. Not sure the F/A-18E/F adequately fills the role.
I was ~15 years after you (F-14s and V-1/FDO on CV 61 Ranger). By that time, the A-3 was being used in COD and tanker roles. I did my first daytime and nighttime inflight refueling from an A-3. Beautiful, smooth, stable. Always amazed how the Whale would bounce on those huge main landing gear tires during recovery.
IIRC, the canceled A-12 Avenger was supposed to fill the medium attack role. I’m woefully ignorant of the various F-18 configurations. Not sure if any really qualify as medium attack.
Among the great sailors I worked with, Aviation Bosun’s were the best.
“Harpoon” is one of the best named weapons ever.
Actually, now that I think about it, we’ve had a lot of great names over the years.
Sidewinder
Shillelagh
The “fortress” theme in bombers
Whoever came up with Stratofortress must have been a hero around the office. They knew they were going to get the contract with that name.
Correct as regards the A-12.
Yes, ABs were among the best, hardest working sailors with whom I had the pleasure to serve.
It was ironic that we could keep them relatively safe around the dangers of carrier ops, but they would get torn up on liberty. In the Air Dept., we had a chief lose a leg in a highway accident, an airman struck & killed by a bus, an airman kill himself in a motorcycle accident, four ABs in a car miss the turn for the main gate and instead plow through the perimeter wall. All involved motor vehicles, but only the last incident involved alcohol.
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