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1994-09-26
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The Corsair II was built as a light attack plane to complement the Navy's A-4
Skyhawk. Vought, which had merged with Ling-Temco in 1961, won the con-
tract by suggesting a compact, scaled-down aircraft based on the F-8. Even
as A-7 deliveries to the Navy were getting under way, the Air Force was dis-
covering that it had a need for attack aircraft in Vietnam that could not be fully
met by fighter-bombers. The Air Force decided to join the Navy program and
acquire the A-7s as well.
The Corsair II mission in Vietnam was flown from the USS Ranger in Decem-
ber 1967. The A-7 proved to be a very reliable, stable performer. Out of the
12,928 missions flown in Southeast Asia, only four Corsair IIs were lost.
The Corsair II is a single-seat aircraft, although 60 of them have been con-
verted to two-seat combat-capable trainers. The aircraft's armament consists
of nearly eight tons of bombs, and AGM-65 Maverick and AGM-88 HARM mis-
siles or AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for self-defense. For general all
around use, Corsair IIs carry a 20 millimeter cannon.
Today, Corsair IIs remain the principal component in U.S. Navy carrier-based
light attack squadrons, having replaced the A-4 Skyhawk. On the Air Force
side, A-7s are used by the Air National Guard, which furnishes 70 percent
of the nation's air-defense and ground attack capability. Despite the Corsair
II's age, the A-7's durability will certainly make it a valuable asset for years
to come.