Aerospaceweb.org | Aircraft Museum - A-7 Corsair II

DESCRIPTION:
Needing a tactical attack fighter with greater range and payload than the A-4, the US Navy approached the Vought company about building a suitable aircraft. The resulting A-7 was developed as a subsonic attack version of the F-8 Crusader fighter. The Corsair, without the variable-incidence wings of the F-8, was soon recognized as an exceptionally accurate attack bomber and was purchased by the Navy, Marines, and Air Force. The final variant built was the A-7K tactical trainer used by the Air National Guard. The last two US Navy A-7 squadrons saw service in the Gulf War before being disbanded upon their return to the US. By 2004, about 100 examples of the A-7 remained in service with Greece and Thailand.

Data below for A-7E
Last modified 17 March 2012

HISTORY: First Flight (YA-7) 27 September 1965
(A-7D) 26 September 1968 Service Entry October 1966 CREW: one: pilot ESTIMATED COST: unknown AIRFOIL SECTIONS: Wing Root NACA 65A007 Wing Tip NACA 65A007 DIMENSIONS: Length 46.13 ft (14.06 m) Wingspan 38.75 ft (11.80 m) Height 16.02 ft (4.90 m) Wing Area 375 ft� (34.83 m�) Canard Area not applicable WEIGHTS: Empty 19,781 lb (8,972 kg) Normal Takeoff unknown Max Takeoff 42,000 lb (19,050 kg) Fuel Capacity internal: unknown
external: unknown Max Payload 15,000 lb (6,804 kg) PROPULSION: Powerplant one Allison TF-41-A-2 turbofan Thrust 15,000 lb (66.72 kN) PERFORMANCE: Max Level Speed at altitude: 645 mph (1,040 km/h) at 5,000 ft (1,525 m)
at sea level: 690 mph (1,110 km/h) Initial Climb Rate 5,000 ft (1,525 m) / min Service Ceiling 42,000 ft (12,800 m) Range typical: 620 nm (1,150 km)
ferry: 2,490 nm (4,605 km) g-Limits unknown ARMAMENT: Gun one 20-mm M16A1 Vulcan cannon (1,000 rds) Stations eight external hardpoints Air-to-Air Missile AIM-9 Sidewinder Air-to-Surface Missile AGM-45 Skrike, AGM-62 Walleye, AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-88 HARM, Wasp Bomb GBU-10/15 Paveway laser-guided, Mk 82/83/84 GP, BLU-107 Durandal, cluster bombs Other ECM pods, FLIR pod, rocket pods KNOWN VARIANTS: YA-7 Prototype A-7A Production attack plane with a Pratt & Whitney TF-30 engine and two 20-mm Mk 12 cannons; 199 built for the US Navy A-7B Improved attack bomber with an uprated engine; 196 built A-7C Improved attack plane with new avionics and a Vulcan cannon, 67 built TA-7C Two-seat trainer; 24 converted from the A-7B and 49 from the A-7C A-7D US Air Force attack plane with a new engine, new Vulcan cannon, and new nav/attack system for improved bombing accuracy; 459 built A-7E Definitive Navy attack model with a new engine and FLIR system; 551 built A-7H/TA-7H Land-based version of the A-7E built for the Greek Air Force; 60 one-seat and 5 trainers built EA-7L Electronic warfare model A-7P Re-built A-7As for Portugal; 50 converted including 6 two-seat trainers A-7K Two-seat trainer for the US Air National Guard; 32 built KNOWN COMBAT RECORD: Vietnam War (USN, USMC, USAF, 1968-1972)
Lebanon - US Multinational Force (USN, 1982-1983)
Libya - Operation El Dorado Canyon (USN, 1986)
Iraq - Operation Desert Storm (USN, 1991) KNOWN OPERATORS: Greece, Elliniki Polimiki Aeroporia (Hellenic Air Force)
Portugal, For�a A�rea Portuguesa (Portuguese Air Force)
Thailand, Kong Tha Han Lur Thai (Royal Thai Navy Air Arm)
United States (US Air Force)
United States (US Air National Guard)
United States (US Marine Corps)
United States (US Navy) 3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:

SOURCES:

• Bishop, Chris, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Weapons: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Weapon Systems from 1945 to the Present Day. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1999, p. 350-351.
• Bonds, Ray, ed. The Modern US War Machine: An Encyclopedia of American Military Equipment and Strategy. NY: Military Press, 1987, p. 213.
• Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1997, p. 899-900, Vought A-7 Corsair II.
• Donald, David and Lake, Jon, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 2000, p. 262, TLV (Vought) A-7 Corsair II.
• Gunston, Bill, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Warplanes. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1995, p. 277, Vought A-7 Corsair II.
• Gunston, Bill and Spick, Mike. Modern Air Combat: The Aircraft, Tactics and Weapons Employed in Aerial Combat Today. NY: Crescent Books, 1983, p. 166-167.
• Munro, Bob and Chant, Christopher. Jane's Combat Aircraft. Glasgow: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995, p. 240-241, Vought A-7 Corsair II.
• Paul Nann's Military Aviation Photo Gallery
• Rendall, David. Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide, 2nd ed. London: Harper Collins Publishers, 1999, p. 79, Northrop Grumman (Vought) A-7 Corsair.
• Spohrer, Jennifer. Jane's Combat Simulations: USNF '97 Users Manual. San Mateo, CA: Electronic Arts, 1996, p. 8.4-8.6.
• Wilson, Jim. Combat: The Great American Warplane. NY: Hearst Books, 2001, p. 84-86, A-7 Corsair II.