rwooton
11-22-2008, 12:45 PM
Just thought I would post a note. I read the article about the Razbam EA-6B that has been released recently - looks good too by the way. It was a pretty cool article, but one glaring error.
The plane wasn't delivered to VAQ132, it was delivered to VAQ129. I know because I was there. I was an Avionics technician at Whidbey and trained on the ALQ99 jamming system that was aboard the jammer pods. The first plane of course was designated 01, and it was Captain Blackwood's private baby. hahaha
The squadron was orginally VAH10 or "Heavy 10" as it was called, flying A-3s. When we received the first EA-6B, there was a big ceremony in the hangar with congressmen and senators and all kinds of dignitaries from all over. Behind the podium was a cleaned up A-3, sitting sideways in from of the hangar doors, with a tow tractor already attached. The ceremony was an "out with the old, in with the new" idea - and when the new plane was introduced, the doors opened and the A-3 was pulled out, and the new EA-6B pulled into it's place. (I really should go through the old boxes and see if I can find those photos - it was well done!) The gold canopy was really visible that day and it almost looked like solid gold as it was wheeled in.
VAQ-129 was the "rag" or training squadron for all future EA-6B squadrons. VAQ 130, 131, and 132 actually weren't created for a few months after the first planes arrived. I can't remember for sure, but I think it was 132 that was credited with crashing the first B. hahaha They had flown up to Canada, and on the way back the jet starter was stuck on, and finally came apart and detonated in the climb out - taking out the starboard engine with it. All four ejected, including a young jg that had never flown before, and an airman that was coming back on a hop seat. They made it out ok and all were fine, but the plane went nose down in a field. It made a hole 95' across and 75' deep! I can still remember how they reassembled the whole thing in our hangar floor for the investigators. It was amazing - you would have thought it crashed in the hangar. (What REALLY amazed me, is the investigators already knew it was the starter motor before the flight crew returned to Whidbey to be interviewed. THAT was awesome!)
Anyway, I thought I would share that with you guys. and I will try to see if I can find any of those old photos and scan some of them.
Best to all.
Rick
The plane wasn't delivered to VAQ132, it was delivered to VAQ129. I know because I was there. I was an Avionics technician at Whidbey and trained on the ALQ99 jamming system that was aboard the jammer pods. The first plane of course was designated 01, and it was Captain Blackwood's private baby. hahaha
The squadron was orginally VAH10 or "Heavy 10" as it was called, flying A-3s. When we received the first EA-6B, there was a big ceremony in the hangar with congressmen and senators and all kinds of dignitaries from all over. Behind the podium was a cleaned up A-3, sitting sideways in from of the hangar doors, with a tow tractor already attached. The ceremony was an "out with the old, in with the new" idea - and when the new plane was introduced, the doors opened and the A-3 was pulled out, and the new EA-6B pulled into it's place. (I really should go through the old boxes and see if I can find those photos - it was well done!) The gold canopy was really visible that day and it almost looked like solid gold as it was wheeled in.
VAQ-129 was the "rag" or training squadron for all future EA-6B squadrons. VAQ 130, 131, and 132 actually weren't created for a few months after the first planes arrived. I can't remember for sure, but I think it was 132 that was credited with crashing the first B. hahaha They had flown up to Canada, and on the way back the jet starter was stuck on, and finally came apart and detonated in the climb out - taking out the starboard engine with it. All four ejected, including a young jg that had never flown before, and an airman that was coming back on a hop seat. They made it out ok and all were fine, but the plane went nose down in a field. It made a hole 95' across and 75' deep! I can still remember how they reassembled the whole thing in our hangar floor for the investigators. It was amazing - you would have thought it crashed in the hangar. (What REALLY amazed me, is the investigators already knew it was the starter motor before the flight crew returned to Whidbey to be interviewed. THAT was awesome!)
Anyway, I thought I would share that with you guys. and I will try to see if I can find any of those old photos and scan some of them.
Best to all.
Rick