Navy Chief
Senior Member
Probably one of the most "famous" of all Corsair IIs
I stopped at the Don Garlits Racing Museum at Ocala, FL a couple days ago, to take pictures of the A-7A on display there.
That aircraft has quite a distinguished past. It was the 7th Corsair II to be made, and was the first aircraft of its type to catapult and arrest on an aircraft carrier: November 15, 1966, onboard the USS America.
In addition to duty at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, MD, BUNO 152650 was also assigned to Attack Squadron 72. Following its active service life, it was the "Gate Guard" display aircraft in front of NAS Cecil Field, FL for many years. It's paint scheme changed many times, depending on which Corsair II squadron won that years Battle E award.
When NAS Cecil Field was closed by the BRAC Commission in 1999, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits was offered A-7A 152650 as a display aircraft for his museum.
When I first started taking pictures of this aircraft, I noticed the name of the pilot painted on its fuselage: Capt. John Leenhouts. The same pilot I reported recently as being involved in a bad car wreck. No more news, by the way. But when I hear some, I will post of his recovery.
GO NAVAIR
NC
I stopped at the Don Garlits Racing Museum at Ocala, FL a couple days ago, to take pictures of the A-7A on display there.
That aircraft has quite a distinguished past. It was the 7th Corsair II to be made, and was the first aircraft of its type to catapult and arrest on an aircraft carrier: November 15, 1966, onboard the USS America.
In addition to duty at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, MD, BUNO 152650 was also assigned to Attack Squadron 72. Following its active service life, it was the "Gate Guard" display aircraft in front of NAS Cecil Field, FL for many years. It's paint scheme changed many times, depending on which Corsair II squadron won that years Battle E award.
When NAS Cecil Field was closed by the BRAC Commission in 1999, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits was offered A-7A 152650 as a display aircraft for his museum.
When I first started taking pictures of this aircraft, I noticed the name of the pilot painted on its fuselage: Capt. John Leenhouts. The same pilot I reported recently as being involved in a bad car wreck. No more news, by the way. But when I hear some, I will post of his recovery.
GO NAVAIR
NC