Some NAS Cecil Field info I obtained today....

[Navy Chief]

I stopped by the Naval Aviation Museum here in Pensacola today, hoping to obtain more information on NAS Cecil Field. The museum library expectedly had very little info. But I did get copies of a couple things. One is a black & white copy of a base map, which is pre-1980, and the other interesting document shows the aircraft inventory on base for November of 1980. NC

 

[Victory103]

Interesting NC, VS-30 in CVW-17 during my time were the "Diamond Cutters" vs. "Sea Tigers".

 

[joe bob]

I am surprised that the A-7 squadrons average 8 aircraft per squadron with the big exception of VA-174 which I assume is a training squadron.
Are Navy squadrons smaller when they are not working up for a deployment?

 

[Mike71]

NAS Cecil

I went through the A-4 RAG (Replacement Air Group) VA-44 in late 1966 - early 1967, then VA-83 Rampagers. Flew A-4B, A-4C, A-4E, TA-4F. A-7 RAG was VA-174, but had A-7A,s and A-7B's at the time. Typical light attack squadrons had 12-14 planes, but when more expensive and effective A-7E came in, squadron inventory would be more like 10. Carter era really tubed us, so low inventory and prospect of F/A-18s coming in may have had the low inventory effect, but 8 really seems low.

Later went to A-6E community, test pilot school at Pax River.

 

[Navy Chief]

I am surprised that the A-7 squadrons average 8 aircraft per squadron with the big exception of VA-174 which I assume is a training squadron.
Are Navy squadrons smaller when they are not working up for a deployment?

Yes, but normally more than 8. Not quite sure why the average was so low. I do know that the airwing would direct squadrons not due to deploy to transfer aircraft to deploying squadrons, so their number would be 15, I believe.

Yes, 174 was the RAG A-7 squadron, and then when VFA-106 was commissioned, it became the Hornet RAG squadron.

A lot of transferring of aircraft between squadrons happened continually.

NC