Vigilante now off the stick

gray eagle

gray eagle

SOH-CM-2026
For anyone out there that was a former "A" school student at Nattc Millington TN, you most likely remember seeing the Vigilanti on a stick that was in front of the chow hall



Millington-TN-05-RVAH-7-Vigilante-at-Naval-Support-Activity-Navy.jpg


Well today I happen to notice that it's not on the stick anymore:

Vigi1.jpg


Vigi2.jpg


Vigi3.jpg
 
More photos

Vigi4.jpg


Vigi5.jpg


Last but not least the poles (stick) that it was perched on The cones mark where the A-5 was located:

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I don't know its fate but IMHO I think it will be refurbished and sent to the Millington airport side for display there. Same thing was done with the F-11 SuperTIger.
 
Ack! Don't remember any viggie on stick at Rat Center Mucus. I was there June '68 through Feb.'69. AFUN 'P' School, Avionics School, and AT 'A' School.
 
MrZippy said:
Ack! Don't remember any viggie on stick at Rat Center Mucus. I was there June '68 through Feb.'69. AFUN 'P' School, Avionics School, and AT 'A' School.
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I was assigned there as a "C" school instructor in fall of '81 and I think this A5 was planted on a stick at NAS Millington after your tour there.
Based on info I have gleaned, it was active up till 1979 then Trf'd to Nas Memphis. I was at NAS Cubi Pt PI when you were attending Avionics school.

Vigi12.jpg


RA-5C Vigilante, BuNo 156608, from Reconnaissance Attack Squadron 7 (RVAH-7) during what may have been its final flight in 1979. This aircraft is now on permanent display at Naval Support Activity Mid-South (formerly Naval Air Station Memphis), Tennessee.

Note: Heavy 7 (RVAH-7) was stationed at NAAS Sanford Fl and was disestablished on 28 September 1979.
So anyone that attended an "A" "B" or "C" school at Millington or assigned there after 1979 most likely had seen it.
 
I'm guessing it will get an exterior refurb and then displayed somewhere. If it was destined to be turned into beer cans, I doubt that it would have been placed on a trailer intact. I certainly hope it will not end up in a scrap yard!
 
I was there when they put that plane up onto that stick. I was there from Sep 1980 to Feb 1982, but didn't record the actual date. I just remember that plane being towed in, then later mounted on the stick(s).
 
Not trying to be too nostalgic here but does anyone remember these? Top one was my original barracks and the bottom one is the brand new barracks we moved into in early 1969. We were the first company to move into them Co. 4A. Wrong dates on the pics!

Barracks.jpg
 
MrZippy said:
Not trying to be too nostalgic here but does anyone remember these? Top one was my original barracks and the bottom one is the brand new barracks we moved into in early 1969. We were the first company to move into them Co. 4A. Wrong dates on the pics!

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I think both those bldgs are long gone. I'm trying to feature what other buildings they were close to that might still be there.
Your AT school is long gone. There are now a lot of vacant lots with sidewalks that lead up to empty foundations and parking lots.
 
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gray eagle said:
I think both those bldgs are long gone. I'm trying to feature what other buildings they were close to that might still be there.
Your AT school is long gone. There are now a lot of vacant lots with sidewalks that lead up to empty foundations and parking lots.
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Pretty much figured that most of it is gone, but not forgotten. Tried using Google maps and having the little man walk about there, but guess no Google van did any mapping of it.
 
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