VA-23Photograph AlbumVF-653 F9F-5 Panther BuNo. 125480 - 1952 VF-653 Grumman F9F-5 Panther BuNo. 125480 side number H 113 at Naval Air Station Alameda in October 1952. Photograph by and from Robert Brozovich. VF-653 F9F-5 Panther BuNo. 125559 - 1952 VF-653 Grumman F9F-5 Panther BuNo. 125559 side number H 110 at Naval Air Station Alameda in October 1952. Panther BuNo. 125559 nose detail. Photograph by and from Robert Brozovich. VF-653 F9F-5 Panther BuNo. 125184 - 1952 Robert Brozovich stands next to VF-653 Grumman F9F-5 Panther BuNo. 125184 side number H 101 at Naval Air Station Alameda in October 1952. Panther BuNo. 125184 front view. Close up of the nose section of Panther BuNo. 125184. Photograph by and from Robert Brozovich. VF-151 F9F-2 Panther - 1953 VF-151 Black Knight Grumman F9F-2 Panther on the United States Ship Boxer CVA-21 off Korea displays five inch rockets on folded wing prior to mission over North Korea during the summer of 1953. USN photograph from Alan Bedford. VF-151 F9F-2 Panther - 1953 Black Knight Grumman F9F-2 Panthers line up for launch on United States Ship Boxer CVA-21 off Korea. VF-151 was on Boxer from March to November 1953 for combat against North Korea. VF-151 was redesignated VA-151 which was redesignated VA-23. USN photograph from Alan Bedford. VF-151 F7U-3 Cutlass Flight - 1956 Black Knight deuce of Chance Vought F7U-3 Cutlass flight flying past Mount Fuji, Japan in 1956. BuNo. 129615 - side number U-308 leads BuNo. 129617 - side number U-302. USN photograph from Charles Swinford. VA-23 taken at NAF China Lake in 1960 1962: Midway based Black Knights Skyhawk formation from l-r: BuNo 145055, NE-401, BuNo 142904, NE-411, BuNo 142894, NE-408 and BuNo 144936, NE-405. Naval Aviation News Black Knights Skyhawk BuNo 142894, NE-408, behind the JBD as she waits her turn to launch from the stbd cat. Photo source unknown. Unidentified VA-23 Black Knights Skyhawk NE-412, on the ramp at NAS Lemoore. Courtesy of Tom Bispo. 24 SEP 1965: Black Knights Skyhawk, BuNo unknown, as LTJG Michael Weakley gets a close look at his Echos battle damage. Naval Aviation News BuNo.152017, DEC.10 - ON WAY TO VIET CONG TARGET. A 2,000 pound bomb, dropped from a Navy A4 Skyhawk jet, is on its way to a target in a raid on a Viet Cong stronghold in South Vietnam. The Department of Defense said in releasing the photo in Washington, Dec.9, that the plane was piloted by CMDR Robert R. King of Pomona, Calif., Commanding officer of Attack Squadron 23 aboard the Carrier Midway. The photo was made last month before the return to the United States of the Midway. (U.S. Navy Photo via AP Wirephoto) (w/j60600usn) 1965 From Gary Verver Collection Aug 1966 BuNo 151168, NE-346, and unknown ordnance aboard the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43). U.S. Navy photo by PH3 J. Slaton BuNo.150039, 151174, and 151104 Sept. 1966. Garvy Vever Collection. VA-23 A-4E BuNo 151168 taxiing forward for a launch aboard the Coral Sea. Visible behind 168 is VA-22 A-4C BuNo 147761. Probably between Aug 1966 and end of Feb 1967 as that is when VA-22 and VA-23 were on the Coral Sea. From Gary Verver. AUG 1966: Skyhawk formation of Black Knights BuNo 151143, NE-343, BuNo 149962, NE-338, BuNo 149963, NE-347 and Redcocks BuNo 147844, NE 226. "Boom" Powell AUG 1966: Skyhawk formation of Black Knights BuNo 151143, NE-343, BuNo 149962, NE-338, BuNo 149963, NE-347 and Redcocks BuNo 147844, NE 226. "Boom" Powell DEC 1966: left rear view of damaged Black Knights Skyhawk parked on the Coral Sea flight deck. Unknown photographer via W. Mutza
02 JAN 1967: right side view of Black Knights Skyhawk BuNo 151162, NE-336, assigned to CO CDR Dick Mackell parked on the ramp as it awaits repairs to the burned out lower tail section. p/c is AA W.L. Jackson. "I was on a shrike mission and three SA-2s were fired at my flight in quick succession. We dodged the first two but the third exploded behind my aircraft at close range." From Mike Cronins. Photo from Neal Schnieder 02 JAN 1967: right side view of Black Knights Skyhawk BuNo 151162, NE-336. 02 JAN 1967: left side view of Black Knights Skyhawk BuNo 151162, NE-33, . 02 JAN 1967: right side view of Black Knights Skyhawk BuNo 151162, NE-336. Unknown photographer via W. Mutza March telegram - 1968 Black Knight March 15, 1968 telegram for Uncle Ho Chi Minh. Photograph from Jim Ritchie. 15 Mar 1968 BuNo 154188, NM-301, carrying the name of CO Commander Chuck Bush, strapped on the deck of the Tico. Photograph from Jim Ritchie. MAR 1969: Black Knights Skyhawk BuNo 154195, NM-302, assigned to XO CDR Ted Lloyd, parked on the ramp. Nick Williams NM 310 and NM 312 - 1969 VA-23 A-4F Skyhawks in flight near Naval Air Station Lemoore California. USN photograph from Jim Ritchie. VA-23 Poster - 1969 VA-23 Black Knight A-4F Skyhawk and Patch Poster. Graphic drawn by Jim Ritchie. 1969: Black Knight" preparing to enter the cockpit as the Plane Captain looks on. Lee Morris 1969: "Black Knight" Plane Captain is signaling the pilot as ordinance men check station #1. External power cord can be seen attached to the a/c. Lee Morris 1969: "Black Knight" Plane Captain expresses himself. The circle aft of the name box is the cockpit pressure relief flapper to equalize pressure when ditching.6 Lee Morris 1969: NM-302 Under tow while the ship is in port. CVW-19 aboard the Oriskany was on a WestPac (Vietnam) Cruise. Perhaps the port is Subic Bay Phillipines. Note the aft "Hell Hole" (engine access) is hanging open. Lee Morris 1969: With a air refueling tank on the centerline station, this "Black Knight" will be doing Tanker Duty. Lee Morris 1969: Tires smoke as this Skyhawks touches down. Note the "Plane Guard" escort cruising the wake of the Oriskany, just in case someone winds up in the water. And the LSO is peeking around the LSO Platform wind break to check on the trap. Lee Morris 1969: NM-307 does a flyby of the Oriskany. Lee Morris 1969: LTJG "Mac" McCullen mans NM-307. Lee Morris 1969: Maintenance is checking out the cockpit. A/c is loaded with ordinance, but no one is in Flight Deck Uniform so launch is still some time off. Lee Morris 1969: NM-310 taxies. Lee Morris 1969: Maintenance crew at work on NM-314. Lee Morris 1969: Plane Captain Art Peck in 314 which has LTJG "Mac" McCullen's name on it. Lee Morris 1969: NM-314 has a wire and begins roll out with speed brakes still open. Lee Morris 1969: Loaded up with iron bombs and taxing towards the cat with the help of nose wheel tiller bar. Yes the "Foxtrot" has nose wheel steering but the Blue Shirt can walk the nose wheel into the exact cat hookup position more precisely than the pilot can from the cockpit. Lee Morris 1969: Ready to go on the Port Cat, holdback is drawn tight, and the Cat Officer is going through his launch procedure. Note the position of the flaps for takeoff. Lee Morris 1969: CVW-19 Skyhawks aboard the USS Oriskany. Left to right is VA-512 NM-512, VA-23 NM-304 and VA-192 NM-4xx. 1969: Closeup of CVW-19 Skyhawks aboard the USS Oriskany. Left to right is VA-512 NM-512, VA-23 NM-304 and VA-192 NM-4xx. Richard Mylar |
