A-7 and the Nearly Visit
The Ling-Temco-Vought
LTV A-7 Corsair II is my favourite Aircraft
and in addition I have great interest in United States Navy Air Squadrons.
But I had no really good pictures of the A-7 Corsair II and with the Types retirement looming
little time to rectify the situation. So in early 1990 through contacts in Washington,
I was put in touch with
Bert Byers at
Cecil Field Naval Air Station
in Florida, by then the home base for the last operational Corsair II Squadrons.
Bert made all the arrangements for me to make a visit to Cecil Field in Autumn 1990.
But
'the best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men gang aft agley'
and what is now known as the
First Gulf War
intervened. The visit had to be postponed and when the last active A-7 Squadrons returned to Cecil
Field in May 1991 the Aircraft were almost immediately retired.
So my chance to get the A-7 Pictures I now desperately wanted, had gone forever!
However if you want something enough, there is usually a way. see:
LTV A-7 Corsair II Album Notes
and the
LTV A-7 Corsair II Album
The Visits and Hornets
It takes more than a war for
Bert Byers and the USN to forget a promise. So I was asked if I
would like to come and see the resident
McDonnell-Douglas/Boeing FA-18 Hornets
that had replaced the A-7's
with the Squadrons - As Hornet is a close second to the A-7 as being my favourite US Fast Jet, the
answer was
YES PLEASE!
A visit was arranged for December 1991. Now as a British/Canadian Amateur Photographer, being allowed on the
ramp at a fully operational US Naval Air Station is a great privilege, but Bert and the personnel at Cecil
Field did not stop there as I was able to make two more visits in September 1992 and August 1993.
I owe Bert Byers and all those who 'put up with me' a debt of gratitude, not
only for their organisation of the visits but the kindness and assistance I received whilst on base.
The Pictures in these two albums are only a 'glimpse' into the massive number of Cecil Field Hornet
Photographs in my collection.
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The Demise of Cecil Field NAS
The August 1993 visit was very poignant as in July 1993 Congress approved Base Realignment and Closure Commission's
plans to close Cecil Field as a Naval Air Station and Naval activities were wound down over the six years
with the base being finally closed in 1999. Although now primarily a Civilian Airport:
Cecil Field
still has some military activity, but the days when it was the largest military base in Florida, are now but a memory.
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Cecil Field Links
Naval Air Station Cecil Field - Global Security Entry
Cecil Field Naval Air Station - Wikipedia Entry
Cecil Field Airport - Jacksonville Aviation Authority Site
Cecil Field Airport - Wikipedia Entry
McDonnell-Douglas/Boeing FA-18 Hornet Links
F/A-18 Hornet - Boeing History Site
see also:
F/A-18 Hornet - Boeing Integrated Defense Systems Site
F/A-18 Hornet and F/A-18 Super Hornet - Department of the Navy - Naval Historical Center Site
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A/B & F/A-18C/D - Air Vectors a Greg Goebel Site
McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet - Wikipedia Entry
Squadron Links
Links to US Navy Air Squadrons mentioned in these albums:
VFA-15 the Valions - Official Site
VFA-37 the Ragin' Bulls - Official Site
VFA-81 the Sunliners - Wikipedia Entry
VFA-83 the Rampagers - Wikipedia Entry
VFA-86 the Sidewinders - Wikipedia Entry
VFA-87 the Golden Warriors - Wikipedia Entry
VFA-105 the Gunslingers - Wikipedia Entry
VFA-106 the Gladiators - Wikipedia Entry
VFA-131 the Wildcats - Wikipedia Entry
VFA-136 the Knighthawks - Official Site
VFA-137 the Kestrels - Official Site
VFA-203 the Blue Dolphins - Global Security Entry
Link to the US Marine Corp Squadron mentioned in these albums:
VMFA-142 the Flying Gators - Wikipedia Entry
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