 The North American AJ Savage ( later A @-@ 2 Savage ) was a carrier @-@ based medium bomber built for the United States Navy by North American Aviation . The aircraft was designed shortly after World War II to carry atomic bombs and this meant that the bomber was the heaviest aircraft thus far designed to operate from an aircraft carrier . It was powered by two piston engines and a turbojet buried in the rear fuselage . The AJ @-@ 1 first became operational in 1950 and several were based in South Korea during 1953 as a deterrent against the Communists . Of the 140 built , plus three prototypes , 30 were reconnaissance aircraft . Inflight @-@ refueling equipment was deployed on the Savage in the mid @-@ 1950s . The bomber was replaced by the Douglas A3D Skywarrior beginning in 1957 . 
