A U.S. Navy Douglas A4D-2 <i>Skyhawk</i> (BuNo 144927) from Attack Squadron VA-81 <i>Crusaders</i> Det.45 about to launch from the aircraft carrier USS <i>Essex</i> (CVS-9). VA-81 Det.45 was assigned to Carrier Anti-Submarine Air Group 56 (CVSG-56) aboard the <i>Essex</i> for a deployment to the North Atlantic from October 1961 to February 1962. Note that VA-81 Det.45 kept its regular tail code "AJ" (from CVG-8) and did not adopt the CVSG-56 tail code "AU".
U.S. Navy
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://collections.naval.aviation.museum/emuwebdoncoms/pages/doncoms/AdvQuery.php">U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation</a> photo No. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://collections.naval.aviation.museum/emuwebdoncoms/pages/doncoms/Display.php?irn=16004041&amp;QueryPage=%2Femuwebdoncoms%2Fpages%2Fdoncoms%2FAdvQuery.php">1996.253.4772</a>