A Grumman A-6C <i>Intruder</i> aircraft (BuNo. 155660) of attack squadron VA-35 <i>Black Panthers</i>. VA-35 was deployed as part of <i>Attack Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8)</i> aboard the aricraft carrier <i>USS America (CVA-66)</i> to Vietnam from 05 Jun 1972 to 24 Mar 1973. The designation A-6C was given to twelve A-6As that were modified between February and June of 1970 as special aircraft designed to detect, track, and attack nighttime truck traffic along the "Ho Chi Minh Trail" during the Vietnam war. The planes were fitted with an internal "Black Crow" engine ignition detection system and a ventral TRIM (Trails-Roads Interdiction Multisensors) pod faired into the lower fuselage that contained the FLIR and LLLTV cameras.
US Navy Sailor or employee
1972
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