Sanford in Seminole County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

The North American RA-5C Vigilante

The Last and Most Advanced Aircraft Stationed at NAS Sanford

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, May 6, 2019

1. The North American RA-5C Vigilante Marker

Inscription.

The North American RA-5C Vigilante. The Last and Most Advanced Aircraft Stationed at NAS Sanford. The Vigilante rises on this site to preserve a time in our history when the City of Sanford’s indomitable sense of patriotism and community with Naval Aviation demonstrated the best of America’s heritage. May this place be long remembered as a monument to the remarkable human spirit demonstrated by the citizens of Sanford, and by the men and women of the U.S. Navy and their families. , The Vigilante was an extraordinarily advanced carrier aircraft. It was first developed and deployed in 1961 as a nuclear attack bomber. In 1964 it was introduced as the most effective multi-sensor tactical reconnaissance system ever made available to American forces. Some Vigilante Technology “Firsts” included: , .First Supersonic High/Low Altitude Carrier Aircraft , .First Production Fly-By-Wire Flight Control System , .First Deflector/Spoiler Flight Controls(no ailerons) , .First variable geometry horizontal ramp engine inlets , .First subsonic and supersonic escape/ejection system , .First digital navigational and bombing computer , .First production :”Heads-Up” cockpit display system , .First integrated Inertial Bombing/Navigation system , .First integrated Terrain Avoidance system , .First integrated electronic warfare system , , Enduring Vigilante Legacies for America’s National Defense , Advanced technology and design for today’s aircraft , A lasting benchmark for multi-sensor tactical recon , Exceptional Government-Industry teamwork and management , , RA-5C Vigilante Operational and Performance Data , Operationally, the Vigilante provided highly effective tactical reconnaissance, using a broad multi-sensor capability, in a typical operational mission. The Vigilante made a high speed, high or low altitude pass, using its varied sensors to gather continuous, full-spectrum electronic, infrared, side-locking Radar, and serial frame or panoramic camera data on the entire tactical area, the aircraft served worldwide, with extensive combat in Vietnam and remained operational through 1978. , , Crew: , Pilot and Recon Attack Navigator (RAN) , Max Speed at Sea-Level (MPH) 808 (Mach 1 05) , Max Speed at 40,000 Ft. (MPH) 1,320 (Mach 2) , Service Ceiling (Ft) 49,000 , Combat Radius (MI) 1,508 , Engines: , Two J79-GE-10 Turbojets with afterburner-17.859 lbs thrust each. , Weights and Loading: , Average mission weight without fuel (lbs) 42,000 , Max carrier takeoff weight (lbs) 79,500 , . Max Carrier landing weight (lbs) 50,000 at 160 MPH , Dimensions , Length (Ft) 76.5 , Wingspan (Ft) 53.0 , Height (Ft) 19.3 , , Displays in the Domestic Terminal Building are also part of , The NAS Sanford Memorial – They provide additional , Historic Vigilante information . ,

The Vigilante rises on this site to preserve a time in our history when the City of Sanford’s indomitable sense of patriotism and community with Naval Aviation demonstrated the best of America’s heritage. May this place be long remembered as a monument to the remarkable human spirit demonstrated by the citizens of Sanford, and by the men and women of the U.S. Navy and their families.

The Vigilante was an extraordinarily advanced carrier aircraft. It was first developed and deployed in 1961 as a nuclear attack bomber. In 1964 it was introduced as the most effective multi-sensor tactical reconnaissance system ever made available to American forces. Some Vigilante Technology “Firsts” included:
•First Supersonic High/Low Altitude Carrier Aircraft
•First Production Fly-By-Wire Flight Control System
•First Deflector/Spoiler Flight Controls(no ailerons)
•First variable geometry horizontal ramp engine inlets
•First subsonic and supersonic escape/ejection system
•First digital navigational and bombing computer
•First production :”Heads-Up” cockpit display system
•First integrated Inertial

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Bombing/Navigation system
•First integrated Terrain Avoidance system
•First integrated electronic warfare system

Enduring Vigilante Legacies for America’s National Defense
Advanced technology and design for today’s aircraft
A lasting benchmark for multi-sensor tactical recon
Exceptional Government-Industry teamwork and management

RA-5C Vigilante Operational and Performance Data
Operationally, the Vigilante provided highly effective tactical reconnaissance, using a broad multi-sensor capability, in a typical operational mission. The Vigilante made a high speed, high or low altitude pass, using its varied sensors to gather continuous, full-spectrum electronic, infrared, side-locking Radar, and serial frame or panoramic camera data on the entire tactical area, the aircraft served worldwide, with extensive combat in Vietnam and remained operational through 1978.

Crew:
Pilot and Recon Attack Navigator (RAN)
Max Speed at Sea-Level (MPH) 808 (Mach 1 05)
Max Speed at 40,000 Ft. (MPH) 1,320 (Mach 2)
Service Ceiling (Ft) 49,000
Combat Radius (MI) 1,508

Engines:
Two J79-GE-10 Turbojets with afterburner-17.859

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, May 6, 2019

2. The North American RA-5C Vigilante Marker

lbs thrust each.

Weights and Loading:
Average mission weight without fuel (lbs) 42,000
Max carrier takeoff weight (lbs) 79,500
. Max Carrier landing weight (lbs) 50,000 at 160 MPH

Dimensions
Length (Ft) 76.5
Wingspan (Ft) 53.0
Height (Ft) 19.3

Displays in the Domestic Terminal Building are also part of
The NAS Sanford Memorial – They provide additional
Historic Vigilante information

Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, Vietnam.

Location. 28° 45.888′ N, 81° 14.257′ W. Memorial is in Sanford, Florida, in Seminole County. It can be reached from Red Cleveland Boulevard 0.1 miles south of Marquette Avenue. located within NAS Sanford Memorial Park. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 1 Red Cleveland Boulevard, Sanford FL 32773, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in Greater Orlando

and in Central Florida.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

RA-5C Vigilante image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, May 6, 2019

3. RA-5C Vigilante

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: RVAH 12 Speartips (a few steps from this marker); Naval Air Station - Sanford (a few steps from this marker); NAS Sanford/City of Sanford (a few steps from this marker); U.S. Navy Enlisted Bombardier / Navigator (a few steps from this marker); Ramey Field (within shouting distance of this marker); Seminole County (approx. 0.8 miles away); Midway/Canaan City (approx. 1.7 miles away); Fort Reid 1836 (approx. 2.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sanford.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 3, 2019. It was originally submitted on July 28, 2019, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 668 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 28, 2019, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.