Lexington Park in St. Mary's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

North American RA-5C Vigilante

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 30, 2019

1. North American RA-5C Vigilante Marker

Inscription.

North American RA-5C Vigilante. . , Very Fast, Very Heavy Reconnaissance The RA-5C began as the A3J Vigilante (redesignated A-5 in 1962), a carrier-based bomber designed to deliver a nuclear weapon and travel at twice the speed of sound. Two years after Vigilantes were fielded, however, submarines began assuming the strategic nuclear attack mission. As a result, Vigilantes in the fleet and in production were converted to reconnaissance aircraft. Only the U.S. Navy operated the Vigilante, with eight RA-5C squadrons serving in Southeast Asia from August 1964 through 1975. The aircraft's graceful lines, along with its amazing speed and huge size (among the heaviest carrier-capable aircraft ever), make the Vigilante one of the most unique aircraft in Naval Aviation history. The last RA-5C flight was in November 1979., Our Display Aircraft Bureau Number 156643 was the last production RA-5C. It was accepted by the Navy on 30 October 1970 and served with a number of different fleet squadrons. Although a fleet aircraft, our Vigilante was often flown by Naval Air Test Center crews to support periodic Automatic Carrier Landing System certifications. IT was retired in June 1979 and transferred to PRNAM after logging 3334.7 flight hours, 637 catapult launches, 635 arrested landings, and 3664 total landings.,

. Primary Mission: Long-range reconnaissance , . Crew: One Pilot, one Reconnaissance Attack Navigator , . U.S. Service Timeline (A-5 Series): 1961 - 1979 , . Max. Gross Weight: 80,000 lb , . Dimensions: 76.6 ft length, 53.0 ft wing span , . Propulsion: Two General Electric J79-GE-10 turbojets , . Max. Operating Speed: 719 MPH (sea level); Mach 2.0 at altitude , . Armament/Payload: Free-fall nuclear weapon (A-5A); Side-looking radar, cameras (vertical, oblique, split-image), and passive electronic warfare sensors (RA-5C)

, This aircraft is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida. . This historical marker was erected by Patuxent River Naval Air Museum. It is in Lexington Park in St. Mary's County Maryland

Very Fast, Very Heavy Reconnaissance The RA-5C began as the A3J Vigilante (redesignated A-5 in 1962), a carrier-based bomber designed to deliver a nuclear weapon and travel at twice the speed of sound. Two years after Vigilantes were fielded, however, submarines began assuming the strategic nuclear attack mission. As a result, Vigilantes in the fleet and in production were converted to reconnaissance aircraft. Only the U.S. Navy operated the Vigilante, with eight RA-5C squadrons serving in Southeast Asia from August 1964 through 1975. The aircraft's graceful lines, along with its amazing speed and huge size (among the heaviest carrier-capable aircraft ever), make the Vigilante one of the most unique aircraft in Naval Aviation history. The last RA-5C flight was in November 1979.

Our Display Aircraft Bureau Number 156643 was the last production RA-5C. It was accepted by the Navy on 30 October 1970 and served with a number of different fleet squadrons. Although a fleet aircraft, our Vigilante was often flown by Naval Air Test Center crews to support periodic Automatic Carrier Landing System certifications. IT

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was retired in June 1979 and transferred to PRNAM after logging 3334.7 flight hours, 637 catapult launches, 635 arrested landings, and 3664 total landings.

• Primary Mission: Long-range reconnaissance
• Crew: One Pilot, one Reconnaissance Attack Navigator
• U.S. Service Timeline (A-5 Series): 1961 - 1979
• Max. Gross Weight: 80,000 lb
• Dimensions: 76.6 ft length, 53.0 ft wing span
• Propulsion: Two General Electric J79-GE-10 turbojets
• Max. Operating Speed: 719 MPH (sea level); Mach 2.0 at altitude
• Armament/Payload: Free-fall nuclear weapon (A-5A); Side-looking radar, cameras (vertical, oblique, split-image), and passive electronic warfare sensors (RA-5C)

This aircraft is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida

Erected by Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Military • War, Vietnam • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1979.

Location. 38° 16.552′ N, 76° 27.725′ W. Marker is in Lexington Park, Maryland, in St. Mary's County. Marker can be reached from Three Notch

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

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 30, 2019

2. North American RA-5C Vigilante

Road (Maryland Route 235) just north of Buse Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 22156 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park MD 20653, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II (a few steps from this marker); McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet (a few steps from this marker); Grumman A-6E Intruder (a few steps from this marker); Grumman NF-14D Tomcat (a few steps from this marker); Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler (a few steps from this marker); LTV NA-7A Corsair II (a few steps from this marker); The F9F-8B “Cougar” (within shouting distance of this marker); AIM-9H Sidewinder Missile (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lexington Park.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 1, 2019. It was originally submitted on September 1, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 167 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 1, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.