Palm Springs in Riverside County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Grumman A-6E Intruder

Photographed by Adam Margolis, September 14, 2022

1. Grumman A-6E Intruder Marker

Inscription.

Grumman A-6E Intruder. . The United States Navy needed an all-weather carrier-based attack aircraft. The Douglas A-1 Skyraider did its job in the Korean War, but they desired a new aircraft with twin jet engines. The Grumman A 6 Intruder was introduced in 1963 and served as the Navy's and Marine Corps premier medium/all-weather attack aircraft all the way through the 1990s. , The Navy issued a request for proposals in 1955 and Boeing, Lockheed. Bell, Grumman, Douglas, Martin, Vought and North American submitted 11 designs for a two-seat, subsonic attack bomber. The Navy requested side-by-side seating in under to increase workload in the cockpit. Grumman A25-1, which led to the A-6, received the contract and production in 1958. , The A-6 intruder was a notoriously ugly plane. Pratt and Whitney turbojets required twin intakes toward the front of the aircraft swelling the sides and giving the A-6 a blotted look. The rounded out and streamlined back end gave way to a joke that the plane was ball backwards , The pilot sat the left and the border/navigator sat on the right: Both Navy and Marine Corps pilots liked this set-up because it allowed the navigator more access to be productive. Bombardier/navigators were responsible for monitoring airspeed power settings rate of descent, and altitude among others. , Intruder's avionics system included Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), laser targeting Low Light Level TV (LLLTV) and Moving Target identification (MTI). However, DIANE was the biggest advancement in its electronic hardware. , Digital Integrated Attack and Navigation Equipment (DIANE) was essentially a bomb release tool. DIANE could incorporate any spend, rate of climb, angle of dive, G force, wind or altitude and calculate the proper time to release a payload. DIANES Vertical Display Indicator gave the pilot a representation of the horizon, sky, terrain, radar altitude and angle of attack. This tool allowed the A-6 to hug terrain, which gave it its low-level bombing prowess. , On loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation

The United States Navy needed an all-weather carrier-based attack aircraft. The Douglas A-1 Skyraider did its job in the Korean War, but they desired a new aircraft with twin jet engines. The Grumman A 6 Intruder was introduced in 1963 and served as the Navy's and Marine Corps premier medium/all-weather attack aircraft all the way through the 1990s.

The Navy issued a request for proposals in 1955 and Boeing, Lockheed. Bell, Grumman, Douglas, Martin, Vought and North American submitted 11 designs for a two-seat, subsonic attack bomber. The Navy requested side-by-side seating in under to increase workload in the cockpit. Grumman A25-1, which led to the A-6, received the contract and production in 1958.

The A-6 intruder was a notoriously ugly plane. Pratt & Whitney turbojets required twin intakes toward the front of the aircraft swelling the sides and giving the A-6 a blotted look. The rounded out and streamlined back end gave way to a joke that the plane was ball backwards

The pilot sat the left and the border/navigator sat on the right: Both Navy and Marine Corps pilots liked this set-up because it allowed the

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navigator more access to be productive. Bombardier/navigators were responsible for monitoring airspeed power settings rate of descent, and altitude among others.

Intruder's avionics system included Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), laser targeting Low Light Level TV (LLLTV) and Moving Target identification (MTI). However, DIANE was the biggest advancement in its electronic hardware.

Digital Integrated Attack and Navigation Equipment (DIANE) was essentially a bomb release tool. DIANE could incorporate any spend, rate of climb, angle of dive, G force, wind or altitude and calculate the proper time to release a payload. DIANES Vertical Display Indicator gave the pilot a representation of the horizon, sky, terrain, radar altitude and angle of attack. This tool allowed the A-6 to hug terrain, which gave it its low-level bombing prowess.

On loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, Korean. A significant historical year for this entry is 1963.

Location. 33° 49.959′ N, 116° 30.245′ W. Marker is in Palm Springs, California, in Riverside County.

Photographed by Adam Margolis, September 14, 2022

2. Grumman A-6E Intruder Marker

It can be reached from North Gene Autry Trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Palm Springs CA 92262, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles,

in the Coachella Valley,

and in the Peninsular Ranges.

It is also in the American Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: McDonnell Douglass F-18 Hornet (within shouting distance of this marker); Palm Springs Air Museum (within shouting distance of this marker); Anti-Aircraft Searchlight (within shouting distance of this marker); Distinguished Flying Cross Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); M725 Ambulance (within shouting distance of this marker); Tuskegee Airmen (within shouting distance of this marker); General Dynamic F-16 Fighting Falcon (within shouting distance of this marker); Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig 15

Adjacent marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Adam Margolis, September 14, 2022

3. Adjacent marker

(within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Palm Springs.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. This page has been viewed 208 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 19, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.