Replacing the A-4 Skyhawk
Conceived as a replacement for the A-4 Skyhawk, the A-7A Corsair II made its first flight in September 1965. Exactly one year later, the first operational squadrons began receiving the aircraft to train pilots who would eventually fly it in frontline service. By then, naval aviation was deeply involved in the air war over Vietnam, and the first tactical squadron to operate the Corsair II, Attack Squadron (VA) 147, undertook its first cruise in combat conditions. The squadron flew its first missions over North Vietnam in December 1967.
By that time, production of the successor A-7B was already underway, with the aircraft making its first flight in February 1968. In total, the Navy operated seven production variants of the Corsair II, including the two-seat TA-7C and the EA-7L, which was configured for electronic countermeasures missions. Another variant, the A-7D, served operationally with the U.S. Air Force.
The final Corsair II variant was the A-7E, which first flew in November 1968. It was powered by a 14,250-pound-static-thrust Allison TF41-A-2 engine and featured upgraded avionics and hydraulic systems, along with a multi-barrel M61 cannon. The Vulcan’s highly reliable six-barrel design, inspired by the 19th-century Gatling gun, replaced the original pair of troublesome 20 mm Colt Mk 12 cannons. Ammunition capacity also increased from slightly more than 650 rounds in total to 1,000 rounds.
However, as Norman Birzer and Peter Mersky explain in their book U.S. Navy A-7 Corsair II Units of the Vietnam War, many Navy Corsair II pilots regarded the Vulcan as a neat toy. In practice, though, they rarely used it in combat, largely because suitable targets were in short supply.
The pilot who loved to shoot the A-7 Corsair’s Gun
Even forward air controllers (FACs) were often hesitant to authorize strafing runs by enthusiastic A-7 pilots when the tactical situation did not justify them. USAF Capt. Ralph Wetterhahn, who had previously shot down a MiG-21 as a first lieutenant during Operation Bolo and later became a successful author, was an exception. During an exchange tour with VA-146 “Blue Diamonds” in 1970, Wetterhahn relished firing the A-7E’s cannon, a habit that did little to endear him to the aircraft’s ground crew.
During an off-duty visit to a bar in Olongapo City, the well-known Philippine destination for servicemen, a plane captain, the enlisted sailor responsible for a specific squadron aircraft, confronted Wetterhahn. According to the account, the group had been drinking when one of the “white hats” called Wetterhahn “Captain Messerschmitt.” The nickname was not related to his German surname; rather, it had reportedly been adopted by the mechanics because the aircraft often returned from his missions covered in residue after firing its gun.
The M61 cannon was reportedly used regularly, particularly during nighttime operations. On one occasion, when maintenance personnel needed the ammunition container emptied, all 1,000 rounds were fired in a single burst. The resulting cordite residue adhered to the aircraft’s underside and, because it was corrosive, had to be removed before exposure to salt spray caused damage.
‘Captain Messerschmitt’
USAF Capt. Ralph Wetterhahn described developing a technique in which the bombs were released first, followed by a burst from the Gatling gun during the pullout. The tactic was intended to keep anti-aircraft gunners’ heads down while the aircraft cleared the area. Wetterhahn acknowledged that he also enjoyed firing the gun. When another aviator warned that anti-aircraft gunners could see the muzzle flash at night and direct fire toward the aircraft, Wetterhahn reportedly replied that they could see the entire aircraft during the day and still miss, questioning whether a two-second burst at night would suddenly make them more accurate.
However, the plane captain’s objection concerned the maintenance required afterward. He and the other plane captains had to remove the cordite residue from the A-7, which they regarded as an unpleasant task. Wetterhahn therefore told the plane captain that he would clean the aircraft himself after his next mission.
Two weeks later, Wetterhahn flew a nighttime mission with six Mk 83 bombs and a full load of twenty 20 mm rounds. The aircraft returned with its underside blackened by gunfire residue. After the A-7 had been chained down, Wetterhahn noticed the plane captain inspecting the underside with a look of disgust. Wetterhahn told him not to touch the aircraft, but to gather the necessary cleaning equipment at dawn and wait for him.
USAF Capt. Ralph Wetterhahn recalled that, after completing the debriefing and sleeping for approximately two hours, he made his way to the flight deck. By the time he arrived, approximately 200 sailors had gathered around the A-7. Wetterhahn collected a container of cleaning solvent and several rags, then slid beneath the fuselage and began removing the residue. Camera flashes erupted around him, resembling the fire of a 57 mm gun battery in combat.
US Navy A-7 Corsair II pilots did not fire the gun
USAF Capt. Ralph Wetterhahn recalled that he was halfway toward the aircraft’s tail when the plane captain, apparently impressed by his willingness to clean the A-7, took the rag from him. The plane captain remarked that he had never expected to see an officer perform such a task, offered to finish the job, and encouraged Wetterhahn to fire the gun whenever he wished.
Reflecting on the incident, Wetterhahn observed that his Navy counterparts did not use the cannon as frequently as he did. According to Wetterhahn, they used it mainly during missions over South Vietnam. In Laos, bombs generally handled the work, while strafing required the aircraft to approach close enough to enter the anti-aircraft artillery envelope. Wetterhahn therefore conducted high-angle strafing runs, aiming for the ground ahead of the target area during the pullout.
U.S. Navy A-7 Corsair II Units of the Vietnam War is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.
Photos by skyhawkpc (flickr) via hiveminer.com, screenshot from YouTube video and Lt. Graves / U.S. Navy
