The Douglas A-3 Skywarrior is a story of magnificent acts, new ideas, and sticking to one’s guns, all of which were among its features that marked it as a Cold War signature plane. Developed in the late 1940s, it was the American Navy’s answer to the repeated demand for a jet-powered bomber that could safely take off from an aircraft carrier and deliver a nuclear bomb worldwide.
Few could have envisioned that it would be flying for almost four decades, eventually claiming the honor of being one of the Navy’s longest-serving carrier planes, when it entered service in 1952. Constructing an aircraft so big and heavy as to be carrier-capable was no trivial undertaking.
The Navy desired something on a scale never attempted before, and Douglas engineers met the challenge with innovative thinking. A folding high wing, tricycle landing gear for smoother takeoff and landing—both revolutionary for an aircraft of that size—and two trusty Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojets, provided the Skywarrior with the power and stamina it required to haul heavy loads over great distances.
In the A-3B configuration, the Skywarrior had impressive dimensions: a wingspan of slightly more than 22 meters, a maximum weight of more than 37,000 kilograms, and speeds of up to 530 knots at 10,000 feet. With bombs, mines, or nuclear weaponry fully loaded, it could reach a height of 41,000 feet. A twin 20mm cannon defending the tail turret offered firepower, and advanced avionics that included the AN/ASB-1A radar and the AN/ASB-7 bomb-director enabled accurate mission performance.
By the mid-1950s, the Skywarrior had realized the Navy’s dream of a strategic bomber. But as the world’s priorities changed, its mission changed as well. The Skywarrior in Vietnam adapted to far-different missions than nuclear strikes.
The KA-3B tanker gave carrier-based fighters and reconnaissance aircraft an extended range, and the EKA-3B integrated aerial refueling and electronic warfare, jamming enemy radar while refueling friendly aircraft in mid-air.
Electronic intelligence was another domain in which the Skywarrior excelled. The EA-3B variant traded bombs for sophisticated ELINT systems and had a crew of seven, including dedicated electronic warfare specialists. These “spy” Skywarriors took to the air from carriers and shore bases to track enemy movements in the Cold War, intercept communications over Vietnam, and even provide support in the Gulf War.
Reconnaissance sorties were a specialty as well. The RA-3B was equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors and was frequently sent deep into enemy territory to offer crucial intelligence to aid in planning the mission. Its range, altitude, and endurance created a critical capability for naval commanders.
The Skywarrior was designed so adaptably that the U.S. Air Force took it over as the B-66 Destroyer. Although they looked alike, the B-66 was configured to suit Air Force requirements with its strengthened landing gear, ejection seats, and Allison J71 engines. Like its naval counterpart, it filled a variety of roles—ranging from bombers and reconnaissance planes to EB-66 electronic warfare models that jammed enemy radar in the Vietnam War.
Later models of the Skywarrior, such as the ERA-3B, included updated avionics like more advanced navigation systems, sophisticated weather radar, improved communications, and identification gear. These improvements enabled it to be a productive and useful aircraft well into the 1980s.
The A-3 served well into 1991, increasingly being replaced by more sophisticated, accurate, and technologically advanced aircraft. Its legacy does survive, though—kept alive in museums and the recollections of those who operated the “Whale,” its unofficial nickname. It was a multi-role workhorse, a Cold War-era veteran that took on every challenge and left an indelible stamp on naval aviation history.