Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!decwrl!shelby!rutgers!att!cbnews!military From: jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: What was the A-11? Keywords: attack planes, designations, gaps Message-ID: <1990Oct11.050738.28984@cbnews.att.com> Date: 11 Oct 90 05:07:38 GMT Sender: military-request@att.att.com Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Indian Hill - Naperville, Illinois Lines: 75 Approved: military@att.att.com From: jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) Fellow netters, I've got another aircraft designation question for you. The unified designation scheme introduced in 1962 added an A for Attack category, starting from number one. Initially, the Air Force had no planes in this category (having reclassified all of its attack planes as bombers in 1948), but several Navy attack planes were redesignated and given a number on the A-list. At a somewhat later time, the Air Force acquired aircraft in the attack category, and they duly acquired an A-number as they were ordered into service. By now, the list seems to have reached the number 12, with the advent of the Avenger II flying wing carrier-based attack plane which is shortly to make its first flight. I have recently been trying to identify all the planes in the A series. I think I can identify them all, with one lone exception. The exception is the eleventh entry. The attack planes in the post-1962 A-category that I can identify are: Douglas A-1 Skyraider Formerly designated AD. Single-engine, carrier-based attack aircraft. North American A-2 Savage Formerly designated AJ. Three-engined carrier- based strategic bomber (two props, one jet). Douglas A-3 Skywarrior Formerly designated A3D. Twin-jet, swept-wing carrier-based heavy attack aircraft. Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Formerly designated A4D. Single-engine carrier- based attack aircraft. North American A-5 Vigilante Formerly designated A3J. Twin-engine carrier- based supersonic strategic bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. Grumman A-6 Intruder Formerly designated A2F. Twin engine, two seat carrier-based all-weather attack aircraft. Link/Temco/Vought A-7 Single seat attack and close support aircraft. Corsair II Looks much like a snub nose F-8 Crusader. McDonnell-Douglas AV-8 Single-seat V/STOL close support and tactical Harrier reconnaissance aircraft. License-built British Aerospace Harrier. (I'm not absolutely sure that this one is in the A-series, but I think so) Northrop A-9 Twin-engine, single-seat close air support aircraft. Lost out to A-10 for production orders. Fairchild Republic A-10 Twin-engine, single-seat close air support Thunderbolt II aircraft. A-11 ?????????????? General Dynamics/McDonnell Two-seat low-observable carrier-based attack Douglas A-12 aircraft. Large flying wing Avenger II Does anyone out there know what A-11 was? Or do we have here another mysterious "gap" in the designation scheme akin to the much-discussed "F-19" gap? Joe Baugher ************************************* AT&T Bell Laboratories * "Do you understand the device, * 200 Park Plaza * Robby?" * Naperville, Illinois 60566-7050 * "Yes, Morbius. A simple * (708) 713 4548 * blaster." * ihlpm!jfb ************************************* jfb200@cbnewsd.att.com Who, me? Speak for AT&T? Surely you jest!