RA-5C Vigilante 1/72 Die Cast Model - Experimental Scheme, RVAH-6 "Fleurs", USS Constellation, 1966 - HA4710
Features
- Model is approximately 12.75" long with a 8.75" wingspan
- Die cast metal construction with some plastic components
- Accurate markings and insignia
- Includes pilot figure
- Optional-position landing gear
- Detachable ordnance loads
- Opening canopy
- Display stand included
The RA-5C Vigilante was a supersonic carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft developed from the A-5 Vigilante for the United States Navy. Introduced in the 1960s, it replaced the aircraft's original nuclear strike mission with a specialized intelligence-gathering role. Powered by two General Electric J79 turbojet engines, the RA-5C could exceed Mach 2, making it one of the fastest aircraft to operate from an aircraft carrier. Its sleek airframe housed advanced cameras, side-looking airborne radar, and electronic sensors within a streamlined reconnaissance bay. During the Vietnam War, the RA-5C conducted high-risk missions over heavily defended territory, providing vital photographic intelligence despite suffering notable losses. Although expensive and complex to maintain, the aircraft demonstrated impressive speed, range, and capability, serving as the Navy's premier long-range reconnaissance platform until its retirement in the late 1970s.
