What are the other MAJOR difference’s between these 2 kits/aircraft…besides the “Electronic Intelligence” (ELINT) and “Electronic Countermeasures” (ECM).
Also are there any aftermarket decals for the EA-6A Wild Weasel?
Thanks
From what I have been able to find, the EA-6A was never developed beyond a couple of prototypes. It was developed from the A-6A Intruder with the electronic countermeasures, but still a two seater unlike the EA-6B Prowler, which had a longer frame and seated four. It was also to carry the AGM-45 Shrike missile for taking out enemy raders. I would guess the difference in the two kits is the pod on top of the vertical fin and all the under wing pods would be included plus the missiles and appropriate decals, but would be much the same as the A6-A kit.
I couldn’t find any aftermarket decals and I would guess there may not be any as this was a limited run of a re-released kit.
There were 28 EA-6A’s built and they primarily served with the Marines in Vietnam through the mid 70’s.
They continued to serve in reserve squadrons until the early 90’s.
Besides the “football” on the tail, they had additional pylons on the outer wing panels, and the nose ahead of the cockpit was significantly different from the Intruder.
Microscale did an aftermarket decal sheet many years ago; I haven’t seen anything for the new release.
Mark
To futher confuse issues, wasn’t there an A-6B variant which was optimised specifically for the SEAD role?
I always thought that the term “wild weasle” was an Air Force moniker, and the Navy folks used the monuker “iron hand.”
gary
My resources were faulty as I found one thing about the prototypes and then another reference to a squadron of them…sorry. I know the radars equipped were different, so perhaps the that is the difference in the nose?
I also thought of “Wild Weasel” being an Air Force designation and the first plane that pops into my head are those 'Thud’s of the Vietnam era.
Quoting Aerophile Extra Number 2 on the EA-6A and EA-6B "The A-6B was an aircraft tailored to a very specific problem for which the Navy had no immediate solution - SAM Supression: Continnuing later in the paragraph, “The first A-6Bs became available to the fleet during 1968 and were utilized for strikes against SAM sites under the generic project name “Iron Hand”. Later in the paragraph, Nineteen A-6B’s were eventually produced in three different versions. Mod 0 Ten stripped-down and modified A-6A’s rushed off the assembly line. Most of the attack electronics were removed and were equipped with basic detection and warning equipment developed by Bendix.” They carried Standard ARM on the inboard pylons. Mod 1 were 6 a/c modified to carry the updated Standard ARM, the AGM-78. The final version Mod 3 (PAT/ARM) were three additional A-6Bs equipped with Passive Angle Tracking to improve the accuracy of the AGM-78 and possibly the AGM-45 (Shrike)
What I found most fascinating about this material of the A-6B is that apparently the book “Flight of the Intruder” (followed by the movie of the same name) was apparently written around the A-6B and NOT the A-6A. I always knew it had little to do with either of the EA versions but hadn’t realized it was the A-6B that conducted SAM suppression missions.
Anyway, I highly recommend the Aerophile book if you’re planning on building any of the EA versions of this aircraft.
CAM Decals made a set or two for the EA-6A in 1/48. I do not know if they are still available as many of their decal sets are now OOP.
As far as the A-6B goes, in the Squadron book, Wild Weasel, The SAM Suppression Story, there is a good section there with photos and close up detail drawings on the different antennas and equipment added to the B Intruders. It also details the different approach the Navy took to SAMs versus the Air Force approach of specialized squadrons.
Thanks Jimbo for the insight!
Yes!
19 A-6As were converted to A-6B from 1967 to 1970.
I remember starting to see Intruders in early 1968 in Chu Lai. All were carrier based planes, and were confgured for carrying bombs. By the time we saw them they had holes in them big enough to put your fist thru.
gary
Pictures are worth 1000 blah, blah,
The A-6E kit is on top, with the EA-6A kit on the bottom, & yes I broke off the refueling probe on the AE- kit. The edges of the intakes are lined up so you can get a decent idea of the differences in the nose sections.
Tree shot with the AE-6 specific sprues:
Main inst. panel:
Family shot of all the A-6 kits for comparison:
There is one aftermarket sheet for the EA-6 that I know of… Impact Decals produced a sheet #(48-002) that has decals for an RF-4B, EA-6A, & three EA-6Bs, all from VMCJ/VMAQ-2 Playboys, but that sheet has not been available for a while.
Ish,
CAM decals made this sheet, but it is currently OOP.
actually the first Wild Weasles were F100F’s, and then later replaced with F105G’s
gary
Actually there were 28 EA-6A’s built, 2 prototypes, 15 new builds and 11 conversions, they were deployed to Vietnam and saw frontline combat use.
I am responding to a post from jimbot58 that was posted in July 210 regarding the deployment of the EA-6A Intruder. Jimbot58 said he couldn’t find any info on whether this aircraft was ever deployed. Yes, it was deployed and was the best EW fighter jet in the entire Vietnam War. I know this as a fact as I was a tech illustrator in Customer Training for Grumman Aerospace in Bethpage, NY in 1975-6 where I was doing tech illustrations and graphics for dozens of Training Programs on the EA6A Intruder. I received a ‘Secret’ Clearance to work on these training programs and all my work is in the Pentagon