Aircraft: A-4E Skyhawk
Custodian: VA-23
BuNo: 151162
Modex: NE-336 |
Location: DaNang
Date: 02 JAN 1967 |
|
Description: right side view of Black
Knights Skyhawk BuNo 151162, NE-336, assigned to CO CDR Dick Mackell
parked on the ramp as it awaits repairs to the burned out lower tail
section. p/c is AA W.L. Jackson.
TINS from the Mike Cronin:
"I've just looked at the VA-23 photo album on your site and I have
just realized that one of the pictures is of an aircraft I was flying
when it was hit by an SA-2 missile. The aircraft was barely flyable,
but too badly damaged to land on the ship. I landed at Danang where
that picture was taken.
The incident took place on January 2nd 1967. I was on a shrike
mission and three SA-2s were fired at my flight in quick succession.
We dodged the first two but the third exploded behind my aircraft at
close range. All hydraulics were lost, the rudder cables were cut and
all elevator control was lost. The stick would not move fore and aft
at all. I had manual control of the ailerons and horizontal trim
only. I was lucky to make it to Danang. I've checked my logbook and
that's the aircraft. The picture was probably taken shortly
afterward. I was shot down and captured on the 13th of January 1967 and spent the
next six years as a POW."
|
Photo credit: unknown via W. Mutza
contact:
G. Verver |
|
