AJ-1 Savage

[wendovertom]

Perhaps the Col. Rohr knows more but - what and how long was the AJ-1 Savage used on carriers and if there are any still around as static displays or otherwise?

Thanks,

Tom P.

[TimAPNY]

The Navy has one at the Museum in Pensacola FL. I think that is the only one in the public eye, lets hope one or more are somewhere out there (but I'd be surprised).

I've seen fleet pictures in Cruise books in 1957 with the AJs on board.

[Swiss Mustangs]

Tom

here's a nice site on USS Midway that had the AJ-1 on board during the early 50's

http://www.midwaysailor.com/berniestadiem/

http://www.midwaysailor.com/midway1950/ ... htops.html

Martin

[RareBear]

First flight of the AJ-1 was in 1949, with carrier testing done in mid-1950. The type was gone from the fleet by the mid-1960s. There were about 140 aircraft of the AJ series manufactured, with 55 being the AJ-1 variant.

The AJ-1 was the first nuclear-capable aircraft for carrier use. Its place was soon taken, however, by the A3D Skywarrior.

Walt

[Steve T]

Hi--

From what I know there is only one surviving AJ Savage, an AJ-2; it was still active in the late 70s as an engine testbed. Presumably that is the one now at NMNA. At about the time the testbed AJ-2 was retired, the hulk of one of the XAJ-1 prototypes was destroyed at NAS Norfolk (again IIRC); the XAJ hulk was the only other known surviving Savage until that time...a pity there aren't more left, as the design was both significant (in a USN context) and unusual--and rather charismatic, too.

S.

[Scott Rose]

Here are a couple of operational pictures from our Richard Wells gallery.

[RMAllnutt]

Thanks for the photos Scott! That last one was especially fascinating. I had no idea that the engines actually tilted so far down during the wing-folding process... very cool engineering indeed! Also check out the wings in the first shot... they have a remarkable resemblance to same company's B-25 bomber.

Cheers,
Richard

PS. How big was the aeroplane? It looks huge!

[Scott Rose]

Thanks for the photos Scott! That last one was especially fascinating. I had no idea that the engines actually tilted so far down during the wing-folding process... very cool engineering indeed! Also check out the wings in the first shot... they have a remarkable resemblance to same company's B-25 bomber.

Cheers,
Richard

PS. How big was the aeroplane? It looks huge!

Actually Richard, that is what happens when she lands too hard and the engine mounts break

And it was indeed a large plane.

[TimAPNY]

I have several shots of the USN's AJ I can post tonight.

[TimAPNY]

Posted:

http://community.webshots.com/album/170499503CRnhCR/4

[wendovertom]

Humm. . . Fallon is not far from Wendover and at least it could sit in a hangar!! I'm sure the museum here could round up a few folks to volunteer time to at least preserve the plane.

Thinking, thinking. . ..

Tom P.

[Dan K]

I'll be at NMNA in less than two weeks. I'll see about getting a few updated photos.

Now let's just hope Hurricane Dennis calms down.

[TimAPNY]

Humm. . . Fallon is not far from Wendover and at least it could sit in a hangar!! I'm sure the museum here could round up a few folks to volunteer time to at least preserve the plane.

Thinking, thinking. . ..

Tom P.

I think the last part of the trip that will cause problems, You'd be shocked at just how many of those bombs don't go boom out there.

Then there are the CBU units that cause their own brand of danger

If been out to a range and stuff litters the ground out there! And I've been my butt chewings too many times when a bomb does not go off because "we messed up the release checks", because AOs always loaded the aicraft correctly and the pilot poop never stinks.



BUT I'd love to see those airframes pulled out to the sand trap and given some love. One in museums is not enough!

[airnutz]

Was looking for some info on the HUP& others at Quartzite Arizona and
in J Baughers site saw 2 Savage mentioned as fire bombers.
BuNo 124158 converted to firebomber scrapped 68/69

BuNo 124167 converted to firebomber crashed Sep. 67

Wish Ron Olsen had some pics of those birds!

[John Kerr]

Two AJ-1's were used for Forest Fire Fighting. They were N9142Z, 124158
and N9143Z, 124167. N9143Z was scrapped arround 1969 and N9142Z crashed in September 1967.

Fire Bomber #s assigned to the tankers were # 88 for N9142Z and # 77 for N9143Z.

The AJ-2 at Pensacola is ex N68677, 130418.

FYI a few photos of N9142Z can be found at:

http://www.scalefirebombers.com/index2.html

Cheers, John R. Kerr

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