VA-163 Saints A-4E (1965), 18" Mahogany Model

VA-163 Saints A-4E (1965) ModelFly again with the VA-163 Saints again with 1965 markings. Each model is carefully carved and painted to provide a piece you’ll love.Length – 18 inchesMade from MahoganyUS Veteran Owned BusinessThe product is not intended to be used by children 12 years and younger.On September 1, 1960, Attack Squadron 163 was established at Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Florida. Shortly thereafter, the Saints moved to Naval Air Station Lemoore, California where they began training for their first deployment.During her operational history, Attack Squadron 163 made six Pacific Fleet cruises, including four combat cruises during the Vietnam War. The first five were with Carrier Air Wing 16 in USS Oriskany between 1962 and 1968, and the last with Carrier Air Wing 21 in USS Hancock in 1968-1969.In the first three WESTPAC combat cruises to SouthEast Asia (SEA) (1965–68), VA-163 sustained periods of heavy losses, including 14 aircraft destroyed by enemy action, with at least five pilots killed, five captured, and two severely wounded. The ‘Saints’ also lost two squadron Commanding Officers (CO) to combat action, with the first during the 1965 WESTPAC combat cruise, CDR Harry Jenkins, in November 1965 (shot down, and made a POW). The second was CDR Wynne Foster, who lost an arm to flak in July 1966, but ejected and was rescued. (Foster later recovered, and waged a successful battle to remain on active duty.)These unit losses were then followed by the tragic at-sea USS Oriskany fire, in October 1966, which then claimed more unit personnel (among the total 44 men who were lost in the fire).Among the four total WESTPAC combat cruises that VA-163 completed, the 1967-68 cruise was by far the costliest, in losses of both pilots and aircraft. During this cruise alone, five ‘Saints’ pilots were Killed In Action, or went Missing In Action, over North

• Handcrafted Kiln Dried Mahogany Model
• US Military Aviator Owned Small Business
• Highly detailed with minimal decals
• Matched against historic photos
• Heirloom Pieces