VA-81 Sunliners 1971 USS Forrestal A-7E Corsair II Model, LTV, 1/31 Mahogany Scale Model, Navy

VA-81 Sunliners A-7E 1971 USS Forrestal Fly with the Sunliners of VA-81 in this hand crafted A-7e with 1971 markings. Each model is carefully carved from wood and hand painted to provide a piece you’ll love. Length- 18 inches Made from Mahogany US Veteran Owned Business The product is not intended to be used by children 12 years and younger. 1950s The squadron was originally established as Attack Squadron 66 (VA-66) on 1 July 1955. On the same day, they were redesignated Fighter Squadron 81 (VF-81), an all weather fighter interceptor squadron flying the F9F-8B Cougar. Their first deployment was with CVG-17 in late 1956 aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the Suez Crisis. In 1958 VF-81 made a deployment as part of Air Task Group 181 (ATG-181) aboard USS Lake Champlain to the Mediterranean Sea. In the next year VF-81 went to sea with ATG-182 to the North Atlantic aboard USS Intrepid. On 4 March 1959 VF-81 was reequipped with the A4D-2 Skyhawk and redesignated attack squadron VA-81 on 1 July 1959. 1960s VA-81 was assigned to CVG-8 and made five deployments to the Mediterranean Sea aboard the USS Forrestal between 1960 and 1966. From October 1961 to February 1962, a detachment of VA-81 Skyhawks deployed to the North Atlantic embarked on USS Essex. The detachment was provided air cover for Antisubmarine warfare units embarked on USS Essex with their AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. The detachment was the first jet unit to function as part of an antisubmarine killer force. In April 1963 the squadron transitioned from the A-4B (A4D-2) to the A-4C Skyhawk. In 1966 and 1967, 'VA-81 was deployed with CVG-8 to the Mediterranean, this time aboard USS Shangri-La. For the 1967/68 deployment aboard the same carrier, the squadron flew the A-4C. In 1969 VA-81 A-4Cs made a single deployment to the Mediterranean aboard the USS John F. Kennedy as part of CVW-1, operating for a time off the coast of Libya following the 1969 Libyan coup d'état. 1970s In February 1970, the squadron won the Navy Battle "E" for East Coast A-4 squadrons. In May 1970, VA-81 transitioned to the A-7E Corsair II and was reassigned to CVW-17. Between 1971 and 1982 VA-81 made eight deployments to the 6th Fleet aboard USS Forrestal. In December 1972, the squadron’s A-7Es conducted cross-deck operations with the British carrier HMS Ark Royal. From July to August 1974, VA-81 operated from USS Forrestal in the vicinity of Cyprus following the coup and subsequent Turkish invasion. Surveillance and cover missions were flown by the squadron during the crisis.