The Vought A-7 Corsair II is a light attack aircraft adapted for use by aircraft carriers. Its history begins in February 1964, when Vought (now LTV Aerospace) was commissioned to design a new carrier-based aircraft for the US Navy to replace the A-4 Skyhawk, with greater payload and range. The project was developed on the basis of the F-8 Crusader, adapting it to subsonic flights. The flight of the A-7 prototype was carried out in 1965, and serial production began a year later. The silhouette of Corsair II resembles the Crusader, but the angle of the wing wedge has not been changed, it was redesigned by increasing the number of suspension nodes to 6, and in addition to flaps and ailerons, spoilers were also sprayed, and a device for hydraulic folding of the wing was also installed. entered The structure was largely unified with the Crusader, using many off-the-shelf elements. Main versions: A-7E (attack fighter), A-7N (land version), A-7K (new avionics, in service since 1980). A-7 Corsair II aircraft were used in large-scale combat operations during the Vietnam War and during the 1986 air assault on Libya. They were also exported, min. to Greece and Portugal. Technical data: Maximum speed: 1100 km / h; climb rate 67 m/s, maximum ceiling 16,000 m, maximum flight range: 4,600 km, fixed armament: 2 Mk.12 20-mm guns, payload: up to 6,800 kg.
