VA-133

VA-133

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VA-133 Blue Knights
VA-133 Blue Knights
VA-133 Blue_Knights skull  

Patch

Patch illustrated - time frame unknown.

Sources

David Weber

Handle

Blue Knights

Heritage

21AUG61 VA-133 established.

01OCT62 VA-133 disestablished.

Home Ports

1961 NAS Cecil Field FL.

Air Wings

03MAR62-6MAY62 AE CVG-13 (CVA-64)

Aircraft

18 Sep 1961 - - - - - - - - - - - - - Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk

2 Oct 1967 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Douglas A-4F Skyhawk

November 30, 1962: A4D-2 designation changed to A-4B.

For A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit see lower in this page:

Deployments

Departure & Return - - - - - - Air Wing - - - - Carrier - - - - Aircraft - - - - - Area of Operations

03 Mar 1962 - 6 May 1962 - CVG-13 - CVA64 - A4D-2 (A-4B) - Atlantic (Shakedown

Commanding Officers

Assumed Command - - - - - - - Commanding Officer

No info yet

Awards

No info yet

No info yet

Events

21 August 1961: The VA-133 "Blue Knights" were established and flew the A4D-2 Skyhawk from NAS Cecil Field, Florida It was disestablished on 1 October 1962.

19 February 1962: A squadron detachment was aboard the USS Constellation for carrier trials and in a standby status for possible assistance during Project Mercury.

3 MAR 62 through May 1962: CVG-13 (AE) aboard CVA64 U.S.S. Constellation for a shakedown cruise, contained the following units.
VF-131 Nightcappers flying the F3H-2 Modex 100
VF-132 Peg Leg Petes flying the F8U-2N Modex 200
VA-133 Blue Nights flying the A4D-2 Modex 300
VA-134 Scorpions flying the A4D-2 Modex 400
VA-135 Thunderbirds flying the AD-6 Modex 500
VAH-10 Vikings flying the A3D-2 Modex 600

January 1, 1962: Lt. Nils Swenson, 29, was killed last night when his A4D (BuNo 142739) jet crashed and burned during a landing approach. Swenson was returning to Cecil Field from a training flight to NAS Oceana, VA when the plane crashed about 15 miles south of Jacksonville in an area covered with brush and small pines. The Pensacola News, Friday, 02 January 1962.

January 12, 1962: 1940 (hours) A4D aircraft BuNo 142680 struck tower starboard yardarm during wave off from practice CCA. Pilot Lt. D.N. Bates, ejected safely as aircraft fell into water on starboard side. Six short blasts were sounded on ships whistle. Life ring and smoke light were thrown over the starboard side. The USS Bigelow (DD-942) was designated as rescue destroyer. Aircraft crashed in 20 fathoms of water; LAT 30-57N, LONG 80-21.7W. 2010 pilot recovered by whaleboat from USS Bigelow (DD-942). USS Franklin D. Roosevelt deck log, Friday, 12 January 1962. An experienced A4D pilot departed an east coast base for some practice night CCA approaches to a big carrier and as he hadn't made a night carrier landing in almost three years all approaches were to be waved off at a safe distance and altitude. Two other A4D's were at the marshal point ahead of him and at the ten-mile gate he was well to the right of the desired track. The CCA gave him a 90-deg. turn followed by a 90-deg. right and the carrier was in front of him and moments later he called meatball and flew the glide slope. He saw two bright lights ahead and assumed it must be the other two A4D's climbing out. The meatball was going low, and he was drifting off to the right and he was adding power just as the wave-off lights flashed and he commenced a climbing turn to the right and saw what looked like a flashing white taillight directly ahead and closing. He reduced power to stay behind and dropped the nose to stay below the bogie, saw he was over-running and banked hard right climbing to pass level, crashed into the ships steel yardarm in a 60-deg. bank and ejected as something smashed into his knee, after disentangling himself from the seat and chute he lit off a flare and was rescued by the plane guard DD. NAN, Pettibone, April 1962. 

June 5, 1962: Lt. H. Bates safely ejected at 3,000 feet when his Skyhawk (BuNo 142115) developed engine trouble on a rocket firing run and crashed into woods 10 miles from Jacksonville. Panama City Herald, Thursday, June 7, 1962.

 

Unit Photos

April 17, 1963: A4D-2 BuNo 142885, AE-312, and VF-131 Nightcappers F3H-2 Demon BuNo 145242, AE-107, 17 April 1962, USS Constellation, Terrier missile test. Official U.S. Navy photo.


Off-Duty Photos

None yet.

A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit:

  • Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk
    • 142097 c/n 11351
      • 26 Sep 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 31 Aug 1962 - VA-125 - NAS Lemoore, CA
    • 142099 c/n 11353
      • 26 Sep 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 31 Aug 1962 - VA-44 - NAS Jacksonville, FL
    • 142112 c/n 11366
      • 19 Sep 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 08 Jul 1962 - VA-44 - NAS Jacksonville, FL
    • 142115 c/n 11369
      • 26 Sep 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 15 Jun 1962 - Stricken - 1AA1
    • 142680 c/n 11742
      • 08 Nov 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 31 Jan 1962 - Stricken - 1AA1
    • 142687 c/n 11749
      • 01 Dec 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 05 Jul 1962 - NAS - NAS Lemoore, CA
    • 142690 c/n 11752
      • 12 Nov 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 28 Feb 1962 - VA-44 - NAS Jacksonville, FL
    • 142697 c/n 11759
      • 02 Oct 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 05 Jul 1962 - VA-125 - NAS Lemoore, CA
    • 142700 c/n 11762
      • 07 Dec 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 05 Jul 1962 - NAS - NAS Lemoore, CA
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  • Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk (Continued)
    • 142733 c/n 11795
      • 01 Feb 1962 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 31 Aug 1962 - VA-125 - NAS Lemoore, CA
    • 142739 c/n 11801
      • 18 Sep 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 31 Jan 1962 - Stricken - 1AA1
    • 142773 c/n 11835
      • 22 Nov 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 05 Jul 1962 - VA-125 - NAS Lemoore, CA
    • 142779 c/n 11841
      • 07 Jan 1962 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 05 Jul 1962 - NAS - NAS Lemoore, CA
    • 142885 c/n 11947
      • 05 Dec 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 05 Jul 1962 - NAS - NAS Lemoore, CA
    • 142891 c/n 11953
      • 01 Dec 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 20 Aug 1962 - VA-125 - NAS Lemoore, CA
    • 142896 c/n 11958
      • 10 Nov 1961 - VA-133 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
      • 05 Jul 1962 - VA-125 - NAS Lemoore, CA
  • Douglas A-4F Skyhawk
    • 154971 c/n 13787
      • 02 Oct 1967 - VA-133 - USS Enterprise
      • 30 Dec 1968 - VA-192 - USS Oriskany
    • 154975 c/n 13791
      • 03 Oct 1967 - VA-133 - USS Enterprise
      • 27 Jul 1968 - VA-192 - USS Oriskany
    • 154976 c/n 13792
      • 02 Jun 1968 - VA-133 - USS Saratoga
      • 10 Jul 1968 - VA-93 - NAS Lemoore, CA

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